AutoCAD

[Karl H]

Can someone share with me the process of importing a Excel spread-sheet
(Panel Schedule) into a AutoCAD drawing? Or how to "Edit-In-Place" an
existing Excel file in AutoCAD? For the life of me I can't figure this one
out....

 

[cadpoint]

Here's some light reading on your subject

We've chatted aspects of ACAD before, using the Search for "acad import excel" note the fourth listing, for about $150.00, it looks like you can do what you thought you might be able to do, but not without additional software!

If you read the third listing it'll explain why it's not so easy to think excel has that maintained editable aspects!

Hope that helps!

 

[Karl H]

Here's some light reading on your subject

We've chatted aspects of ACAD before, using the Search for "acad import excel" note the fourth listing, for about $150.00, it looks like you can do what you thought you might be able to do, but not without additional software!

If you read the third listing it'll explain why it's not so easy to think excel has that maintained editable aspects!

Hope that helps!

Thank You CADPOINT! I know this has to be easier than I'm making it,but
then again I've been trying to figure it out on my own for the last ten hours.

 

[Karl H]

It looks like you need an ADD-On. I really hope someone that has been
successful with this, will chime in.

 

[Karl H]

Mods, Please don't close this. This is a electrical related topic.
I need this info to complete a set of E drawings.

 

[StephenSDH]

I can just select the cells in excel and copy, then paste inside autocad. I believe it is called and ole object. Once it is in autocad you can scale it to the size you wish. I never had a problem doing this, maybe it is not available on all versions.

-steve

 

[GeorgeB]

Can someone share with me the process of importing a Excel spread-sheet (Panel Schedule) into a AutoCAD drawing? Or how to "Edit-In-Place" an existing Excel file in AutoCAD? For the life of me I can't figure this one out....

I've read the other answers but not followed the link. I regularly mark a range of cells, use Windows copy (whatever method you like, mine is control-C) then right-click in AutoCAD and select past (yeah, crazy, don't use control-V).

I'm still using an old (2002) version of AutoCAD LT so YMMV. I haven't tried, but don't think it is an active link ... changes in the spreadsheet don't automatically appear in the drawing ... but that's the way I want it.

 

[Karl H]

I can just select the cells in excel and copy, then paste inside autocad. I believe it is called and ole object. Once it is in autocad you can scale it to the size you wish. I never had a problem doing this, maybe it is not available on all versions.

-steve

Yes it's a "OLE". I'll try your method. Thank You.

 

[Karl H]

I've read the other answers but not followed the link. I regularly mark a range of cells, use Windows copy (whatever method you like, mine is control-C) then right-click in AutoCAD and select past (yeah, crazy, don't use control-V).

I'm still using an old (2002) version of AutoCAD LT so YMMV. I haven't tried, but don't think it is an active link ... changes in the spreadsheet don't automatically appear in the drawing ... but that's the way I want it.

I will try your method to. Thank You! I'm using 2004 and 2009 AutoCAD
and 2009 MEP (trial version).

 

[Besoeker]

I've just done what GeorgeB did.

Selected a range of cells in Excel....right click and select copy.
In AutoCad, select edit and then paste.

Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v also worked for me.

I have AutoCad 2006 and 2007 LT.

 

[Karl H]

I've just done what GeorgeB did.

Selected a range of cells in Excel....right click and select copy.
In AutoCad, select edit and then paste.

Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v also worked for me.

I have AutoCad 2006 and 2007 LT.

Thank you, that worked for me as well.
I also have a pnl sched that I need to edit.
When I click on it all get is object grips and I can't seem
to be able to edit. Is that because I need the original Excel
file?

 

[cadpoint]

I've just done what GeorgeB did.

Selected a range of cells in Excel....right click and select copy.
In AutoCad, select edit and then paste.

Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v also worked for me.

I have AutoCad 2006 and 2007 LT.

But with this one application any version is it still an Interactive Excel Data ?
Once it's placed, does it still update once you have to change the Excel sheet and it will refresh to a drawing?

Maybe I've totaly wrong with this following statement and will just state this from case history here's how it is!

Right, But for those reading along at home the key part is that two different file format are merged. What a reader might not or don't realize is that this placement is just that a "snapshot" of the Excel sheet, or at least it was!
Be it as simple as to the date and time that it was placed inside the ACAD file,(that's it) It will display and print, but all excel aspects are lost by this placement, once placed it will not be editable from inside the the cad file once the spread sheet. It's Excel, edit, properties, even the data fields is gone, once brought in.

As noted, software can be written from with-in Acad that will make it interactive, its not part of the base package of ACAD and is additional software, or write a program.

The Bigger packages do have there own programing languages and even level of programing which will allow this.

I feel that the big CAD software packages other than selling there own additional software packages, have "handicapped" the average to above average users trying to tie in such programs as excel or the like.

