on catalogue export to excel numbers get transformed into dates

[dominikhofer8850]

Hi there

As i'm new to Plant 3D i feel like i miss something fundamental/simple, but can't get behind it....

When exporting catalogue data to excel, every floating point number, which could possibly interpreted as date, is changed when opened with excel. First this looked like the usual dot vs comma problem to me, but it isn't. What i have tried to verify:
- Changed excel settings to not overtake windows settings regarding floationg point number writing.

- Fully deactivated excels data translation feature.

- Made export tests with several settings: Changed windows setting from dot (standard here in switzerland) to comma, and then back. Also changed these setting within excel corresponding (or explicitly not). Restarted the computer between all export tests to be sure everthing was overtaken.

The only recognizable result was that when all was set to dot, numers were all displayes with dots, but the problematic cells (the ones intrepretable as dates. i.e 2.11) always show dates. This must be happened during export, since we have to fill in some values with comma delimiter (se below):

To be sure, that the problematic conversion takes place during export from Spec Editor, i also used the power-query editor to have some insight to the exported data befor the excel file opens. Indeed, the data change is already there before opening the file.

Now, if we could fill in the values with the dot delimiter in Spec Editor everything would be fine, but only the comma delimiter is accepted, dot is always ignored. I can't find any setting where i could change this. What do i miss? Is there any config file, where i can change the basic settings for Spec Editor/Plant 3D itself? Is there any export settings file, where i can change the type of specific columns?

Or even more basic: Can i change the type of a standard property catalogue-part? Where can i find this?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Greetings, Dominik

[DVaquand]

Hello

Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel. Click Change date, time, or number formats. The Region dialog box appears. On the Formats tab, select the format you want to change from the drop-down list.

== French ==

Cliquez sur le bouton Démarrer, puis cliquez sur Panneau de configuration. Cliquez sur Modifier les formats de date, d’heure ou de nombres. La boîte de dialogue Région apparaît. Sous l'onglet Formats, sélectionnez le format que vous souhaitez modifier dans la liste déroulante.

Cordialement
Dominique VAQUAND
www.dovaq.fr


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[dominikhofer8850]

Thanks for the reply

Changing the windows setting regarding number delimiter is always one of the first thing to try (as stated above). Unfortunately this doesn't help, since the Sepc Editor seems to ignore the windows setting and always demanding the comma, even if windows and excel is set to dot.

For the sake of simplicity and as a result of intermediate research here the relevant question(s):

- Why does Spec Editor demanding for a comma as number delimiter (even if windows is set to dot)?

- Is there a possibility to change that behaviour inside Sepc Edtor, and if yes, where do i find it?

Thanks for your reply

Greetings, Dominik

[DVaquand]

Hello

On my W10 computer, by changing the decimal separator "," to a separator "." in the Windows regional settings, the effect is taken into account in SpecEditor.
To see the effect of the change in SpecEditor you must open it again.

== French ==

Sur mon poste W10, en changeant dans les paramètres régionnaux de windows le séparateur décimal "," en séparateur ".", l'effet est bien pris en compte dans SpecEditor.
Pour voir l'effet du changement sous SpecEditor il faut l'ouvrir de nouveau.

Cordialement
Dominique VAQUAND
www.dovaq.fr


Si mon message propose une solution, veuillez cliquer sur "Accepter comme solution"
If my post offers a solution, please click "Accept as Solution"

[dominikhofer8850]

Yes, you describe the expected behavior. This is just not the case here, also after restart of the machine (see picture below).

Currently, the technical support is investigating. There may be a bug in the german version of plant 3d 24. We have to wait for a confirmation.

[h_eger]

Dear @dominikhofer8850 ,

No, it is not a problem with Autodesk AutoCAD Plant 3D German! The problem lies with the administration of Microsoft Windows. We are not responsible for that here.

[dominikhofer8850 · Accepted solution]

Hi @h_eger 
Thanks for your participation. In fact it's interesting your german version of Plant 3D 2024 seems to work fine. Considering following testing (on my side) and the feedback from technical support, it may be worth to find the cause.

In the meantime the technical support of Autodesk confirms a possible issue with all non-English Versions of Plant 3D 2024. For me, it's currently unclear what causes this failure, and may surely lay in the responsibility of Windows. Further testing here reveals, that also the German Version of Plant 3D 2023 fails to take over the windows setting regarding delimiter while all English Versions, especially the current Version 2024 are working as expected. So, working with the English Version is currently the workaround.

Best Regards
Dominik Hofer

[schusterAPRO]

Hi @dominikhofer8850 

would you please provide feedback if Autodesk support has more information on this issue?
Thanks in advance!

Stay tuned! 
Steffen

[dominikhofer8850]

Hi @schusterAPRO 

Unfortunately there is no more information to give. Autodesk Support suggested to work with the english version of P3D 2024, and thats exactly what we do right now, that works. I got no more info wheter they fixed something in the meantime or not, or intend to do so.

Regards, Dominik

[schusterAPRO]

Hi again @dominikhofer8850 

thx for your quick reply. Meanwhile I shwitched decimal character in the regional seetings of Windows to <point> as @h_eger said. Additionally I made the same change in Excel... Now there is no more false date instead of the nominal diameter (21.3 <> 21.03.2024 or 26.9 <>26.09.2024) after exporting from Spec Editor an opening in Excel. 

You should give it a try, as I am also working with the German version of Plant 3D 2024.

So long!

Steffen

[dominikhofer8850]

Hi @schusterAPRO 

Thx for your info. Again, you describe the expected behaviour when performing the actions, described by @h_eger. I'm happy it worked for you, it just didn't do the trick here. Maybe there was an update in the meantime, maybe it's just here, or on swiss systems, which are also different to german one's in regard of system localisation settings.... It's still unclear.
Surely i can give the german version a try one day, for now, we are happy with the english version ;-).

Regards, Domink

[h_eger]

Hello Dominik,

now you have given the decisive hint that you are located in Switzerland and have a Windows system in Swiss German, which explains your behaviour.
Well, my customers in Zurich and St. Gallen had the same problems and we changed the operating system to German-German, so the problem was solved.