Importing Word text

[Anonymous]

We have made a few attempts at bringing our specifications into AutoCAD. These specs were created in Microsoft Word, and many include tables. This does not seem to be the most AutoCAD friendly procedure. When we drop the Word text into AutoCAD (and we've tried a number of different methods), the tables are left behind. The only way we've found to get the information from Microsoft Word to AutoCAD is to PDF the Word document, and import the PDFs into our CAD file. This seems to be a more cumbersome way of achieving the end goal, as there is a bunch of PDF clipping going on, to get rid of the unnecessary headers and footers, and to make it appear that it's formated correctly. Any ideas how to simplify this process?

Thanks!

[leothebuilder]

Autocad is not a word processing application and while is fairly easy to import text from Word, once you have tables and special formatting it becomes a problem. There are some 3rd party applications avaliable for importing Word into autocad.

http://www.dotsoft.com/word2cad.htm

[steve216586]

The best way, and easiest IMHO, is to do the opposite of what you are trying to do. Create your text and tables in AutoCAD, then create the Word documents. It is a much smoother transition and also the two programs work very compimentary. Meaning, any changes you make in Word, from there on out, will show up in your drawings. And vice-versa.

My last two companies used this procedure to create manuals and literature to accompany the drawings, in the completed project presentation. Also for our company literature and standard details this way worked best, rather than trying to use Word to import into Autocad.

[dgorsman]

I'd go even further, avoiding trying to use a pickaxe as a screwdriver and vice-versa: use AutoCAD for drawings and Word for documents.  I've fought a few die-hards who insist on everything being in a DWG no matter how inappropriate.  Eventually some have relented and actually keep their Excel tables in Excel instead of some horrible cross-linked hybrid.