How to create an automated drawing list that links between excel and autocad

[james.c]

Hi

What I was wanting to do was to create a drawing list and transmittal in Excel, link it using db connect and have it so that the fields in the titleblock are able to be changed automatically through the spreadsheet, and having the spreadsheet as the driver of the titleblock fields. I am a newbie to DBconnect and have got up to configuring a database. Can anyone shed some light on how I should go about this. I have the sheet set set up.

Thanks
James NZ

[elaine.202453]

Steve Fiorio AEC systems Sydney has done extensive work using Revit to Excel.

[james.c]

Hi Elaine.202453

I have searched the members database on here but cant find steves details. can you please tell me how I progress with this.

Many Thanks
James

[Capt. Computer Crasher]

Hi

What I was wanting to do was to create a drawing list and transmittal in Excel, link it using db connect and have it so that the fields in the titleblock are able to be changed automatically through the spreadsheet, and having the spreadsheet as the driver of the titleblock fields. I am a newbie to DBconnect and have got up to configuring a database. Can anyone shed some light on how I should go about this. I have the sheet set set up.

Thanks
James NZ

Hi James,
if you have AutoCAD2008 or AutoCAD2009, then you can DATALINK your Excel Spreadsheet to your AutoCAD drawing as an AutoCAD table without DBconnect. As you update the Excel the table in AutoCAD will update and viseversa. you can edit the table and the Excel will update.

[ronsarlo]

Hi,

I have been trying out how to do this.

I am able to generate a sheet list table.
I can also make a table with excel data links.

It sounds like it's possible to leave the data in Excel then have the sheet set pull info from the excel file?

If somebody could give me a brief primer on this, that would be much appreciated.

[Capt. Computer Crasher]

Hi,

I have been trying out how to do this.

I am able to generate a sheet list table.
I can also make a table with excel data links.

It sounds like it's possible to leave the data in Excel then have the sheet set pull info from the excel file?

If somebody could give me a brief primer on this, that would be much appreciated.

Check out my post in this thread it shows a link to the materials of an AutoCAD table course I taught. Segment 3 deals with 2008 data linking:


http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=104383

[ronsarlo]

Capt. Computer Crasher, I just ran through your lesson. Very well put together. thank you!

I have some questions and would fee better to know if I am doing it right...
Can I recap for you what I am doing, and have you confirm that this is the best method?

• Create sheet set.
• Add existing sheets to sheet set.
• Rename/renumber sheets as required.
• Create block with fields for Current Sheet Number and Current Sheet Title in sheets.
• Create a data extraction with desired files.
• Extract data from Block containing Current Sheet Number and Current Sheet title
• Click "link external data" button to access dialogue box.
• Create dummy excel file.
• Fill in first column of dummy file with some/most of the Sheet Numbers
• Launch "Data Link Manager" to create data link.
• Select column of data extraction to mate up to external data column (where some/most of drawing numbers are typed up)
• Insert Data extraction table tinto drawing.

Here's what I think I figured out regarding updating the table with the changes to the Sheet Set List:

• Right-click the Sheet Set, and click save all sheets.
• Then update the data link?

This method seems to pull the data in the drawing which has been pushed out by the sheet set manager.
The excel file doesn't actually seem to update. Is this normal?
it's nothing more than a mule/dummy file?

Is there a way to make the Excel file push out data too?
Or is the Sheet Set Manager my only option?

[ronsarlo]

sorry, should have been more specific.

I want the excel file to push the data into the Sheet Set Manager.

[Capt. Computer Crasher]

Capt. Computer Crasher, I just ran through your lesson. Very well put together. thank you!

I have some questions and would fee better to know if I am doing it right...
Can I recap for you what I am doing, and have you confirm that this is the best method?

• Create sheet set.
• Add existing sheets to sheet set.
• Rename/renumber sheets as required.
• Create block with fields for Current Sheet Number and Current Sheet Title in sheets.
• Create a data extraction with desired files.
• Extract data from Block containing Current Sheet Number and Current Sheet title
• Click "link external data" button to access dialogue box.
• Create dummy excel file.
• Fill in first column of dummy file with some/most of the Sheet Numbers
• Launch "Data Link Manager" to create data link.
• Select column of data extraction to mate up to external data column (where some/most of drawing numbers are typed up)
• Insert Data extraction table tinto drawing.

Here's what I think I figured out regarding updating the table with the changes to the Sheet Set List:

• Right-click the Sheet Set, and click save all sheets.
• Then update the data link?

This method seems to pull the data in the drawing which has been pushed out by the sheet set manager.
The excel file doesn't actually seem to update. Is this normal?
it's nothing more than a mule/dummy file?

Is there a way to make the Excel file push out data too?
Or is the Sheet Set Manager my only option?

the excel file updates when data extraction is updated. What are you meaning by pushing out data? are you wanting the excel to populate blocks in the drawing or something?

[Capt. Computer Crasher]

sorry, should have been more specific.

I want the excel file to push the data into the Sheet Set Manager.

I think you will either have to use the sheet set manager or write a macro for that.