Link table data Via field

[Guiboard]

Hi,

 

I have been linking data from an AutoCAD table to blocks using a "Formula - Cell" field. But this only work for numbers and I would like to use it for both numbers and texts.

 

Example: I create a table with infos for a valve (supplier, flowrate, diameter ...) then I insert a block of valve.

I insert field in the attributes

1. diameter: insert field/object/formula/cell - then pick the diameter cell

2. flowrate: same stuff

3. supplier: doesn't work like the others, because it's text.

 

The good thing working this way is when you use 300 valves, and the Client says "Ah let's not order from this supplier, let's order from this one instead" you change the supplier only once.

VALVE-EXEMPLE.dwg

[MarcoW]

Hi GuiBoard,

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

I have set myself to this problem just to learn and maybe benefit from it myself. Shortly said: there seems to be no solution for this for I cannot find ANY help on the internet about this problem. I went throug a serie of pages from Autodesk also.

 

What causes the problem:

(Source)

An invalid field displays pound signs (####). For example, the CurrentSheetName field, which is valid only in paper space, displays pound signs if it is placed in model space.

 

So it seems you are using invalid fields, but "hey", they are not invalid at all.

Somehow it seems that the link between a text cell in a table and an attribute need a integer / real number. Not text. Hmm... why...? I believe it is not documented well.

 

Maybe my reply will catch anyones eye? Maybe there is a solution, then I like to know what it is!

 

In the meantime, I'd use plain text (or exploded table) to do what you want to do. It works how you want.

 

Let me know if it was of any help.

Kind regards,

MarcoW.

 

VALVE-EXEMPLE[1].dwg

[Guiboard]

Well thank you MarcoW, I started believing that there were no real solutions ... And you confirm. I hope this thread (and your answer) will be useful to many AutoCAD users and/or to AutoCAD programmers themselves who could work to fix this...

Meanwhile, I found an add-on, supplied by Cadig (website seems down this morning) called AutoCAD-Fields ... It adds an amount of "new" categories for fields, like Excel-Table Text, which directly links to the Excel table. But it is not free.

 

You can try Cadig website, I'll try it again later on.

 

Edit: here's the link http://www.cadig.com/products/autocad-field.php It's AutoField.