AutoCAD

AutoCAD 2012
2012
and
and
AutoCAD
AutoCAD LT
LT 2012
2012
Essentials
Essentials
By Scott Onstott
Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Attribute Definitions

Every attribute definition must have a tag

and a prompt. The default is optional.
Attributes are special text objects and as
such are based on text styles, justification,
annotative option, text height (can be set
by the text style), and rotation
Attribute definitions can be invisible,
meaning they do not appear on screen in
block references. Invisible attributes still
store data however and this data can be
linked or extracted.

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Parts of an Attribute Definition

The Tag is the programming name (typically

written in all capital letters).
The Prompt is the question you will pose to
the person entering an attribute value when
the attributed block is inserted into a
drawing.
The Default is the optional value that
appears automatically when the attributed
block is inserted into a drawing.

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Attributes and Blocks

Attribute definitions are created prior

to defining a block that contains them
The order in which you select
attribute definitions determines the
order they will appear in the block
references
Attribute values do not exist within
block definitions, instead attribute
values are stored in block references
When block definitions are inserted in
a drawing they become block
references
Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Entering Attribute Values

You will be prompted to enter attribute

values when you inserted an attributed
block (using the INSERT command)
The system variable ATTDIA controls
whether attribute values are entered at the
command prompt (0) or in a dialog box (1)
The system variable ATTREQ controls
whether attribute values will be requested
(1) or not (0). Attributes that are not
requested receive their default values (if
any).

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Table Styles

Expand the Annotation panel on the

ribbons Home tab to access the Table
Style icon.
Use the TABLESTYLE command.
Every table style has three cell styles:
Title, header, and data.
Use the preview image in the Modify
Table Style dialog box to see how the
changes you make will appear in a table.
Note the three tab interface contains
more content that can be adjusted.

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Creating Tables

Use the TABLE command to create a new

table
Tables can be created from scratch or from a
data link
You can set up a data link between AutoCAD
and Microsoft Excel for example
The contents of linked tables cannot be
altered within AutoCAD but in the source
application
Linked tables behave like Xrefs
Tables created from scratch show row and
column numbers and letters while editing

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Editing Table Layout

Click once within a table cell to edit it using

four grips that stretch the column and row
widths
Click the edge of a table to display a separate
set of grips
Edge grips allow you to stretch the entire
table uniformly, or to resize columns
The cyan grip allows you to create continued
tables (much like MTEXT columns)

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Creating Fields

Fields are variables that are linked to

other objects, the time, date, and many
other categories of parameters
Fields are inserted anywhere you use
text, be it inside attribute definitions,
inside table cells, or MTEXT objects
Fields can be updated in a variety of
ways including drawing open, save, plot,
or using the REGEN command
Fields can link to specific object
properties such as the value of an
attribute
Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data

Controlling Table Cell Appearances

Table cells can each have their own border

properties and background colors.
Select a range of cells by Shift selecting or
dragging a selection window
You can assign different lineweights or
linetypes to a range of cells as compared with
the rest of the table
Consider using a dark background with light
letters for the title and/or header cells to set
them off from the data cells

Ch 15: Storing, Presenting, and Extracting Data