topic Re: Find / Delete .lsp help in Visual LISP, AutoLISP and General Customization Forum

looking for guidance!

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:15:29 GMT

Hey all,

I am looking for guidance / assistance on how to best approach make a script file of some sort to make my current work more automated. I do not know if it is possible? I am looking for a way to make these electrical line tags match what address block and terminal number is displayed on the left hand side. When the address and terminations blocks change I have to go through each tag on the right hand side and type in the values to match.. which is very time consuming. I would like for them to just automatically update. Please see attached image for reference.

Thanks in advance!

Re: looking for guidance!

Jason.Piercey — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:35:15 GMT

Look into using fields to automate the replication of data.

Re: looking for guidance!

cadffm — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:38:57 GMT

Hi,

>>"I do not know if it is possible?"

There are some workarounds, up to a custom tool (programming).

Your picture: Is it simple (M)Text or Attributes on Blockreferences?

Solution: Ever heard about FIELD [F1] feature? Try it! Command: FIELD<enter>[F1]

and search for it on YT

Sample attached.

(I edited your error in line 2 and 3 !?)

Note: Copy ALL objects in one grey rectangle to create a new one, this way the fields are working as expecting

and they don't refering to another/older line.

Re: looking for guidance!

paullimapa — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:53:01 GMT

try attached atvlnk.lsp

Re: looking for guidance!

carter.nicholas.p — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 18:38:26 GMT

@cadffm The point address is a block with the termination blocks in red. I do not want to have to burst or explode all the block to copy the information out to match. Would the field command still work in this case?

@paullimapa I ran the script but do not think it will work copying the data in the blocks to just mtext.

I am open to making the line tags blocks if it is easier to transfer the data from addressing block. If that makes sense?

Re: looking for guidance!

paullimapa — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 18:44:31 GMT

The lisp only works on text and attributes but not mtext

Re: looking for guidance!

carter.nicholas.p — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 18:53:30 GMT

okay I think I may be able to make this script file work! I will just change all the Mtext to regular text. This is way faster than what I was doing before. I appreciate the help!

Re: looking for guidance!

cadffm — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 19:41:36 GMT

Hi,

>>"Would the field command still work in this case?"

yes, learn more about fields, there are really many ways in which you can use linked values.

>>"This is way faster than what I was doing before"

It does 90% what I did manually for my sample - what you have to do just one time, onced created - you can copy it.

>>"I will just change all the Mtext to regular text. "

What part is Text, you wrote about a block? so I am thinking we are talking about Attributes?

Or is Text on the left, but blockreferences+attributes on the right?

(It's possible to add the MText functionality)

Re: looking for guidance!

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 13:59:50 GMT

Hey guys,

So I did a little bit more research on both the ATVlink and Fields and at the moment I think ATVlink will be the quickest way in editing all the electrical wire tags. If I am creating a new drawing from scratch I would set it up with Fields.

Now, the problem is with both is that I cant seem to find a .lsp file to "find / delete" the beginning of each of the tags (see attached photo)

.... For some reason once the .lsp files are ran on them then the regular "find / replace" command does not recognize that the text is even there? Any clue on how to solve this?

Find / Delete .lsp help

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:15:20 GMT

Hi All,

I recently posted about my search for a .lsp file to speed up the time it took for me to update a ton of electrical wiring tags. Now that I found a script file (ATVlink) to run on the drawing, the "find / replace" command doesn't even recognize the text is there anymore. This is obviously because the text was transformed by the script file. I am essentially looking for a "Find / Delete" .lsp file that can be ran after all the text files on the page are altered by (atvlink, or fields) and pick up the redundant text I want to delete from each wire tag. (Please see attached photo for reference).

Thanks!!!!

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

paullimapa — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:01:32 GMT

What is the redundant text or in this case the Field value you want to find and then delete? Also share a sample dwg with these values

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

pendean — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:33:17 GMT

@nicholas.carterB4EKC wrote:
...Now that I found a script file (ATVlink) to run on the drawing...

You'll need to ask the creator of the find for help, if you cannot share it here and we all can use it freely as well: PLUS we will need your DWG file with the issue as well.

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:02:13 GMT

@paullimapa @pendean

I have attached the DWG file for your review.

Here is a basic run down of what I am trying to refine (example in cad in yellow rectangle):

- I would like to bring in a block for the individual wire tags that update based on the point name and addressing but without the prefix of the point name (10060_AM_) and without the prefix of panel number (1231).

- You will see on the right hand side of the yellow where I did a trial with the (atvlink) command. I had to make all the mtext tags previosuly there and make them into individual lines of text. I also tried making the individual lines of text into a block once I space them out correctly but when atvlink was ran on the block text it would copy the name but I had to run regen command to make it populate, then I had to run (R-Fields) command to strip the text in order for me to run (Find/Replace) to remove the prefix the script file pulled from the point name. Also when I used a block the point name would be over top of the other two fields I needed to copy from system point so it was hard to zoom and and make that happen.

- I also ran the script (FrameText) to make a box around the individual group of text after I was done manipulating them but it was clunky and had to keep resetting the offset distance to (.05).

- I am trying to stream line this process so I don't have to click into each wire tag and change vales to match the point name block.

used script files are also attached.

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:02:36 GMT

see attached dwg

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

pendean — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:10:52 GMT

thanks for the DWG file @nicholas.carterB4EKC

FIND command does not replace TEXT or MTEXT objects buried inside blocks: it only works on editable ATTRIBUTEs inside blocks.

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

cadffm — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:18:51 GMT

@pendean wrote:

FIND command does not replace TEXT or MTEXT objects buried inside blocks: it only works on editable ATTRIBUTEs inside blocks.

Small correction, it can and will replace in blocks too! (yellow marked option)

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

pendean — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:17:47 GMT

Thanks for the follow up @cadffm
But that not an option, give it a try with the OP's DWG file, share a video if it works for you.

Re: Find / Delete .lsp help

cadffm — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:02:39 GMT

@pendean wrote:
But that not an option

That's also right. The statement that Find does not work for objects in blocks was wrong.

>>", give it a try with the OP's DWG file, share a video if it works for you."

I don't need to try it, I know the answer:

AutoCAD protects the FIELDs, so it is not possible to destroy FIELD by using FIND feature,

iInside or outside a block? doesn't matter.

👍

Re: looking for guidance!

nicholas.carterB4EKC — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 18:53:38 GMT

Were you all able to evaluate the .dwg and maybe see if there was a more efficient way of performing these task? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

@cadffm @pendean @paullimapa

Re: looking for guidance!

cadffm — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:36:40 GMT

>"Any help would be greatly appreciated."

Any? Look back to Post#3 and restructure your drawing the same way my sample is.

This way you don't need to shorten.