Expert: Bill DeShawn - 8/11/2008

Question
Mr. DeShawn --

I consider myself an expert AutoCAD user, and have found something that has stumped me in AutoCAD 2006.  Pasting Excel tables into AutoCAD (including OLE links) has not been an issue in the past, but suddenly all tables that I paste into AutoCAD, (tried both model and paper space) the text in the table is crunched together.  The letters overlap and are on top of each other, all the while the table looks fine in excel and updates (when linked) the AutoCAD image with new fonts and sizes, but still showing the same crowded and overlapping letters and numbers.  When I use the other PASTESPEC options (Metafile and Enhanced Metafile), the table is again distorted, but in a different manner.  The pasted table is stretched (visually, like the sides have been pulled apart), and the letters are shorter and wider.  Ever seen this before?  Have an idea of what to do to fix this?

On a similar note, when pasting excel files as AutoCAD entities into paperspace, even though the table style is set, the text never converts to the proper size in AutoCAD, it is bigger when the cell is double clicked. Why?

Thanks for the help.

Answer
Grant:
Don't worry.  Even an expert can get stumped.  Getting a skewed spreadsheet in AutoCAD has happened to me a few times.  When it does, this is what I do.  Since it usually happens when I paste it in, I go a different route and have better luck.  You can link to an Excel workbook by dragging the file into AutoCAD or using the INSERTOBJ command.  Doing that, usually works better for me.  AutoCAD has traditionally been problematic when working with excel files withing the drawing.  Sometimes when you make a change, you need to reinsert or repaste the table into AutoCAD.  If all else failes, there is something at DOTSOFT.com called XL2CAD that a lot of people depend on.  I believe that AutoCAD 2008 and 2009 have got a lot of the bugs worked out.  I was unable to duplicate the problem on my computer tonight, but that doesn't mean it's all in your mind.  I do believe you.  Try those things out and get back to me.  If you can't get it working for you, we'll put our heads together and think of something else.  Perhaps you could email me both files so I can look at it, too.

Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn