Export X,Y,Z co-ordinates from Xref using EATTEXT is relative to Xref insertion point

[geoff.80680]

We have been extracting x,y,z co-ordinates for setting out purposes in building construction for some time now without any problems using the original attribute extraction ATE. Accurate values are returned from both blocks inserted directly into the file and also blocks nested within Xref's.

The original ATTEXT process works perfectly well still in AutoCAD2007, however not if you used the enhanced attribute extraction around since 2005?

When the enhanced extraction EATTEXT is used in the World UCS points for blocks directly inserted into the file are correctly returned, whilst co-ordinates for blocks nested within Xref's the values returned are relative to the insertion point of the Xref and NOT relative to the host file.

Am I missing something? Or is this an situation which cannot worked around?

Many thanks in advance for any advice

Geoff Olner
Architectural Images -Sheffield

[H-Angus]

Can the xrefs not be located in their correct co-ordinate location within their own file? Or are you changing unit types, eg mm for plans, but xreffing into a location plan in metres?

[geoff.80680]

We have been adding building layouts as Xref's onto a site location plan and require the X,Y co-ordinates as Eastings and Northings relative to their position on the site, at the same time there are co-ordinates of other elements which also need to be extracted relative to the host file ie drainage points manholes etc.

Whilst generally this is a single insertion of the xref it could be a repeated, handed version ie housing/apartment layouts. Consequently the xrefs cannot have the same insertion as each other or at 0,0,0 of the host file.

As previously stated the extraction works perfectly will using tried and test original ATTEXT command even in AutoCAD2007, however errors creap in with the enhanced EATTEXT command returning co-ordinates relative to the Xref insertion point.

Geoff Olner
Architectural Images -Sheffield

[apitcher799568]

This is an old thread and you may have found a solution already, but it is because the position properties of the blocks are determined in the file that is being Xref'ed. Therefore, those are the properties that EATTEXT will read. The blocks themselves are not actually IN the drawing, they are only representations of the blocks that are overlayed. You must bind the Xref'ed drawing and put the blocks physically into your drawing in order to get the blocks to report their positions in the host drawing. I am not sure about 2007, but 2013 will bind the drawing as a block. You can delete and purge this block if you need to update your drawings. The biggest caveat here is that AutoCAD will NOT tell you that the xref'ed file has been updated. You will have to track that yourself.