Data extraction to excel -- create points to survey

[Anonymous]

I have an autocad drawing that I would like to extract coordinates and put into excel. 

What are the steps to take?

I am a surveyor and need to layout in the filed points from an autocad drawing.  In theory I would like to pick points from the drawing, number them, and create a CSV file for layout purposes.  

Attached is the curb/gutter and planter for a city block.  Is there a way to click on a corner of an object (like a corner of the planter), extract the coordinate, and assign the coordinate a "point number"?  

In excel, could it look like this:  "Point number", "Easting," "Northing," "Elevation," "Description"?

I understand that I may have to add my own elevation and description.  

Thanks. 

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

You should be able to create a point block with attributes. If the ones for the coordinates (including elevation) are fields, then you should be able to link them to the coordinates of the insertion point.

I am working on my Mac for a few hours this morning but I will return to this thread in a bit and if noone has volunteered to show you this process I am happy to do it.

Here is an older thread that might help get you started.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the awesome reply. I’m going to start doing research on your suggestion and see if I can develop a step by step process.

Looking forward to your reply!

[TerryDotson]

This blog post contains a step-by-step procedure on building a block with attributes, you may want to leave off the NORTHING/EASTING attributes and add in POINT and DESCRIPTION attributes.  If you need more Cogo/Survey functionality take a look at DotSoft's MapWorks.

[Anonymous]

Awesome! Let me take a better look and figure it out.

[Anonymous]

If I understand this correctly, once i created a point block attribute, I should use the "extract data" command to create a list of coordinates that will ultimately end  up in excel as a CSV file? The data attributes is my guide or reference to where each coordinate in my list exists? 

Thanks 

[TerryDotson]

Yes, after you've created the block definition, then placed one or more block references using the INSERT command, you will be able to AutoCAD's DATAEXTRACTION command to create a CSV by selecting the inserts and specifying the output order, etc.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @chriswasemann37,

I haven't looked at your drawing yet but here is the suggestion I made earlier.

I created a "point" block (mypoint) and then nested it into a block named "PointandTag".

You will see that the Point and Tag block has (4) attributes: PointNo (text), Description (text), X,Y (field), and Elevation (field).

The field properties are linked to the Position to the block (mypoint).

I then show how you can use a simple dataextrction to grab al lthe data and have it create a table in the drawing.  I like to do this step as (as i show in my video) it can be updated automatically and then exported to an external file for Excel.

I hope this gets you started.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[ChicagoLooper]

If you want to generate a csv file, or a txt for that matter, in PENZD format, then it would be best to put this in a 'known coordinate system' first, then pull out your eastings and northings from the SPCS. Civil 3D, or even Map 3D, would be more appropriate than plain Cad.

Since the x/y's are so low, I assume you're referencing some type of local datum specific to the area of construction. If you were in SPCS, then the values would be in the neighborhood of 1200000, 1900000 for x,y respectively. (Yeah, I figured out the SPCS, it's not that hard, especially if you know your way around Cad.)

You are free to use any method or technique offered in response to your post, but as a surveyor you know there's no UCS symbol spray painted on the sidewalk at the site, and right now, you're coordinates are only referenced by the UCS symbol in modelspace. They are not referenced against the equator & north pole. And the UCS symbol, if it was painted on the ground it would be +2000 feet away.

[Anonymous]

Yes this is assumed coordinate system that we created and rotated the drawing to our purposes .... the project is several brownstones on Clark and Chestnut .... your neck of the woods chicagolooper.