2004

344 | Chapter 16 Draw Geometric Objects
Extract Block Attribute Data (Advanced)
You can extract attribute information from a drawing and create a separate
text file for use with database software. This feature is useful for creating parts
lists with information already entered in the drawing database. Extracting
attribute information does not affect the drawing.
To create a parts list
■ Create and edit an attribute definition
■ Enter values for the attributes as you insert the blocks
■ Create a template file and then extract attribute information to a text file
To extract attribute information, you first create an attribute template file
using any text processor, then generate the attribute extraction file using
AutoCAD, and, finally, open the attribute extraction file in a database appli-
cation. If you plan to extract the attribute information to a DXF (drawing
interchange format) file, it is not necessary to first create an attribute tem-
plate file.
Note Make sure that the attribute extraction file does not have the same name
as the attribute template file.
Create an Attribute Extraction Template File
Before you extract attribute information, you must create an ASCII template
file to define the structure of the file that will contain the extracted attribute
information. The template file contains information about the tag name,
data type, field length, and number of decimal places associated with the
information you want to extract.
Each field in the template file extracts information from the block references
in the drawing. Each line in the template file specifies one field to be written
to the attribute extraction file, including the name of the field, its character
width, and its numerical precision. Each record in the attribute extraction file
includes all the specified fields in the order given by the template file.