Expert: Bill DeShawn - 1/26/2010

Question
QUESTION: I can not get 2010 to combine all identical rows of extracted dynamic blocks.  The same blocks extracted in 2007 combine all identical rows.
Is there a variable or a filter I can set to force the wizard to work as 2007 did?
Thanks
Greg

ANSWER: Greg:
Please tell me the method(s) used to accomplish this and include the commands and error messages.
Also, were these blocks dynamic blocks when they were in AutoCAD 2007?

Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn


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

QUESTION: The method was a simple data extraction using the data extraction wizard.
By selecting the labled and dimensioned dynamic blocks, I chose to export to an external file and also select the option to combine like rows, so that any dimensions that are alike will be consolidated into one row.
When viewed prior to extraction not all identical dimesions were combined, even with the precision set to 1/8".


I never have received any error messages.
It just will not combine identical rows.
It was later discovered that some of the blocks in the drawing were not completely identical in length even though the 1/8" precision dimension precision caused them to round to the nearest 1/8" the wizard was listing them on a separate line anyway.

ex. 50'-6" could be read by the computer as 50'-5.99999"

It won't round to the precision specified in the units command.
In comparison Autocad 2007 recognized the 1/8" precision and combined them as expected.


ANSWER: Attacking this problem from a different angle, and thinking that if you liked the way AutoCAD's 2007 attribute extraction worked, then you might want to use the same command.  In AutoCAD 2010, the dataextraction command goes far above and beyond what we are used to in AutoCAD 2007, much more than mere attribute extraction.  Have you tried the ATTEXT command or the -ATTEXT command?  You're not likely to find this on the ribbon or the menu.  So, it would be best to type the command at the command line.

Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn


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

QUESTION: Thanks again Bill,
We tried the Attext command like you recommended, but it would not extract the information from our dynamic blocks.
Can you tell me what was changed in the extaction wizard in 07 and the extraction wizard in 10. Because we have never used the Attext command to extract any dynmic block information.
 Maybe a ARX change or Lisp change that affect the output of the extracted information.
 We must solve this issue to eliminate the editing time required to manually count and combine the like rows in Excel.


Answer
Greg:  So far I have not been able to locate a data extraction wizard like there is in 2010, but for 2007.  I've asked others, and they know of none.  We think that maybe either you were using 2008 or above or you were using a command like EATTEXT (Enhanced Attribute Extract).  Can you try the EATTEXT command in 2010 to tell me if that is what you were really using in 2007?

Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn