Export/ import attributes

[tomol]

Hi,

I have about 300 drawings in which I need to update the attributes of the drawing frame. Does anyone have the knowledge on how to export the attributes to an excel sheet, update them and then import them back into the drawing (the export/import bit as a batch)?
I would have thought there would be a program of some sort that could do this but I have not been able to find any.

By the way, I am using 2002 with express tools

All ideas highly appreciated.

Regards,

Tom

 

[Estassoc]

Are the changes identical for each of the
300 drawings (normally is or else the lisp
routine becomes so complex)?

Can you give an example of these changes?

Lisp routine have been written that changes
attributes in multiple drawings (1000's) without
using Excel.

 

[Exxit]

Hi,

"attout" -> "attin"

Lothar

 

[tomol]

Hi,

The changes might vary from drawing to drawing. For instance I might have to change the rev.no. for all of them, change names for some of them (same change for a series of 10-15 drawings, then a different change for 10-15), add some info in a field etc.

The factory, which produces these drawings, exports the attributes to an Excel sheet, does all modifications there and then import the changes back in to the drawings again (export/import as a batch operation). They have their own software. It was developed for R14 and when trying to install it and run it with 2002 it f... up my Autocad and I had to re-install.

Attout/attin,, isn't it just for one drawing at the time? If so,, this means that I will have to do the same operation for all drawings,, is there any advantage in doing it this way?

Tom

 

[Estassoc]

Yes, ATTIN/ATTOUT is for one drawing at a time.
This is typically the same as what you'll be
doing if the attributes are exported to an Excel
do your changes and import them back. If there are
5 attributes per drawing (unlikely), then you'll be
wading through 1500 lines of text to be able to make
all of your changes. But since you mentioned that you
have an old program that works in R14, it would be a
lot easier to just tweak the program so it will work
in A2002.

 

[jbart]

You need a stand-alone tool that can do this. I've been pushing CADminer for such issues, especially when dealing with 100s of files. You can take 100s of drawings in, say, one directory, extract the attribute info out into one report, tweak (or integrate other) the data, and re-send to the CAD files. (It would actually be creating new drawings). Go to

http://www.cadminer.com.

It's not the easiest tool to use at first but when you learn how it'll save you a lot of time. Hope that helps.

 

[tomol]

Thanks a lot guys. The Cadminer sounds about what I have been looking for so I'll give it a try.

Tom

 

[VMichl]

Excellink (

http://www.xanadu.cz/excellink)

can be scripted so you can batch-process your drawings.

V.Michl, Xanadu