topic Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad in AutoCAD Forum

Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 12:25:43 GMT

Hello,

I have been working with Autolisp for a few days and I have been asked to extract blocks data to excel without opening AutoCad in order to make the process faster.

I guess autolisp is out of the window because you need to use the command box.

Does anyone can point me in the right direction, or has some promising program?

Thanks

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

pendean — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 12:35:39 GMT

You don't want to open AutoCAD, but are more than willing to install/use/open a 3rd program to do the same task? That makes no sense.

Or are you trying to have users with no AutoCAD licenses extract block data into Excel from DWG files for free?

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 13:42:45 GMT

No, they all have Autocad.

That's what got me puzzled too, I don't think they understand what they are asking.

Using autocad, how would you proceed in reducing data extraction time to the minimum?

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

cadffm — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 13:51:16 GMT

The normal (and minimum) is to start the command DATAEXTRACTION

and set up what you want to extract (you save this setup in a *.dxe file)..

For the next job you can use this *.dxe Setup file again and you are faster.

If you want to extract the SAME, same objects, same setting, same set of DWG-Files,

it is also possible to use -DATAEXTRACTION command (One click-> Output)

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 13:55:38 GMT

I'm sorry, I guess I should have been more specific.

They want to reduce processing time. The extraction to excel takes them too much time.

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

pendean — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 14:10:12 GMT

The processing time is based on how much info is being exported and the level of detail being written: they are what they are sadly.

There is no way to speed it up much without everyone here seeing sample files and understanding your workflow, how slow they are now for everyone and how much faster things need to be.

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 14:19:56 GMT

Sadly, since I started last week, some accesses are still pending, so not even I can stress test them.

I've read about using VBA, does that help in any shape or form for not opening the drawings?

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

cadffm — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 15:27:13 GMT

@Anonymous

Yes, i also have my own tools to export data, from outside of acad and from inside, but i really want to know what the problem is in your case,

what need so much time?

The time the user need to setup the dataextraction or the time acad need to export the information?

---

Just a sample to compare:

34 absolutely clean files
-> house technic / architecture-data is only attached as xref, so i have only 100-200kb per file

I need the value of one attribut from all block-references in modelspace, no nested informations.

I need some time for create the DXE, because i need a special output (not all properties of the objects),
and this DXE i need multiple time (hundred times in the running project over years).

What i need to extract: Filename, Blockname, one Attribute value,

An now, if i need a new export:
I need just one click (my User defined macro start the -dataextraction command)
and the new xls file need ~5-6 seconds for ~1700 block-references (from my 34 files).

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 15:49:46 GMT

Bonus points if reducing both, but the main focus is reducing the time acad need to export the information.

They want to extract the file name, file modified and 20 attributes related to each block (many of them empty as spaceholders). From what i gather, it would be on the line of having a single file (but if could be used on multiple, the better) with hundreds of blocks.

Doing something like you described would be the ideal

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

cadffm — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 17:20:41 GMT

20 Attributes of hundreds blockreference, in one file?

Sounds easy.

Is it possible to share a sample?

ETRANSMIT DWG xref, dxe.

Set up a sample on your local drive with a local target for this exportet excel file.

And how long acad needs on your side when all files are on a local drive?

Re: Data extraction to excel without opening AutoCad

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 08:28:20 GMT

Thanks, when I have access to the files, I'll share with you.

In the meanwhile, could you point me in the right direction? Do you think VBA is the way to go?

The file is akin to a shopping blueprint, where every section of an isle is a block.

About your last question, I still don't know.