Export drawing attributes to a MySQL server

[MstrMatt]

My problem: I need to extract attributes from CAD files and export the data into MySQL type databases in order to compare the CAD data with other database data. Ideally the task needs to be done with a routine script that processes large sets of CAD files and data. 

I would like to know:

• Can this be done?
• Whats the best way to script this or code this with an API?
• Has anyone done anything similar before?
• Is there a way to run this script on a server machine without AutoCAD installed? (Not that I'm trying to avoid using AutoCAD in general, of course the program was used to create the files, it just seems silly to install it on a server for one task)
• Is this script relatiavely simple, or would it require large amounts of time and/or an expert?

Thank you, any leads would be appreciated. 

[fenton.webb]

I'd recommend using .NET to do what you want, in particular, you should use the DataExtraction API.

The only way to do what you want without AutoCAD being installed is to license the RealDWG technology, however, that doesn't support the DataExtraction API. So you would need AutoCAD installed. We don't support running AutoCAD on a server, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't work.