Expert: Shauna Anderson - 8/12/2009

Question
We use autocad 2002 to develop our electrical schematics.  Each page number has electrical line numbers that need changed to ex page 2 has line numbers that are 201,202,203, etc.  When I change to page 3 I want these to update to 301,302,303 instead of manually clicking each attribute.  Is  this possible to link the page number with each line number on the sheet?

Answer
Hi Sujit,
Thanks for the question.

You can not do this in ACAD 2002 without a lisp routine.

I have located a routine that will do auto numbering. It is available at Cadalyst on-line. www.cadalyst.com They do require you register for free. Once there search for Tip# 2018. Follow those instructions and you can easily do what you want. EXCEPT - not with attributes.

When I tested this I put in one piece of text with the value 1.  Then I used an array and put a list down. Then I used this routine. I used 3 as a prefix, and said the numbering would start at 01. I got 301 thru 326 just as neat as you please. You also tell it how to select the text so I told it top to bottom and selected my text with a window. On a next sheet I could use teh same routine grab the text and change the prefix from 2 to 3.

ACAD 2005 introduced fields. Fields may take a bit of time up front, but can save a ton of time down the road. You would setup the attribute so that it is reading partly from which sheet it appears on (sh. 2, sh 3) then it can start the attribute with that same text. The remaining numbers (01, 02, 03) would be added behind the field as the same attribute from before.



I hope this might be of some help to you!
-Shauna