topic Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links in Visual LISP, AutoLISP and General Customization Forum

Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 17:09:31 GMT

I have a Village Map with residents addresses on it in AutoCAD. I have an excel spreadsheet with the addresses and weather there services lines are lead or cooper. I have linked the excel table into the AutoCAD document, but can I somehow tell AutoCAD based on the residents addresses, weather to hatch there yard a certain color if there service is lead and another color if there service is cooper?

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

devitg — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 19:36:54 GMT

@bhankeyDNXY7 Please, if possible, upload both dwg and xls files

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

Sea-Haven — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:20:15 GMT

Like Devitg need a sample but you have not explained how the address lives in the Autocad is it text a block a x,y. If you have any of those then you have a match and hatch the lot.

code ssget ( layer & text) repeat ss and match text in master list look at insertion point do hatch

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:29:08 GMT

The text is a block.

How do I upload the files onto this platform? This is the first time I am using this chat.

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:31:02 GMT

Attached is the dwg with the excel table linked. Please let me know if this helps with finding a solution

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:32:05 GMT

Please see the attached dwg with the excel table linked. Please let me know if this helps with finding a solution.

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

roland.r71 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:12:25 GMT

The problem here is that you can't read (or write) to an excel file (even if bound) using lisp (auto- or visual-)

It is possible Using a ODBC link though... there is a function written by Jeffery P. Sanders using VBA (vla- & vlax- ) just for that: Getcells

I've used it a few times, when no other options are available. (I prefer to use .csv files when ever possible)

You can retrieve the collumn containing the adresses, as a list.

You can then use that list for matching with the drawn map.

...but his website is currently down I just now noticed, so I can't link you to it.

(should still have a copy around somewhere)

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

cadffm — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:48:07 GMT

@bhankeyDNXY7

You can read the information directly from the table or from the excel file, both are possible,

but are you able to do the rest of the Job?

- Find the Adress / Blockreference in the drawing

- find the Polyline

- Hatch the objects

If not, you are searching for a programmer or a ready program, not for help to develop your own program by yourself!?

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

roland.r71 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:11:03 GMT

@cadffm wrote:
<snip>
but are you able to do the rest of the Job?
<snip>
If not, you are searching for a programmer or a ready program, not for help to develop your own program by yourself!?

Hmmm, I think the question"can I somehow tell AutoCAD" somewhat gives the answer to that...

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:36:21 GMT

I am unclear on what you mean by searching for a programmer or a ready program.

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

roland.r71 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:41:53 GMT

Considering your post carefully and thoroughly the short answer is: No there's no way to tell AutoCAD to do that, as it has no build in function(s) to do all you request. but it's not impossible. So...

The long answer is: Yes, you can. By writing a program which will interact with AutoCAD and Excel, to do it.

There are a few ways & languages to do so, most common around this part of the forum would be LISP, which runs inside autocad itself, but it might as well be an Autocad Runtime eXtention, or something else completely.

It all depends on what you want, can do yourself, or can pay. As this is a job for someone for some time to accomplish.

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

bhankeyDNXY7 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:50:50 GMT

Ok, thank you for all the responses.

Re: Excel to AutoCAD Data Links

Sea-Haven — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 02:03:02 GMT

Just to confuse you, its possible to go the other way and drive it from Excel using a macro. As excel has VBA and again like Autocad you can open communication with Autocad. You want to be proficient in VBA to go this way.

Sub Opendwg() Dim acadApp As Object Dim acadDoc As Object 'Check if AutoCAD application is open. If is not opened create a new instance and make it visible. On Error Resume Next Set acadApp = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application") If acadApp Is Nothing Then Set acadApp = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application") acadApp.Visible = True End If