How to Transfer Data Points from Excel File to AutoCAD

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I have a data set with the coordinates (northing, easting) of gauges on a construction site that I would like to plot on an AutoCAD drawing of the site. Is there an easy way to do this using Excel and AutoCAD only? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[jabowabo · Accepted solution]

You can modify your Excel file into a .scr file as detailed here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-i...

Lots of other ways but this one is pretty simple and straightforward.

Ex. script text shown in link:

_MULTIPLE _POINT
9231.55,8799.44,10
9241.83,8781.49,20
9194.23,8765.63,20
9191.68,8751.05,30
9158.88,8725.80,50
9147.11,8726.84,80
9128.10,8712.21,40
9145.18,8690.02,10
9152.41,8689.65,0
9167.86,8585.40,0

[leeminardi · Accepted solution]

Your goal with Excel is to create a column of coordinates that are of the format number-comma-number (e.g., 1.23,4.56) and then use that column of coordinates in response to an AutoCAD command.  This can be done by creating a script file (.scr) or by simply doing a copy-paste of the coordinate list from Excel to AutoCAD.

If you wanted to generate a single polyline base on the coordinates you would select the coordinate in Excel, use Ctrl-C to copy them to the clipboard and then in AutoCAD give the command pline and then do a paste (Ctrl-V).

I like to use the Excel concatenate function to format the coordinates.  As you can see below it takes the value from column A then adds a comma (",") then the value from column B.

In this example you would Ctrl-C the values in column D and then in AutoCAD give the pline command followed by Ctrl-V (paste).

If you want to add a series of points then you need to terminate each coordinate with a space character.  The contents in B3 would look like this:

=CONCATENATE(A3,",",B3," ")

note the " " at the end.  This adds a space at the end of each line.

Again, Ctrl-C the values in column D  but in AutoCAD give the point command and then Ctrl-V paste.

[Anonymous]

That worked! Thanks!

[Russell_I]

You can also add the AutoCAD command into the Excel formula in D3:

=CONCAT("point ",A3,",",B3," ") or

=CONCAT("pline ",A3,",",B3)

Note the space after the AutoCAD command.

[criveQ4B2V]

This is very helpful, however, how can you use this tool and command to also include the point ID's so that you can tell what each point is once it is imported into AutoCAD?

[leeminardi]

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@criveQ4B2V wrote:

... how can you use this tool and command to also include the point ID's so that you can tell what each point is once it is imported into AutoCAD?

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Try the following:

1. Create a block with an attribute that will be used as the point number. For example,
   
2. Set ATTDIA to 0.  This will disable  the dialog box for attribute value entry.
3. Add a column to you Excel file for the AutoCAD command like the following:
   

   Note that cell I2 contains the following (fill it down to other rows):

=CONCATENATE("(command ",CHAR(34),"-insert",CHAR(34)," ",CHAR(34),A2,CHAR(34)," ", CHAR(34),B2,",",C2,",",D2,CHAR(34)," ",E2," ",F2," ",G2," ",H2,")")

CHAR(34) in the formula above is used to create quote marks needed by the LISP statement that are not confused with quote marks that are reqired by Excel.  

      4. Copy to the clipboard cell I2 down to the last row.

      5. Paste to the command prompt in AutoCAD yielding:

[ssise]

I tried option 2, but it doesn't on my system.

[leeminardi]

post your Excel file and a drawing file that contains the blocks.