looking for guidance!

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

Hey all,

I am looking for guidance / assistance on how to best approach make a script file of some sort to make my current work more automated.  I do not know if it is possible?  I am looking for a way to make these electrical line tags match what address block and terminal number is displayed on the left hand side.  When the address and terminations blocks change I have to go through each tag on the right hand side and type in the values to match.. which is very time consuming.  I would like for them to just automatically update.  Please see attached image for reference.

Thanks in advance! 

[Jason.Piercey]

Look into using fields to automate the replication of data.

[cadffm]

Hi,

>>"I do not know if it is possible?"

There are some workarounds, up to a custom tool (programming).

Your picture: Is it simple (M)Text or Attributes on Blockreferences?

Solution: Ever heard about FIELD [F1] feature? Try it! Command: FIELD<enter>[F1]

and search for it on YT

Sample attached.

(I edited your error in line 2 and 3 !?)

Note: Copy ALL objects in one grey rectangle to create a new one, this way the fields are working as expecting

and they don't refering to another/older  line.

[paullimapa]

try attached atvlnk.lsp

[carter.nicholas.p]

@cadffm The point address is a block with the termination blocks in red.  I do not want to have to burst or explode all the block to copy the information out to match.  Would the field command still work in this case?

@paullimapa I ran the script but do not think it will work copying the data in the blocks to just mtext.

I am open to making the line tags blocks if it is easier to transfer the data from addressing block.  If that makes sense?

[paullimapa]

The lisp only works on text and attributes but not mtext

[carter.nicholas.p]

okay I think I may be able to make this script file work!  I will just change all the Mtext to regular text.  This is way faster than what I was doing before.  I appreciate the help!

[cadffm]

Hi,

>>"Would the field command still work in this case?"

yes, learn more about fields, there are really many ways in which you can use linked values.

>>"This is way faster than what I was doing before"

It does 90%  what I did manually for my sample - what you have to do just one time,  onced created - you can copy it.

>>"I will just change all the Mtext to regular text. "

What part is Text, you wrote about a block? so I am thinking we are talking about Attributes?

Or is Text on the left, but blockreferences+attributes on the right?

(It's possible to add the MText functionality)

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

Hey guys,

So I did a little bit more research on both the ATVlink and Fields and at the moment I think ATVlink will be the quickest way in editing all the electrical wire tags.  If I am creating a new drawing from scratch I would set it up with Fields.

Now, the problem is with both is that I cant seem to find a .lsp file to "find / delete" the beginning of each of the tags  (see attached photo)

 

.... For some reason once the .lsp files are ran on them then the regular "find / replace" command does not recognize that the text is even there?  Any clue on how to solve this? 

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

Hi All,

I recently posted about my search for a .lsp file to speed up the time it took for me to update a ton of electrical wiring tags.  Now that I found a script file (ATVlink) to run on the drawing, the "find / replace" command doesn't even recognize the text is there anymore.  This is obviously because the text was transformed by the script file.  I am essentially looking for a "Find / Delete" .lsp file that can be ran after all the text files on the page are altered by (atvlink, or fields) and pick up the redundant text I want to delete from each wire tag.   (Please see attached photo for reference).

Thanks!!!!

[paullimapa]

What is the redundant text or in this case the Field value you want to find and then delete?  Also share a sample dwg with these values

[pendean]

---

@nicholas.carterB4EKC wrote:

...Now that I found a script file (ATVlink) to run on the drawing...

---

You'll need to ask the creator of the find for help, if you cannot share it here and we all can use it freely as well: PLUS we will need your DWG file with the issue as well.

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

@paullimapa @pendean 

I have attached the DWG file for your review.

Here is a basic run down of what I am trying to refine (example in cad in yellow rectangle):

- I would like to bring in a block for the individual wire tags that update based on the point name and addressing but without the prefix of the point name (10060_AM_) and without the prefix of panel number (1231). 

- You will see on the right hand side of the yellow where I did a trial with the (atvlink) command.  I had to make all the mtext tags previosuly there and make them into individual lines of text.  I also tried making the individual lines of text into a block once I space them out correctly but when atvlink was ran on the block text it would copy the name but I had to run regen command to make it populate, then I had to run (R-Fields) command to strip the text in order for me to run (Find/Replace) to remove the prefix the script file pulled from the point name.  Also when I used a block the point name would be over top of the other two fields I needed to copy from system point so it was hard to zoom and and make that happen.

-  I also ran the script (FrameText) to make a box around the individual group of text after I was done manipulating them but it was clunky and had to keep resetting the offset distance to (.05).

- I am trying to stream line this process so I don't have to click into each wire tag and change vales to match the point name block.

used script files are also attached.

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

see attached dwg

[pendean]

thanks for the DWG file @nicholas.carterB4EKC 

FIND command does not replace TEXT or MTEXT objects buried inside blocks: it only works on editable ATTRIBUTEs inside blocks.

[cadffm]

---

@pendean wrote:

FIND command does not replace TEXT or MTEXT objects buried inside blocks: it only works on editable ATTRIBUTEs inside blocks.

---

Small correction, it can and will replace in blocks too!  (yellow marked option)

[pendean]

Thanks for the follow up @cadffm
But that not an option, give it a try with the OP's DWG file, share a video if it works for you.

[cadffm]

---

@pendean wrote:
But that not an option

---

That's also right. The statement that Find does not work for objects in blocks was wrong.

>>", give it a try with the OP's DWG file, share a video if it works for you."

I don't need to try it, I know the answer:

AutoCAD protects the FIELDs, so it is not possible to destroy FIELD by using FIND feature,

iInside or outside a block? doesn't matter.

👍

[nicholas.carterB4EKC]

Were you all able to evaluate the .dwg and maybe see if there was a more efficient way of performing these task?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

@cadffm @pendean @paullimapa 

[cadffm]

>"Any help would be greatly appreciated."

Any? Look back to Post#3 and restructure your drawing the same way my sample is.

This way you don't need to shorten.