Insert Excel Into AutoCad

[gsksun4]

Is there a way to insert an Excel file into AutoCad? I tried a "save as" and didn't see anything cad would identify as an image file. Can't save it as a .wmf which cad would probably identify.

Also, if I can insert it, can it be scaled? I doub't you could edit it.

Glenn

USA

[dbroada]

I'm not sure if your version of AutoCAD has it but look for DATALINK. This is by far the simplest way to insert a spreadsheet and has two way editing ability.

[gsksun4]

I'm not sure if your version of AutoCAD has it but look for DATALINK. This is by far the simplest way to insert a spreadsheet and has two way editing ability.

 

Im using 2009LT and have created the new data link, but do not know how to get it into the drawing. I type in datalink and it now shows in the data link manager. I did a search on insert spreadsheet, but didn't find anything. It tells me how to draw a table in autocad. I already know how to do that.

[dbroada]

oh. I have a new machine here and it hasn't done what I expected. I'll have another look when I've finished paid work later.

[gsksun4]

oh. I have a new machine here and it hasn't done what I expected. I'll have another look when I've finished paid work later.

 

Thank you Dave.

Glenn

[Glen Smith]

I'm using 2010, but I know that they were using this method when we had 2008 before I got here.

 

Apologies if this isn't what you are looking for.

 

Copy the table that you want to insert from your spreadsheet (Control C or edit-copy)

 

Switch to AutoCAD and click on Edit - Paste Special. This should bring up a Paste Special dialog box select the Paste Link radio button and then you should see Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet as an option - select that and click ok. Select your insertion point and you now have a linked spreadsheet in your drawing. If you update the spreadsheet in Excel, the data changes in the DWG. If you double click on the table in the DWG, Excel will open up the .XLS file.

 

Yes the pasted spreadsheet is scale-able.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Glen

[gsksun4]

I'm using 2010, but I know that they were using this method when we had 2008 before I got here.

 

Apologies if this isn't what you are looking for.

 

Copy the table that you want to insert from your spreadsheet (Control C or edit-copy)

 

Switch to AutoCAD and click on Edit - Paste Special. This should bring up a Paste Special dialog box select the Paste Link radio button and then you should see Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet as an option - select that and click ok. Select your insertion point and you now have a linked spreadsheet in your drawing. If you update the spreadsheet in Excel, the data changes in the DWG. If you double click on the table in the DWG, Excel will open up the .XLS file.

 

Yes the pasted spreadsheet is scale-able.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Glen

 

Well, this worked fine and it's already copied into my cad bible. Only thing is, I couldn't rotate the spreadsheet once it's in the drawing.

Any thoughts on this, and can you do this paste special with other types of files, like word, .jpg, ,wmf?

Thanks,

Glenn

USA

[chelsea1307]

I know LT can edit tables created in autocad but can it create them? Try typing table or tb at the command line get anything? If yes you can create the datalink through that and insert the table. You will need to know what part of the excel sheet you want shown like A:1 - F:16 hope this helps

[gsksun4]

I know LT can edit tables created in autocad but can it create them? Try typing table or tb at the command line get anything? If yes you can create the datalink through that and insert the table. You will need to know what part of the excel sheet you want shown like A:1 - F:16 hope this helps

 

Yes, that works too, but it takes you to the same data link manager as shown above. I need to find a way to rotate the link once inserted in the cad drawing.

Thank you.

[chelsea1307]

In the pic below the table with the white background was created with the copy paste method and is not rotatable the one with the black background was created using the table command and as you can tell since its now upside down it can be rotated

[gsksun4]

In the pic below the table with the white background was created with the copy paste method and is not rotatable the one with the black background was created using the table command and as you can tell since its now upside down it can be rotated

 

Was the table shown with the black background created in excel? The table I was inserting was given to me by an engineer at the last minute to put into the cad drawing. I didn't have time to redo the table in autocad with the table command. By this, I mean create a table using the table toolbar button.

[chelsea1307]

the table was created in excel, used the table command then selected data link then selected my file and inserted

[gsksun4]

the table was created in excel, used the table command then selected data link then selected my file and inserted

 

OK, I got that down, except I couldn't edit the table while in cad. I can rotate though. Also, scaling it down changes the look of the table. It reads correct, but it changes the shape.

[Glen Smith]

Well that's a surprise. I would have though that you could rotate the table once it was inserted, but it would appear not. I even tried wblocking it out and rotating the block, but no luck.

 

One thing to be aware of is that the data will update in that table, so revision management is tricky. If the table changes in Excel, you have to remember to add that to your revision log when you next print the drawing, AutoCAD will not remind you that the data changed.

 

I would go with: "well engineer, if I had the table I could have re-built it and had it at the right rotation. If you want to wait for me to rebuild it so it can be at the right rotation it will take ... time. Otherwise, here's your table."

 

Good luck!

Glen

[chelsea1307]

What is the reason for scaling? Is the text too big? are the columns too wide? are the rows too tall? you can change all that in the table properties and not scale

[gsksun4]

Well that's a surprise. I would have though that you could rotate the table once it was inserted, but it would appear not. I even tried wblocking it out and rotating the block, but no luck.

 

One thing to be aware of is that the data will update in that table, so revision management is tricky. If the table changes in Excel, you have to remember to add that to your revision log when you next print the drawing, AutoCAD will not remind you that the data changed.

 

I would go with: "well engineer, if I had the table I could have re-built it and had it at the right rotation. If you want to wait for me to rebuild it so it can be at the right rotation it will take ... time. Otherwise, here's your table."

 

Good luck!

Glen

 

Wait! Chelsea's table "WILL" rotate, but you can't edit the text in cad.

I guess both are OK, but I can always, if needed, edit the original excel file and reinsert with the table command.

I added both solutions to my cad bible.

Glenn

[chelsea1307]

You can also edit it in autocad just unlock the cells you want to edit and you if you make the changes in excel you dont have to reinsert the table just do a datalinkupdate and it will update the table with the changes you made in excell

[gsksun4]

What is the reason for scaling? Is the text too big? are the columns too wide? are the rows too tall? you can change all that in the table properties and not scale

 

The reason for scaling would be to fit it into an area of the drawing cleared for the table. I think all things considered, it's safer to use your table method, which I can scale and rotate, but edit it in the original excel file if needed. The edit in this case was not needed. You both have been very helpful, and I'm grateful.

Glenn

[gsksun4]

You can also edit it in autocad just unlock the cells you want to edit and you if you make the changes in excel you dont have to reinsert the table just do a datalinkupdate and it will update the table with the changes you made in excell

 

We're, moving too fast here for me to reply, heh. How would I unlock the cells in cad?

[chelsea1307]

right click and go down to locking then select unlock, if you window the whole table you can stretch it either bigger or smaller and it will stretch all cells evenly this works both for x and y directions