AutoCAD Attributes from AutoCAD LT to Excel

[ReMark]

I can't recall. How does one extract block attributes in LT and bring them into Excel? Wasn't it via the -ATTEXT command and a template file? Is there also another way (using LT 2013)? Jog my rusted cranium please! Thanks.

[Tuns]

Maybe a data link?

[steven-g]

Attext is the one, pen and paper is the other

[ReMark]

Is pencil OK? LoL

 

Any 3rd-party options that you know of? ATTEXT seems so ancient.

[steven-g]

I don't know of one ! I have a macro set up that does the whole thing automatically, and drops the output text file into a standard file location, obviously it only works for one type of block, but it's only one click (and it uses the whole drawing)

[Tuns]

Copy and paste.

I'm guessing data link doesn't work? I don't know too much about linking an excel file to an attribute.

[ReMark]

As far as I can determine a DATALINK is more apt to be used to bring an already populated spreadsheet into AutoCAD. My engineer has yet to extract the data (attributes) from his blocks.

[steven-g]

A data link is used for tables, which can have fields that read attributes that can read other attributes or table entries using fields, but I would sooner use a blunt piece chalk and the sidewalk

[Mike_Taylor]

There is an attribute extraction command. You essentially write a template file as a txt file. From there you can enter the command, follow the on screen instruction and export a comma delimited file. From here it is quite simple to import into excel. We use this all the time for extracting attributes for equipment requirements given to us by the architects and linking that to a master excel sheet with all equipment for the specific chain we are working on.

[ReMark]

Yes, that's the -ATTEXT command mentioned previously. Guess I'll be showing the engineer how to create a template file.

 

My thanks goes out to steven-g, Tuns and Mike_Taylor.

[steven-g]

Just ran a quick test, if you want to use it on multiple blocks, you can add all the tag names into one template, any blocks that don't contain that tag are read, but it gives it a zero value, and if you are putting it into excel then it would be simple to get excel to work out which info you want to use.

[ReMark]

I was planning on setting up the template for the engineer in exactly that way.