What if the AutoCAD catalog browser had a little makeover?

[mdoyon1]

Like many others, I've found myself navigating the quirks of AutoCAD Electrical at work, and it sometimes drives me a little crazy. So, I decided to leverage the AutoCAD .NET API to make a change.

Introducing my first iteration of the catalog browser makeover! This plugin aims to streamline your workflow by enhancing basic database functionalities such as creating, reading, updating, and deleting components.

The new palette is divided into three tabs: 

1. Catalog : Provide a clear, one-page view of all categories with an overview of components per category
2. Search: Offers an improved global search feature compared to AutoCAD's standard search functionality.
3. Add Part: Allows users to fill out a form to add a new component based on the selected category. It also provides the ability to search for parts online, retrieve relevant information, and import parameters seamlessly.

I'm all ears for suggestions and feedback on the idea – it is still in development!

Interested in this plugin, providing feedback, or sharing other ideas? Complete the following form to stay updated on its progress and be among the first to test it out : Google Form  

Cheers

[rhesusminus]

Looks nice, but so many questions 🙂

Does it work with both MSAccess and SQL databases? How do you handle the secondary catalog? 

[ccad2509]

question 1   this is what autodesk should be doing to enhance thier product its not technically challeging so why dont they do things like this ?

question 2  where have i seen a catalogue browers like that before ill give you a clue it was way back in 2005 and the products release version was 1.7

well done for doing autodesks job

[mdoyon1]

Glad to hear some feedback already!

@rhesusminus 

The plugin currently runs with an SQL server hosted locally. I wish I could do something about MS Access but it is considerably more difficult to deal with, and I don't see any benefits in sticking to it. I migrated using  Autodesk Content Migration Utility and essentially removed most of the components to start fresh while keeping the same data structure. I have also performed the same exercice with an SQL server hosted on the cloud and it works well. It could be very promising for collaboration! 

About the primary and the secondary database, I'm not using any secondary database at the moment. The plugin connects only to a single SQL database, but I don't see any issues implementing a secondary connection to another database if it has the same structure. 

@ccad2509 

I have no clues about why Autodesk hasn't already implemented something like this ... but I won't be waiting if I can program it.

Feel free to ask any other questions! 

Cheers 

[ccad2509]

I’ve been talking about the total unprofessional way they address upgrades and bugs since 2006 and guess what there are still some issues all the way back to then that haven’t been addressed

so don’t take it personally its me talking about how useless the bug resolution and the total lack of product development that Acade is compared with other products

@ccad2509 - this post has been edited due to Community Rules & Etiquette violation.

[mdoyon1]

@ccad2509 

No offense taken! I'm definitely questioning the lack of product development in AutoCAD Electrical when compared to other competitors in the market. My goal is to improve this software from being 'usable' to being 'enjoyable'