Block Instance Information in Data Extraction

[DH613]

I am looking to run an extraction to find location information of objects within blocks.  The problem is when there are multiple instances of blocks it doesn't seem to identify which instance of the block an object belongs to.  Is there a way around this?

[braudpat]

Hello

Please could you explain "... to identify which instance of the block an object belongs to"

With DataExtraction, you can get some Infos from Blocks, for example :

Handle, Name, XYZ Position, XYZ Scale, Rotation, Layer, Color, LineType, LineWeight, Attributes (if exist), etc

You will never get any Infos from the Geometry (line, arc, pline, text, hatch, etc) inside blocks ! ...

[DH613]

What I mean is, say for example the block contains attributes, the extraction lists their values.  But if I have multiple instances of the block, other than the location, there is no ready way of saying which instance of the block a particular row of the file relates to. Is there any way I can do this?

As a side point, how do you get details of geometry of objects within a block?

Thanks

[braudpat]

Hello

Welcome to the Autodesk/AutoCAD Forums ! ... I have forgotten this "important" sentence in my 1st message ...

With Dataextraction, you can extract the Handle (8 Hexa characters) which is the UNIC identifier for any entity (block, line, arc, pline, text, etc) in a DWG !

You see also the handle when you use the LIST command on the Text screen ...

So if you have only a few Blocks (or Entities) to localize, you note/remind these few Handles

and then you can use this nice french routine ZH (from Gilles) which Zoom/Localize any entity with its handle ...

You can give to ZH a few different Handles separated by a Comma and you zoom/localize (New/Previous/All) your Blocks or Entities !

Maybe this ZH routine could help you a little bit !?

As I said : "how do you get details of geometry of objects within a block ?" - I don't konw how ?!

Except of course with a very specific Lisp/VLisp routine ...

[DH613]

Thanks - but with my extractions it's not giving the handles.

[braudpat]

Hello

You are RIGHT, I am a stupid boy !

This sentence is completely false >>>

With Dataextraction, you can extract the Handle (8 Hexa characters) ...

ACAD 20xx doesn't let you extract the Handle ... GRRR !!

Sorry I haven't check this IMPORTANT point with my ACAD !!!

It's because I am using sometimes the LIST command to see Handle...

and mainly because I am using ACAD MAP (or CIVIL) where we can with Query (Report mode) to extract the Handle ...

[DH613]

thanks anyway

[steven-g]

I realise you are talking about the dataextraction used inb full autocad and I believe this is somewhat automated, but using the alternative ATTEXT command you can extract data using a template file and that will allow you to include the handle in the data list (I presume full Autocad has the ATTEXT command), the only way I can think of to get info out of a block about the geometry it contains would be by first putting attributes into the block and using fields to get details about geometry, but without seeing an example it is difficult to be specific, as a side point how do you know which block is which in the drawing do they have a unique value otherwise the only thing you can report is the block position. 

[DH613]

Many thanks for this. Will have a look.

David

David Halter
Senior Systems Engineer - Asset Solutions | Consulting, Rail and Strategic Highways

t: 0161 238 5865| m: 0789 642 7178 | e: david.halter@amey.co.uk
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[braudpat · Accepted solution]

Hello

+1 with Steven

The very old command ATTEXT (since about ACAD R2.5/2.6) will let you extract the Handle - I have just retested with ACAD 2015 ...

In fact it's a command avalaible since a long time ago and it's the only way to extract someting (coming from classic Blocks) with ACAD LT ...

You must supply a template TXT file like this one :

BL:NAME                 C040000
BL:HANDLE              C010000
BL:LAYER                  C040000
BL:X                          N012004
BL:Y                          N012004
TAMPON_NO           C040000
TAMPON_Z               C040000
TAMPON_FILDO       C040000
TAMPON_RADIER    C040000

Into this sample, I will get into a TXT or .CSV file: blockname, handle, layer, X, Y and 4 attributes ...

C means Character - N means Number - N0120004 means 12 numbers with 4 decimals ...

I hope it can help you ...