update link excel & table in acad2009

[zardeg]

I have created a series of blocks with attributes & fields and have used data extraction to create table in drawing as well as creating an external excel list.
I have not grasped the way the excel list updates when changes are made to the table.
In excel I have create other columns with formulas which give me the desired output I need when changes are done.
acad2009 has facilities that help to upload or download data between table and excel.

where is the LINK!!! I must be doing some thing wrong.

[jaberwok]

I have created a series of blocks with attributes & fields and have used data extraction to create table in drawing as well as creating an external excel list.
I have not grasped the way the excel list updates when changes are made to the table.
In excel I have create other columns with formulas which give me the desired output I need when changes are done.
acad2009 has facilities that help to upload or download data between table and excel.

where is the LINK!!! I must be doing some thing wrong.

DATALINK command ?
(don't know when it was introduced)

[dherbstr]

I believe it was introduced in 08.

It's basically a two step process. The first step is creating the data link, the second step is telling AutoCAD where you want that data link information to go. Similar to attaching an external reference .dwg, you first have to attach it, then you can place it, rotate it, and scale it.

Attaching the spreadsheet is done with the DATALINK command. If you're familiar with excel then it should be a fairly painless process.

Getting that datalink information into the drawings requires a TABLE where you can right-click and select "Data Link >" where it will give you the options to attach a datalink to the table, update the datalink, etc. When you actually insert the datalink in this step you get the options to retain both the formatting and the information, allowing the table to be updated automatically from the excel file (and vice versa). You can change these options later by right-clicking the datalinked area in the table.