Multileader attributes and data extraction

[Anonymous]

Both data extraction tools (Data Extraction and Attribute Extraction) treat attributes in a multileader (when using attributes in a source block) differently from attributes in a regular block. Is there a reason for this?

In the attached screenshot you can see an example from data extraction. The example attribute name is "POS" and is extracted to generate a BOM.

The attribute in the multileaders is renamed to POS1  instead of treating it the same as with the regular blocks (q and A$...). This creates a bit of an hassle during data extraction and the creation of BOM's, attribute extraction is even worse as it doesn't extract the attributes from multileaders at all.

Is there a way to work around this issue? Preferably with attribute extraction as it also has to work in LT.

john.vellek has embedded your image(s) for clarity

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I have never tried extracting the multileaders so this is new to me. Can you attach a sample drawing so I can make sure I fully understand how you are using the multileaders and the block?  

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

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Attached is an example drawing.

As you can see it's not something really complicated, just a block with an attribute that is used as the source block in a multileader.

[john.vellek]

Hi @m_bas,

I recorded a Screencast of the way this is working on my side.  I use your Mleader style and add some additional mleaders in the drawing. I edit the attributes so we can see some different values.

Then I ran my new dataextraction and the resulting table looks correct. I also add an additional mleader and update the table and it looks correct.

I had done this previously and had a dataextraction table already in the drawing to see if two tables caused what you are seeing but it does not appear to be the case.

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

Screencast will be displayed here after you click Post.

10f80945-12aa-4c6a-b335-386387b5c583

[Anonymous]

Hi,

It looks like something went wrong with the screencast as it's not visible.

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

Yes, the Screencast attachments have been picky lately.  Here is a link to the video.  Thanks for your patience.

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

[Anonymous]

Hi,

In your screencast you are only extracting multileaders, I want to extract both multileaders and regular blocks at the same time.

So in the example drawing both MULTILEADER_POS and Multileader need to be selected on page 3 of the extraction wizard.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

I see what you mean but this makes some sense.

For instance, I created two blocks that each had an attribute with the same Tag name.  When I extract these, the data shows up in a single column that represents the Tag.

If i create a 3rd block and nest that into a mleader, the extraction will create a new column for that tag.  The multileader treats the tag of a nested block differently than if it the whole entity were a block.

This is similar to if you insert a dynamic block several times but with each using a separate visibility state.  Selecting each instance and listing its properties shows that it is an anonymous entity.

Because the tag block is now nested into an Mleader it is not considered a regular block but rather part of the mleader.

I hope this description makes some sense.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Yes, your description makes sense. But why does it create a new column when the attribute has the same name?

I created those blocks and multileader to have the same attribute because the data in that attribute is the same and when I extract the data from a drawing I expect AutoCAD to collect all attributes with the same name into a single column.

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

Because  the block is nested into a different entity (not another block) this data gets handled differently and ends up in its own column.  I am not sure of any way to "outsmart" this.

As I said previously, I have never seen multileaders included in a dataextraction before so I am a bit surprised that it behaves this way too.