Nameplate Report doesn't find any nameplates on dwg

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I'm having an issue where I've created custom nameplates and I'm pretty sure I have all the required attributes, but when I go to run a nameplate report on the dwg, nothing shows up. Anyone else had this issue??

When I try to run the report it says "No Data to Display"

[jseefdrumr]

What did you name your blocks? The first two letters need to be NP, I'm not sure what the third and fourth characters are supposed to be. If you think that is the issue, review Footprint Naming Conventions in ACADE HELP.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[jalger]

Make sure the nameplate drawing is in the active project when you run the report. 

Also make sure you set "Project" instead of Drawing (all) or Drawing (pick).

I find the "Project" option is more reliable. 

If you still have issues, shut down AutoCAD Electrical and Purge the Project mdb. 

Its stored in:

C:\Users\<USER NAME>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical 2018\R22.0\enu\Support\User

It will have the same name as your project. 

I hope this helps,

James

[Anonymous]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply. The block has NP as the first two letters as well as the NP attribute.

[Anonymous]

Hi James,

Thanks for the reply.

1. Yes, the drawing is in the active project.

2. Setting the report to run on the Project didn't help.

3. What do you mean purge?? Do you mean for me to literally delete the project mdb file?? Sorry, I'm not sharp on MS Access.

[jalger]

Its the local Database that's created from the drawings in the project.

Its safe to delete, but if your worried about it just rename it. 

[jalger]

it should force a rebuild on the database. the Database is used for the reports so if you get an error like you did, generally it means there is an issues with the database, so cleaning it out is the best practice.

[Anonymous]

Hi James,

Thanks for all the help, but the deletion of the project "Scratch" db did not work either... any other ideas??

[jseefdrumr]

Can you post a copy of the block you're using for the nameplates?

[Anonymous]

Here you go!!!

[jseefdrumr]

See attached image, your symbol appeared in my nameplate report. It's the one with description 'blah blah'.

To me, this implies that perhaps it's something to do with your workflow. Can you detail the steps you use to place the nameplate?

Jim

[Anonymous]

I placed it a while back so I don't remember exactly how I did it... since it worked for you, do you think I should simply try to DELETE COMPONENT and re-insert it??

[rhesusminus]

Delete the component, PURGE ALL BLOCKS FROM THE DRAWING, and reinsert it.

[jseefdrumr]

Well, here are some things to check, and something for you to try...

1. verify that there is catalog info entered into for the nameplate. All of the accepted ACADE workflows *should* have presented you with the dialog for adding the catalog info. Missing catalog info is the main cause for the 'no data to display' message.
2. If there's not, add it and see if that fixes the report.
2A. if there is catalog info in there, then yes I would delete the nameplate and reinsert it. Use the workflow outlined below.
3. When running a report, there are a couple of filters on the right-hand side of the dialog. Make sure these are both set to 'all' when extracting the nameplate report. If they weren't already set like that, make the changes and rerun the report. Anything change? (I admit, this one's a long shot)
4. (Actually this should have been number 1) Verify that the drawing is in the active project. Also, make sure you are making the proper selection i.e. 'Whole Project' vs 'Active Drawing'. (you should probably go with 'active drawing' for this kind of report.)

Here's the workflow I would use to put your nameplate back into the drawing:
1. Use the COMPONENT DELETE tool and kill the existing nameplate.
2. Run the PURGE command. Select 'Blocks' from the tree and purge all of the blocks from the drawing.
3. Save.
4. Using any accepted ACADE workflow, add the nameplate. I usually do this from the Icon Menu. That's how I did it with your earlier example, by using the 'browse' button to go find it.
5. Be sure to add the catalog info during the command.
6. Save, and try the report again.

NOTES: the purge command will remove all record of the old nameplate symbol from the drawing. This is an important step, just in case there is some difference between the block definition stored within the drawing and the source file that you posted here on the forums. If you don't do this, then when you go to reinsert the nameplate, ACADE will use the invisible block definition that is already stored within the drawing. PURGE is the only way to remove a block definition because the delete or erase tools only affect graphics.

Post back and let us know if you were successful.

Jim

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your help once again! I ended up asking our consultant (Spatial Business Systems) and we were able to fix it!!

THE SOLUTION WAS: My custom nameplate block needed BOTH attributes FP & NP in it. Prior, I had NP but not FP. So, once we used the ADD ATTRIBUTE button to insert FP, it showed up in the report just fine!

Thanks for everyone's help on this!

[nathan.averett]

I am having similar issues in AutoCAD Electrical 2020. I have a nameplate that also carries the footprint for my pushbuttons. I do this so the button automatically uses the right nameplate format when I insert it. I added both attributes NP and FP. I use the schematic list to insert the footprint. ACADE then adds a bunch of XDATA to the footprint including VIA_WD_FP. It does not add the VIA_WD_NP XDATA. I would have thought it wouldn't add either since the NP and FP attributes exist. If I manually add this XDATA it shows up on the report. Did you have this issue?

[jseefdrumr]

My guess is, the XDATA for NP_XDATA isn't there because it needs to be pushed in from the nameplate command itself.

Remember, you're inserting a nameplate bundled together with a pushbutton footprint. The software adds XDATA based on the command it's running and you're not running the nameplate command. That said, I can't really think of any easy way of fixing this; every idea I have involves either changing your workflow, or the symbol, or both. And they only would work if you were able to invoke the nameplate command along the way, anyhow.

Without diving deeper, I'm willing to bet that doing anything else will take longer than how you're already doing it.

[nathan.averett]

I was hoping that since the block has the FP and NP attributes, it wouldn't add the XDATA. I guess that's not the case when using the commands. Will it always add XDATA, or can I add enough attributes that it will skip adding XDATA?

[jseefdrumr]

XDATA and attributes aren't the same thing. Adding attributes won't affect a command that is specifically looking for XDATA. And it definitely looks like the nameplate report is one of those commands that looks at XDATA.

Likewise, you can't change whether or not a command adds XDATA - generally speaking, it's part of the compiled code for the command. And really, you don't want to prevent this anyway. The lack of XDATA in your nameplate footprint is already causing problems with the nameplate report.

You can add XDATA on your own, but that involves either: 1) Manually adding it with the XDATA Editor tool; or 2) a coded solution that you'll have to write and implement.

Since a coded solution already exists (the nameplate command, which you're not using), then it seems like you're already doing this the fastest way for your workflow.