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Thread: use excel data to draw

  1. #1
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    Cool use excel data to draw

    I have some coordinates in excel sheet..how to create automatic drawing from this excel file without using polyline command...Pls suggest..

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    Quote Originally Posted by santhoshi.civil114776650 View Post
    I have some coordinates in excel sheet..how to create automatic drawing from this excel file without using polyline command...Pls suggest..
    Hi there! I've moved this question from the Sheet Set Manager forum to this one, as I believe it will be better served here.

    To get you started, please check the 'similar threads' feature at the bottom of this page to see similar questions and their answers.
    Melanie Stone
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    Archibus, FMS/FMInteract and AutoCAD Expert (I use BricsCAD, Revit, Tandem, and Planon, too)
    Technical Editor
    not all those who wander are lost

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    It is a simple matter to convert your excel into a drawing platform. If you want a connected polyline, a set of points, or just simple lines to be automatically drawn into the file I can point you in the right direction.

    Assuming this is what you want to do, it has more to do with managing your excel file than anything within AutoCAD. You can execute a series of command via copy/paste to the command line.

    This may be a bit rough as it is way easier to show in Excel than explain in text...but I'll give it an initial shot. Here is the basic formula in your excel file:

    X | Y | <formula> | <paste special/values>
    3 | 4 | =X2&","&Y2 | 3,4
    8 | 6 | =X3&","&Y3 | 8,6
    -5 | -3 | =X4&","&Y4 | -5,-3

    You would create the excel sheet to include a comma between your coordinates, then highlight your finished formula columns, and right-click->copy them. After they are copied, you select another column in your spreadsheet and right-click->paste special, then select "Values".

    Above the first cell in the <paste special/values> column you would initiate your autocad command. If it was polyline, you would put "_PL". After that is in place, copy all of your cells in the <paste special/values>, including your initializing autocad command, copy and paste into the autocad command line. Properly written, it will automatically draw a line between all of your coordinates.

    I have used this function to create breaklines, insert points into CAD files, draw 3D objects, and run a series of commands with variables routinely updated by my engineers.
    Last edited by rstone; 2012-02-29 at 01:43 AM.

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    rstone:

    Please upload a sample spreadsheet of this procedure... one that draws a simple polyline. I've automated an insertion of a series of points this way, but I'd like to see how the polyline works more clearly.

    Dave.

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    Personally, I'd think about formatting the spreadsheet and exporting as a txt file, then tweaking that to run as a script.

    Presuming the Xls contains three columns of XYZ data, then concatenate that into a single column with comma delimiters, and export the result into a text file.

    Add the LINE command to the beginning, and load via script command

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    Attached is an example file of my process. Cadtag's .csv method is also valid. As always, there are multiple ways of doing things.

    Have to run to a meeting..so I didn't backcheck this. Please let me know if you have any errors with what I uploaded.
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    This is essentially a script. So, if you wanted to create a longer list of different commands, you could. It would just be 'tricky'. I know a CAD guy who did something similar to recreate a 3D Bridge Pier with re-aligned 3D suspension cables, all with an excel sheet and exported commands.

    But typically, I just use it to draw retaining wall elevations exported from our engineers calcs.

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    back in the mid nineties, the outfit i was with used a Progress database engine to generate a series of dxf files for a proposed gravity sewer system - calculating pipe sizes, inverts, manholes. importing the dxf into Acad gave us 80% complete drawings, down to the sheet number and titleblock.

    so you can go as complex as you're interested in going.

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    Thanks, RJ!

    You just added another cool technique to my toolbox! I can see this coming in very handy for plotting metes and bounds coordinates especially. I liked the humor in the example too!

    Dave.

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    Default Re: use excel data to draw

    Happy to help

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