Attext command not extracting Dynamic Block attributes post dynamic usage

[carl.rybarczyk]

Like finding ancient tools in a cave, I've come across some home grown lisp routines that use the ATTEXT command along with a template file that allows a user to extract attribute information and create instant BOM schedules on drawings with their counts, icons, descriptions etc. Since these lisp utilities were probably written well before the introduction of dynamic blocks, the programmer couldn't have seen an issue coming I guess but here is the issue at hand: The older blocks we use were recently updated and tested with added dynamic block features. It has been determined that the addition of dynamic features, upon usage, will prevent attribute data extraction by the ATTEXT command in the following way: Once a dynamic handle has been used to manipulate a block, this forces the block to be assigned an anonymous name. For whatever reason, when the anonymous name gets assigned to the manipulated block, the ATTEXT command will skip over extracting any attribute information from that dynamic block which has been dynamically manipulated (I assume this is due to the addition of the anonymous name). Adding dynamic features to existing blocks are very desirable but we've had to abstain from applying them to our design blocks due to this issue where the ATTEXT command will not extract attribute information for dynamic blocks that have been manipulated. I have not found much help on the web for this issue but I can't believe I'm the only person experiencing this. I will also say that I'm not an ATTEXT or template guru but I'd be very grateful for any push in the right direction here to see if there is some way to get the ATTEXT command to recognize and extract attribute information from dynamically manipulated blocks on drawings. We also really do want to be able to apply dynamic features to our blocks which will cut down on much attribute handle manipulation but do not want to run the risk of losing the BOM generation capability provided by our current lisp tools. The original Auto lisp writer(s) are no longer available so I'm just trying to pick up the ball here and find a solution. Much appreciate your feedback.

[JTBWorld]

An alternative could be our JTB BatchAttEdit.

[carl.rybarczyk]

So here is an update: After a bit of searching the net, it would seem that there is a comparable command EATTEXT within AutoCAD that does have the ability to extract and create a CSV file containing all attribute information including attribute values that can be extracted from blocks having dynamic features applied. Unfortunately the CSV file that gets created from the EATTEXT command is not in the same format as the similarly created file by the regular ATTEXT command using an applied template. While it was still encouraging to at least be able to create a new type of CSV file containing the attributes I require, using this new type of CSV file would require much AutoLISP re-writing since the new EATTEXT CSV file is arranged differently. Before I try and take that route of re-writing all the LISP based on a new CSV layout, I'd still like to explore the possibility of finding an easier solution where I can have the existing -ATTEXT command be able recognize and extract attributes from blocks that have dynamic features applied to them. Doing so would save a lot of time an effort regarding a rewrite of much much LISP.  Again, any help is appreciated.