 

[Smart $]

Thank you, that worked for me as well.
I also have a pnl sched that I need to edit.
When I click on it all get is object grips and I can't seem
to be able to edit. Is that because I need the original Excel
file?

Been a while since I've had any experience with AutoCAD....

but for Windows copy & paste in general, when you paste (i.e Paste, or Ctrl+V, etc.) you are embedding the object... the E in OLE>>>object link and embed. You can modify it by selecting the Object, bringing up the local menu, and choosing the Edit or Open option. Edit allows you to "modify in place" and it is my experience this does some freaky things in CAD applications. If you chose Open, it will open for modification in the original application (Excel, e.g. here).

If you want the Object to update when you edit the original file it came from, you have to do a Paste Special and choose the Link option. For a linked object there should be extra or enabled choices in the Edit menu for updating or severing the link. As for modifying from within CAD, everything works the same as a simple paste except when you choose to Open, it opens the file it is linked to.

Another aspect is Paste Special as something other than an Excel Object... click on the following for some info on that...

http://www.cadinfo.net/editorial/tableimport.htm

 

[Karl H]

Thanks Guys! You all came thru for me.

The drawing is complete and sent to plot. Looks like I won't be spending
Labor Day at the office after all.

The thing is, I was trying to use someone elses Excel template since mine
was not working for some reason. Cadpoint you are right as far as I know
you cannot edit a Excel file that has been converted to a OLE in AutoCAD
unless you have the original template (which I didn't), it is just as you said
a "Snap-Shot."

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Smart $]

...as far as I know you cannot edit a Excel file that has been converted to a OLE in AutoCAD unless you have the original template (which I didn't), it is just as you said a "Snap-Shot."

If you cannot edit it with Excel, then it is not an OLE object. Some applications, perhaps AutoCAD is one of them, do not support OLE from certain applications, and instead automatically paste as a metafile (which can be a vector or bitmap image, or a composite of both types).

A metafile object can be edited if you cut or copy and paste into an application which supports metafile editing, preferably one which permits both vector and bitmap object editting. Depending on how the editing application handles metafile pastes, the ability to edit originally-distinct entities may be lost.

 

[PCN]

I can just select the cells in excel and copy, then paste inside autocad. I believe it is called and ole object. Once it is in autocad you can scale it to the size you wish. I never had a problem doing this, maybe it is not available on all versions.

-steve

This is the same method I use in Microstation, very simple. You can also drag and drop into the raster manager and do an overlay with adjustable transparency.

 

[jimport]

Foggy memory. I remember that you could insert blocks into a drawing. If you were to then edit the block and wished to update the drawing there was something like 'update block' that you could apply and your changes would globally apply.

 

[JWCELECTRIC]

Can someone share with me the process of importing a Excel spread-sheet
(Panel Schedule) into a AutoCAD drawing? Or how to "Edit-In-Place" an
existing Excel file in AutoCAD? For the life of me I can't figure this one
out....

Karl,

I use a add on software called Spanner 12, it works really well for me. I use it for panel schedules and also for instrument loop schedules, they tend to get real big. Part of the software gets loaded into excel and part of it gets loaded into your acad support folder as a Lisp file. PM me and I can send you the web site if you are interested. I need to dig a little for it. It costs a couple of dollars to download from the Architects web site aho created it. I haven't had much success with the OLE stuff. When you insert the file into Acad it creates layers for the outline of the schedule and text.

JWC

 

[scott thompson]

Karl,

Please excuse the latency of this post, and the redundant information!

The simplest method to attach an Excel Spreadsheet to an AutoCAD Drawing, is to perform a basic "Copy - Paste" procedure.

To do this:
a: Select the complete range of items in the Spreadsheet (Highlight the area of the Spreadsheet to copy).
b: Perform a Copy command, by either "Ctrl + C", or right-click + select "Copy".
c: Bring up the CAD Drawing to receive the attachment (Ctrl + Tab, if the drawing is active).
d: "Ctrl + V" to Paste into the current Drawing.
e: Scale the attachment as usual.

There are many other methods available, each having their own benefits.
OLE is just one of the several ways to do this work.

The Third-Party Applications mentioned by others are great advanced methods of Database work.

For custom procedures, connection of an ACAD Database to a Spreadsheet may be done via ODBC.

Panel Schedules aren't the only helpful "Excel-To-ACAD" interfacing tasks!

Scott

 

[Smart $]

I will try your method to. Thank You! I'm using 2004 and 2009 AutoCAD
and 2009 MEP (trial version).

Haven't tried MEP since the program changed names. The last version I had access to went by the older Architectural Building Systems name, circa 2005-6. Anyway, as I recall the electrical aspect features auto-populated panel schedules and can be updated with a few clicks when any circuitry is changed. Perhaps more recent versions automatically update.

If I earned my living conceiving and drawing up electrical plans, MEP is likely what I'd be using.