Extract Block Attributes into Premade Excel Sheet

[Anonymous]

Hello, 

My goal is to extract my block attributes straight into a premade excel file to format a Bill of Materials. After doing some digging through the forums, I found out that this is impossible to extract data into an existing table. Is this true? 

If so, now my approach is to make a new excel file using the Data Extraction command, followed by copy and pasting it into the preexisting BOM file. In order to do so, I would need to change the format of the data extraction standard table to accommodate the format from my BOM excel sheet. I added in an excel sheet screenshot to clarify on the format below. To elaborate, if multiple Tag#’s fall under the same Tag Prefix AND Item# then it would automatically combine the rows together. Thus I would need a single header for multiple columns of data. 

Furthermore, as this would be a bill of materials, it would cover more than one drawing. Would it be possible to take a sheet set to complete this process or some other grouping method instead of individually going through every drawing?

[Sea-Haven]

Yes you can have Autocad->Excel ->Autocad in real time. There is massive amount of examples out there. The only real question is how do you decide what goes to excel. Dataextraction does a good job but has some limitations. It is a bit of a pyramid question it just gets bigger with more options.

I am working on a deeper extraction that looks at blocks and counts by similar attributes. It sums up to 5 attributes deep.

Door 81

v's

Door, Black, Silver, 24

Door, Black, Gold, 23

Door, Gold, Silver, 34

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the response, sea.haven. 

In terms of the real question "how to decide what goes into excel", all of the attributes within my objects would be taken. Every block has 3 attributes defined, so I would need all 3 to be extracted by similar attributes. 

[Sea-Haven]

If your happy post a dwg, I am testing the software I am developing. I need real dwgs. Looking at your image I think what I am doing is what you want. I am looking at options regarding blocks to be picked for export.

[Anonymous]

Hey sea.haven,

I linked my drawing below and added in another picture detailing the AutoCAD standard data extraction table output compared to the needed format which I need. The drawing given is a simple enclosure layout with 3 attributes on every circle like object. 

Let me know if you would need anything else to include, or if would like me to change the drawing to help. 

Also, thank you for helping me out, I really appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

Also, I forgot to ask in the previous reply, but would this method work for a sheet set or multiple sheets? Would I be able to take the block attributes from multiple drawings and be able to output a massive table?

[Anonymous]

Could anyone please point me in the right direction for this process?

[Sea-Haven]

I am working on this at moment, I had to change a couple of your blocks as the order of attributes was different so the LB & LT were not in same order. Its a more universal program rather than hard code for exactly your dwg.

At the moment single dwg approach. Just testing add more blocks to your dwg with variable number of attributes. Then will post.

[Sea-Haven]

Try this it is compiled as I intend that this will be a shareware style product ie low cost. I would appreciate any comments. You select as many blocks as you like when asked, the pick any object at this stage future is you can add to the table more blocks. It will count blocks with or without attributes its sorts the attributes up to 5 attributes deep, the blocks can have as many attributes as you want. 

It has 30 trial attempts. as I expect it will be updated pretty rapidly.

Any one else looking welcome to try.

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for your help! But, where is the product? I don't see it in your message and can't find it in the forum. Did you post it or am I missing something?

[Sea-Haven]

Try this having problems attaching a file.