dannay
Member
- Location
- West Simsbury, CT
I'm looking for a new program compatible to import into AutoCAD drawings. Currently, I use and dos based program dated back to 1986. I would like to upgrade to a windows based program. Thanks!
panelboard circuit scheduling program
- Thread starter dannay
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robbie
Member
- Location
- California
Re: panelboard circuit scheduling program
Create your panel schedules in Excel. Highlight the schedule and "copy". Go into AutoCad and do a "Paste Special" under the Edit Pull Down Menu.
Select "Paste Link" and size accordingly. To modify the panel schedules in AutoCad, simply double-click on it. Hope this helps...
Create your panel schedules in Excel. Highlight the schedule and "copy". Go into AutoCad and do a "Paste Special" under the Edit Pull Down Menu.
Select "Paste Link" and size accordingly. To modify the panel schedules in AutoCad, simply double-click on it. Hope this helps...
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: panelboard circuit scheduling program
We use it too. However, there is a constraint or two of which you should be aware. The constraint depends, I suspect, on the versions you have of Excel, Spanner, and your CAD program. One issue is that you can?t merge cells within Excel. Another relates to the available fonts. I?m not conversant in CAD programs, so I can?t give details. But it is worth your looking into the issues.
We use it too. However, there is a constraint or two of which you should be aware. The constraint depends, I suspect, on the versions you have of Excel, Spanner, and your CAD program. One issue is that you can?t merge cells within Excel. Another relates to the available fonts. I?m not conversant in CAD programs, so I can?t give details. But it is worth your looking into the issues.
scott thompson
Senior Member
- Location
- Anaheim, California
Re: panelboard circuit scheduling program
One concern when using the OLE method mentioned here (Linking / Embedding the Excel Spreadsheet into an AutoCAD drawing) is when another party tries to view the page with the OLE reference.
Simply stated, if you are sending out the planset to - like maybe an Architect for inclusion with the complete contract planset, make sure they have a compatable version of Excel on their machine, plus the excel file recurses in the proper directory.
Another method of working with linked data - which can be updated if edited, is to create a Panel Schedule Database in AutoCAD, save it as a normal .DWG file, then insert it as an XREF (or even a Block) with a specific file name.
In the cells of the database, link to an excel spreadsheet via CDF, or similar text import methods.
Lastly, you could just forget the entire OLE situation altogether and create Panel Schedule(s) .DWG template(s), then XREF or insert as blocks when needed.
That is an almost failsafe method!
Many tweeks may be done via VBA, AutoLisp, and such, which enhance both a multitask operation and a stand alone ACAD drawing - and make the workload so much lighter too!
Just writing the stuff takes a big upfront time investment!
Scott35
One concern when using the OLE method mentioned here (Linking / Embedding the Excel Spreadsheet into an AutoCAD drawing) is when another party tries to view the page with the OLE reference.
Simply stated, if you are sending out the planset to - like maybe an Architect for inclusion with the complete contract planset, make sure they have a compatable version of Excel on their machine, plus the excel file recurses in the proper directory.
Another method of working with linked data - which can be updated if edited, is to create a Panel Schedule Database in AutoCAD, save it as a normal .DWG file, then insert it as an XREF (or even a Block) with a specific file name.
In the cells of the database, link to an excel spreadsheet via CDF, or similar text import methods.
Lastly, you could just forget the entire OLE situation altogether and create Panel Schedule(s) .DWG template(s), then XREF or insert as blocks when needed.
That is an almost failsafe method!
Many tweeks may be done via VBA, AutoLisp, and such, which enhance both a multitask operation and a stand alone ACAD drawing - and make the workload so much lighter too!
Just writing the stuff takes a big upfront time investment!
Scott35
hmspe
Senior Member
- Location
- Temple, TX
- Occupation
- PE
Re: panelboard circuit scheduling program
We considered using excell, but rejected it because each drawing would not be complete as a single file. We have standard blocks for the standard panel types. We edit the blocks in AutoCAD, then we run a custom lisp routine that does all the adding. We color code the text by type (non-continuous = yellow, continuous = white, kitchen = cyan), and the lisp handles all the calcs. Works well for us.
We considered using excell, but rejected it because each drawing would not be complete as a single file. We have standard blocks for the standard panel types. We edit the blocks in AutoCAD, then we run a custom lisp routine that does all the adding. We color code the text by type (non-continuous = yellow, continuous = white, kitchen = cyan), and the lisp handles all the calcs. Works well for us.
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