Trying to come up with a search in AutoCAD or changing a DWG. file in to a text file

[Monocad]

looking for a way to search in a folder of CAD files for a word like "panel 2" or a part number. looking for any kind of text. then to be able to have the drawings be highlight or for them to open up in CAD.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

[eldon]

Perhaps first stage to save as a DXF file in ASCII format

[halam]

Batchfind Will do some searching for You in dwg. It makes a .txt file somewhere in the user roaming path with the result before taking action on replacing words. Maybe it is of some use for You..

http://www.lee-mac.com/bfind.html

[Monocad]

thanks I will try it sounds like a good start

[TheCADnoob]

looking for a way to search in a folder of CAD files for a word like "panel 2" or a part number. looking for any kind of text. then to be able to have the drawings be highlight or for them to open up in CAD.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

you might be able to do a data extraction on the folder and then search that data.

[Monocad]

Not sure how to do data exaction would have steps. thanks a lot.

[TheCADnoob]

Not sure how to do data exaction would have steps. thanks a lot.

 

If you are using LT i don't think data extraction is available to you. if you are using full cad just type DATAEXTRACTION and follow the prompts.

 

http://www.cadnoob.com/CADnoobJoom/index.php/tutorials-how-to/8-opening-drawings-is-2000-late-data-extraction-from-multiple-drawings-in-a-single-command

[Organic]

This sounds like an interesting idea. However, before someone reinvents the wheel is it possible for Windows Search or another search program to search within the contents of a .dwg file?

[Monocad]

Thanks for the input, I tried to see if there is anything in Windows I haven't found anything.

 

 

I can change the file in to TXT. but only in AutoCAD 2016 not in LT and I still cant find a way of opening the files and searching the file with one click.

 

 

Here what Im hoping to do first: to search in a file of say ten drawings but only four drawings has the text Im looking for like "panel 2" the search would go in to the folder with the ten drawings find the drawings with that text "panel 2" highlight them or open them, so now I have the drawing that have only "panel 2" in them

 

 

Thanks

[ReMark]

This sounds like an interesting idea. However, before someone reinvents the wheel is it possible for Windows Search or another search program to search within the contents of a .dwg file?

 

Depending on the version of AutoCAD one is running there is something called the Content Explorer that can search on a keyword.

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-B536D704-025D-4096-8A4E-898A8DA4204E-htm.html