topic Re: Field Code Formatting Codes in Visual LISP, AutoLISP and General Customization Forum

Field Code Formatting Codes

Kyudos — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 21:47:54 GMT

I can't seem to find any comprehensive documentation of AutoCAD field formatting codes - all I seem to be able to discover is what third partties have 'worked out'.

Does anyone have a full specification? It's hard to come up with custom formats otherwise...

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

devitg — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 22:34:54 GMT

Maybe it can help. From field and lisp

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Kyudos — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 01:29:28 GMT

Sorry for necro'ing this thread but...

I've had cause to look for this again, and still can find anything from AutoDesk 5 years later.

I mean, it seems pretty crucial to the use of field expressions - is there a reason AutoDesk haven't documented it?

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

hak_vz — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 04:28:22 GMT

Check this link for more detailed fields format explanation.

There is no official documentation about this.

https://blog.bricsys.com/customizing-bricscad-coding-with-field-text-p20/

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Kyudos — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 04:34:10 GMT

Thanks I did see that page, it's useful, but not complete...e.g.:

"%qf is used by scale factors, but employs values I haven’t figured out yet"

I still don't understand why a years-old feature has zero documentation. How do AutoCAD expect people to use it?

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 08:58:41 GMT

The only real way is do it manually and look at the string produced. Took ages to work out add multiple fields for attribute in block, was very simple in the end.

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

le-tan-phuc — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 02:24:20 GMT

thank you so much
I was happy to finally find the tutorial through your suggestion

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Sea-Haven — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 06:00:32 GMT

This took a while to work out add 2 attribute vales then put answer in a 3rd attribute, could be like att1 = length att2 = height att3 = area a "*" instead of "+".

; add 2 attributes and put the value as a field into the 3rd attribute. ; BY AlanH (defun c:test ( / obj lst x ) (setq oldatt (getvar 'attdia)) (setvar 'attdia 0) (command "-insert" "c" (getpoint "\npick point") 1 1 0 (getstring "\nEnter Att1 ") (getstring "\nEnter Att2 ") (getstring "\nEnter Att3 ") "-") (setq obj (vlax-ename->vla-object (entlast))) (setq lst '()) (foreach att (vlax-invoke obj 'getattributes) (princ "\n") (setq lst (cons (strcat "%<\\AcObjProp Object(%<\\_ObjId " (vlax-invoke-method (vla-get-Utility (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) 'GetObjectIdString att :vlax-false) ">%).Textstring>%" ) lst )) ) (setq str nil) (setq x (length lst)) (setq str (strcat "%<\\AcExpr " (nth (setq x (- x 1)) lst) " + " (nth (setq x (- x 1)) lst) " + " (nth (setq x (- x 1)) lst) ">%" ) ) (setq x 1 y 4) (foreach att(vlax-invoke obj 'getattributes) (if (= x y) (Vla-put-textstring att str) ) (setq x (+ x 1)) ) (setvar 'attdia oldatt) (princ) ) (c:test)

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

khix — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:30:13 GMT

If you're still looking I made this. It's not everything, but it has most basic rounding and units

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Kyudos — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:51:06 GMT

Thanks, this is a good resource! But it is just re-emphasizing that AutoCAD still haven't officially, properly, documented this (to my knowledge), now a full DECADE after I first asked about it (and probably a decade before that? maybe more?). I could somewhat understand if field codes were an entirely undocumented feature that users had reverse engineered over a long period. But they are a 'official' feature of the product, with their own interface! AutoDesk are like "Here's a very useful feature. It even has a very flexible, if somewhat complicated, formatting system so you can get things displayed just the way you prefer. Here let me tell you have that all works........ Ha!Ha! JK you're on your own! Good luck!" 🙄

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Sea-Haven — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:42:23 GMT

Perhaps add the properties available like Area, Length, Radius and so on for objects maybe a table with ticks showing what is available.

You can also do stuff like sum two fields and get a result, 3 Attributes sum 2 and put result in third attribute.

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Kyudos — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:48:15 GMT

Surely someone at AutoDesk could get Claude to write the docs in next to no time?

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

Sea-Haven — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:24:54 GMT

I am sure need more columns

Re: Field Code Formatting Codes

khix — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 14:42:49 GMT

I posted about this elsewhere and was linked this resource:

https://www.cadforum.cz/en/autocad-field-formatting-codes-full-list-tip15138