AutoCAD 2013/2014 DWG Format

[#1]

Hi all,

Our company has thousands of drawings. We need to be able to find drawings based on a number of factors, namely 'client name'.

Is there any way to embed this 'attribute' post-autocad to the DWG file, so as to be able to search folders (or the whole :drive)? Some external software solution would be ideal. Like adding ID3 tags to MP3s, although it would be 'client name' to DWGs.

Does anyone currently use some similar technique to embed this 'tag'..?

Something with a batch assign command would be ideal, as mentioned there are thousands of DWGs already. Adding an extra attribute to the titleblock would be a last resort, as you can imagine.. this would take ages.

[#2]

While in AutoCAD, in a file, start DWGPROPS command and fill in the fields you need/want. That info shows up in Windows Explorer's PROPERTIES of each file, is searchable, and ADCENTER's search inside AutoCAd can also find them.

Or it's time for you all to explore better file management using a tool like AutoCAD VAULT.

[#3]

Thanks for the reply, I'll check into those now.

[#4]

Seconded on Vault and other EDMS systems.  Chances are you are dealing with not only DWGs but PDFs, Excel workbooks, and a host of other files, and with that many file types and counts its easy to get beyond a point where a conventional Windows search is impractical.

[#5]

DWGPROPS -> Set Title [Variable]

ADCENTER -> Search [Variable]

In conjunction with custom PROPULATE Templates, this process could actually work quite nicely.

Now.... if only AutoDesk could fix their Shell intergration with Windows Explorer Columns, that would be handy.

The existance of a 3rd party hack, which costs money, is not ideal. Nor is purchasing VAULT as a solution for something that did work in previous versions, but now is broken. Also, VAULT is comparitive to fixing an ingrown toenail with a jack-hammer in this case. Thanks, but no.

[#6]

On a separate note; is there anyway to invoke the 'Design Center' Search dialogue box via the command line? Or ideally, from outside AutoCad via the DOS command prompt or as a standalone executable?