Batch export/import block info to/from worksheet

Batch export/import block info to/from worksheet

Win64, English

NTCL Soft
Batch export/ import Block refs. position, attributes, dynamic properties to/from Microsoft® Excel® worksheet

General Usage Instructions

  1. Start by opening a Microsoft® Excel® worksheet, remember to reserve 1 blank column at the active cell (values will be written downward).
  2. Press Alt+Tab to return to Autodesk® AutoCAD® or its vertical products, invoke the NTCL_BlockToExcel command. The user form will appear.
  3. On the user form, select your existing block by block name.
  4. Select macro mode: 1 (Cad Block info => Excel worksheet) or 2 (Excel info => Cad Block update). Select additional options (where to get block refs from, which information to export, import). Mode 1 should run before Mode 2 unless you saved and re-use the results of Mode 1 before.
  5. If you select mode 1, the block information will be exported to Excel. For the first export action, blank columns will be automatically added to the right side of the active cell
  6. If you select mode 2, the block information will be imported from Excel. Be sure to pre-select the data range in Excel first. The selected range must include a header row & a handle column.
  7. Be aware that, this app CANNOT create new block references, so the workflow is often: Export block data - Edit data in Excel - Import block data to update AutoCAD drawing.
  8. If you have multiple Excel instances already open, this App may tie to the last activated Excel instance but sometimes it does not. In such case, please close all opening Excel instances; close (end task) any invisible Excel.exe process by Task manager and re-open only one Excel instance.

Commands

Ribbon/Toolbar Icon Command Command Description

NTCL_BlockToExcel

Info of block references can be quickly batch exported to/re-imported from Microsoft Excel worksheet. Info including insertion point (X, Y, Z), rotation, attributes, dynamic properties.

Installation/Uninstallation

The installer that ran when you downloaded this app/plug-in from Autodesk App Store will start installing the app/plug-in. OR, simply double-click the downloaded installer to install the app/plugin.  You may need to restart the Autodesk product to activate the app/plug-in. To uninstall this plug-in, exit the Autodesk product if you are currently running it, simply rerun the installer, and select the "Uninstall" button. OR, click Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features (Windows 7/8.1/10/11) and uninstall as you would any other application from your system.

Additional Information

  1. Be aware that unsaved values that are overwritten in the Excel worksheet by this app cannot be undone in Excel. It is recommended to save an Excel worksheet & reserve enough blank columns/ or check the "Auto insert blank columns before exporting" before running this app.
  2. If no results are returned to Excel, please check: (a) Input values are correct, sometimes a block is defined but no block reference placed in drawing (b) App is being tied to an invisible running Excel.exe process. In such cases, please close all Excel instances, including those invisible Excel.exe process.
  3. If no Excel worksheet is opened before, this app will try to open a blank worksheet.
  4. In case the export to Excel action consumes too much time, you can try to terminate Excel to cancel. It is recommended to close/re-open this app after terminating Excel.
  5. This app only works with desktop versions of Microsoft® Excel®. In case multiple Microsoft® Excel® versions are installed, this app may work with the default version.

Known Issues

Contact

Company Name: NTCL Soft
Support Contact: NTCLApp1@gmail.com

Author/Company Information

NTCL Soft

Support Information

For questions/comments/suggestions/bug reports etc please send an email to NTCLApp1@gmail.com 

Version History

Version Number Version Description

1.0.0.2

- App can now work properly while multi AutoCAD & AutoCAD verticals instances opened at the same time; No need to track active AutoCAD & AutoCAD verticals instances; - User can press ESC during processing to terminate a long process; - Attribute reference in Dynamic block reference now display at proper position after import. No need to manually call ATTSYNC;

1.0.0.1

- Bugs fixed: Warning message is minimized, app sometimes does not recognize the license file at first running, app may not work properly if multi AutoCAD & AutoCAD verticals instances are opened; - Minor improvements: a progress bar is added, block list is now able to suggest items when typing, add a mechanism of checking for active AutoCAD instance; - App is now digitally signed.

1.0.0.0

Initial release
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