Data Table

AVC_DataTable plugin for AutoCAD and BricsCAD. 

Extract properties from any objects, including names and descriptions, attributes and parameters. Writing tables in a drawing, Excel, CSV, XML. Calculation of total results.

The command is similar to DataExtraction, but interacts with other A>V>C> plugins: it works with the names of solids and lines created by the A>V>C> Properties Palette; and can extract solid metrics, including descriptions of surface and edge bandings.

Features of the program:


With the program free of charge the command works with tables "Paste To Table" (PTT) and "SplitTable". As you know, you cannot just copy the cells from Excel and paste them into AutoCAD. This defect is partly compensated by the command "Paste To Table". With its help, you can insert in the AutoCAD table any texts separated by tabs and line breaks. Including data copied to the clipboard using the DataTable command. And the command "SplitTable" will help to send to the printer a table that does not fit into one layout.


The AVC_DataTable plugin comes with a command to update all tables: TableUpdate.


Read about downloading and installing the program here.

To run the plugin, you will have to register account and top up your account balance or receiving bonuses.

Then you can activate one of the licenses:


Also the DataTable command is part of the A>V>C> Pro collection.

If you did not find the property you need or you need help in setting up - write to avc.programming@gmail.com and offer your price. If you need to export a data to a SQL database or web application, this can also be done.

Command list

Data Table operating procedure

If you plan to insert data into a dwg-table, then it can be prepared in advance. For example, take a sheet with an assembly view and a sawing table from your template. The program is able to insert data into existing dwg-tables, while maintaining the design of the cells.

If you are configured to receive data from DWG files, a file selection dialog will open.

The program can use drawing objects selected before calling the DataTable command. In this case, you will not see any prompts or options. If nothing is selected, the program will ask you to select objects. You can select one or several viewports on the sheet - the program will process all objects visible in them. If some of the objects in the viewport are invisible due to the use of clipping planes (3dClip command), then objects that are at least partially visible will be extracted.

If extraction of data from inside blocks-assemblies is configured, and the block is only partially visible in a viewport (hidden behind the edge of the viewport or behind clipping planes), then absolutely all internal objects of the block will be extracted, even completely invisible ones. It's not a bug, it's meant to be. If you need to ignore some of the objects inside the block - use the filter of ignored layers.

You can also select one existing empty table - if a output to the dwg-table is configured, then this table will be filled, without any questions. Thus, you can fill in tables on sheets in 1 click.

Do not worry if annotations and other unnecessary objects fall into the selection frame - the program will work only with suitable objects specified in the filtering conditions. After running the program, the selection can be saved - use the A>V>C> Common Options.  In the selection prompt, you will see the command options:

Then the program can ask for a Multiplier. This will multiply the number of parts found by the production lot size (series of products). May not ask - see Multiplication Request setting. The multiplier is stored in the drawing properties. Even if it was not requested, the amount will still be multiplied by it. By default, the multiplier is 1.

Then the program starts working:

Watch the console - all program messages are displayed there.

Customizing the Data Table

The command settings dialog can be called during the selection of objects using the TUNE option. You can find the settings for these commands in the A>V>C> Options Palette.

In the header of the Preferences window, you see a list of Saw Table styles. The program allows you to store several sets of settings (styles) and quickly switch between them while selecting objects. The number in front of the style name is used for quick switching from the command line. By default, several styles are configured to demonstrate the various uses of the Datasheet. You can edit them or delete and create your own styles.

Next to the list of styles there are buttons for adding a new style (a copy of the current style is created) and deleting an extra style. And also a button to return the settings of this style to their default values.

Setting up a table

Table name

The table name is used as the style name for easy selection of a style from the list. You can configure the program to insert the table name in the first line. The name is also used in the name of the file into which the table is saved. You can use drawing property substitutions and current time substitutions in the name.

Group

The group title is set here. If you want the table to be divided into groups, then in this field you must enter the substitutions of the properties used for grouping. The program can create only one-tier division into groups, it is impossible to include subgroups in groups. But grouping can be done by any number of properties - just insert multiple substitutions into the group header. They can, for example, be separated by a fraction /. And then a new group will be created every time any of these properties change. Groups are always sorted alphabetically, in ascending order. If groups are not needed, leave the field blank. As soon as you put the focus in this field, the substitution button will appear immediately. It calls the substitution selection dialog. The result will be inserted at the current cursor position in the field and can replace the selected text fragment.

Column list

It is necessary to make as many entries in the list as there will be columns in the future table. (confuses a little that now they are placed as rows, but it is more convenient to edit it). You can set each column:

Below the list of columns there are buttons for adding a column to the current position, deleting the current column, and moving a column left-right.  A maximum of 150 columns is allowed.

Filter of selected objects

Filtering is needed to discard drawing objects that accidentally fall into the selection frame. It is easier to select all the objects of the model in a row, and let the program select only the necessary ones from them. But the main task of filtering is the selection of objects from within the blocks. If you set up the program to use objects "Inside assemblies", then you have no other way to discard unnecessary objects, AutoCAD does not support selection of objects within blocks. Only filtering will help you.

Inside assemblies

Pull objects out of assembly blocks, arrays, xrefs, and dynamic blocks. All explodable blocks, except annotative ones, are considered assemblies. If you do not want the block to be used as an assembly, then simply uncheck it "Explodable". This checkbox is available in the block editor (_bedit) and in the A>V>C> Properties Palette. If the block is scaled, the line lengths will also be scaled up by the scale factor. But if a block is distorted by different scaling along different axes, then the program will ignore such a block. Solid metrics do not work with scaling, so if you extract information about solids, then all blocks with scaling will be ignored. 

Parts from mirrored blocks (with scaling along one of the axes = -1) can participate in the counting of parts (and the LAY command will mirror the parts). However, I strongly discourage the use of mirrored blocks to avoid confusion. It is better to explode such a block and assemble from it another block with a different name.

Blocks can be nested in other blocks, the program will correctly count the number of parts, but the Block property (assembly name) will be taken from the deepest nested block (which actually contains the parts). If you want to write to the Data Table top-level assemblies (which have no parts, but only other assemblies), then enable Blocks in the filter of the object type.

Count Assemblies

When you set up a search for objects inside assembly blocks, then calculate and take into account how many blocks you inserted into the model space. The number of parts to be machined will be multiplied by this number of assembly blocks. It doesn't matter how many blocks you select - all blocks of the model will be used for the calculation.

Solids in mirrored blocks will be counted separately as mirrored (and mirrored by the LAY program).

You can exclude some of the blocks from the count using ignored layers.

This option is useful for compiling tables by assembly view when only 1 block is visible in the viewport.

Excluding selected

When counting assembly blocks in model space, do not count the assemblies that you select or that are visible in the viewport. Use this option when you have made an extra copy of the assembly only for the assembly view and does not need to be produced.

Not annotations

Ignore all annotations. This filter works both by type of objects and by layer.

Will be excluded:

Continuous Only

Ignore objects with dashed line types (linetype = hidden, dash, dot ...). Only continuous line objects will remain.

Object Types

Only the marked types of drawing objects will be processed. To edit the list, click on the "..." button. You can check the required types:

Ignored Layers

Objects from the listed layers will be discarded. You can write layer names directly in the field, separated by commas. Or you can select them by check-boxes from the list. But only the layers of the current drawing are listed. You can use an asterisk * in layer names. This means "any text in this place". For example, "*Sketch*" means to ignore objects from the "Wireframe Sketch" and "Part Sketches" layers, and the like. When you make a copy of the assembly for the assembly view, then transfer it to one of the ignored layers and then you can safely select the entire model. The program can automatically add annotation layers to the list of ignored ones (see "Not annotations")

Technology filter

If solids are selected in the list of object types, the program will give you the opportunity to select only parts with the required manufacturing technology. Technologies are selected from the list by check-boxes. The technology is set by the program for calculating the metric of solids. The names of technologies themselves are configured in the Common Options.

Data Source

Options

Convert number to string

When a program finds a substitution and replaces it with an object property, it needs to know how to format numbers, how many characters to write. It is possible to write the format into each substitution. But if you did not specify the format in the substitution, then these settings will be used.

Format for size

This setting is used only for converting size numbers to a string. It does not apply to areas, volumes, prices and other figures. The format can always be overridden in the substitution itself. The format is ignored when substituting AutoCAD fields.

The format specifies how many decimal places to write and whether to write insignificant zeros. Use the characters 0 and # in the format. 0 is a digit or 0, # is a digit or nothing.

For example, the number 1.111111 formatted as 00.00 will be displayed as 01.11. And formatted 0.#### will be displayed as 1.1111. And the number 1.0034 formatted as 0.## will be displayed as 1.

There are special, AutoCAD-only, formats:

After AR, EN, FR you can write precision (0-8) Do not use these special formats when pasting data into Excel.

Numbering

See the numbering settings here.

Inserting data

Destination

Choose where to insert the extracted data:

If you need to export data to a database using SQL or to web applications using POST requests, this can be done. Write me. Negotiable price.

Table filling

DWG Table

Settings for filling tables in the current drawing itself.

Text settings

These settings are used only if the data will be inserted into the drawing as multi-text. But the field separator is also used in CSV files.

File creation

And besides, the Common Options s of all plugins A>V>C> are available in the Data Table settings dialog.

The settings are saved in the Windows registry under the current user section. Therefore, they will work the same in all drawings and in all versions of AutoCAD and BricsCAD. Settings can be transferred to another computer only by exporting a registry key.