Expert: Shauna Anderson - 8/14/2009

Question
QUESTION: Is there a "routine" that can automatically go through multiple AutoCAD drawing files and change ANY text from one word (say SUBSTATION) to a different word (say E-HOUSE)?  If so, then how and where do I obtain such a routine?  Your expedited response is most gratefully appreciated.  Thank You.  James

ANSWER: Hi James,

Thanks for the question. Ah yes, the quest for a "replace all" text routine! Fortunately Autodesk has heard the cry and has added the function into their program. Try typing in FIND. You can choose to make your change to the entire drawing, a selection (with a pick button to the side), or the current space.  You can add a replacement word or phrase.

This can also be used to locate certain attributes, etc. and there are lots of options on how to do the search. It will also zoom to the found location.

I believe this was rolled out with 2006. If you are behind that, we can try again.


Hope this is helpful!
-Shauna

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Shauna.
Actually my situation is that I have several hunders drawings where this text change needs to be replaced.  I am more interested in a routine that can automatically detect the old text and replace it with the new text without personally opening up each individual drawing (very time consuming) to make the change as you kindly explianed.

Answer
Hi James,

Yes I definitely missed the part about multiple files. There is a way to do this involving a script, a batch file and a lisp routine.  It would take pages and pages to answer this here, but I have a very good resource for you.

If you are not already a member of AUGI, it is time to sign up. AUGI is the Autodesk Users Group International. Membership is free, their website is www.augi.com.  At their site they publish information from previous Autodesk University classes. I sat in on the class where Dan Abbott showed how to do this. His class handout is on-line. Because this was a lab, it has step-by-step directions.  Just use your info as appropriate. It was reasonably easy to follow even for those with no experience in this.

I would restate Dan's cautions of trying this with a sample set - not your original drawings, and to have it create NEW drawings rather than overwrite your old ones until you are sure this is working. When you know it is good to go, you can start this on Friday night and come back to fixed drawings on Monday morning.

The link to the hand out is:
http://www.augi.com/education/auhandouts/2005/CP14-1L.pdf

I hope this gets you to where you need to be with this.

Regards,
-Shauna