Data Extraction

Ribbon: Output > Data > Data Extraction ()

Menu: Tools > Data Extraction

Toolbar: Tools > Data Extraction

Keyboard: DATAEXTRACTION

Extracts data from drawings.

The extracted informations is used to create a table in the current drawing or saved to an external file, or both.

This function provides step-by-step instructions for extracting information from all or selected entities, blocks, attributes, including drawing information from a set of drawings (7 dialogs will proposed)

PROCEDURE:

Begin (Step 1 of 7)

Starts the process. Options include creating a new data extraction, using a template, or editing an existing data extraction.
Create a New Data Extraction

Creates a new data extraction and saves it to a .COV file. You can also specify a previous extraction file (COV) to use as a template file.

Use a Previous Extraction as a Template
Uses settings previously saved in a data extraction (COV) file. As you move through the wizard, each page is already filled in with the settings in the template file. You can change these settings. Click the [...] button to select a file.

Edit an Existing Data Extraction
Allows you to modify an existing data extraction (COV) file. Click the [...] button to select a previous data extraction file.

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Define Data Source (Step 2 of 7)

Specifies the drawing files, including folders from which to extract data. Allows selection of objects in the current drawing from which to extract information.

Data Source
Drawings
Makes the Add Folder and Add Drawings buttons available for specifying drawings and folders for the extraction. The drawings and folders for the extraction are listed in the Drawing Files and Folders view.

Include Current Drawing
Includes the current drawing in the data extraction. The current drawing can be empty (not contain objects) if additional drawings are selected for extraction.

Select objects in the current drawing
Makes the Select Objects in the Current Drawing button available so you can select objects for data extraction.

Select Objects button
Closes the wizard temporarily so that you select entities in the current drawing.

Drawing Files and Folders
Lists the selected drawing files or folders.

Add Folder
Displays the Add Folder Options dialog box, where you can specify folders to include in the data extraction.

Add Drawings
Displays the standard file selection dialog box, where you can specify drawings to include in the data extraction.

Remove
Removes the selected drawings/folders in the list from the data extraction.

Settings
Displays the Data Extraction - Additional Settings dialog box, where you can specify data extraction settings (these functions are not supported yes, read-only).

Folders Shortcut Menu
You can see the shortcut menu for Folders (and the drawings listed within the selected folder) only after you explicitly add a folder using the Add Folder button.

Edit Folder Settings
Displays the Add Folder Options dialog box where you can specify the folders to be used for data extraction. Drawings in the selected folders are monitored for data changes.

Remove
Removes the selected folder.

Check All
Selects all the drawings listed below the selected folder.
Uncheck All
Clears all the drawings listed below the selected folder.

Invert Selection
Inverts the current selected items below the selected folder.

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Select Objects (Step 3 of 7)

The list of elements found in the chosen set of drawings is shown and allows you to decide what will be exported.

Objects with valid data are checked by default. Click the columns head to reverse the sort order. Columns can be resized.
The property data from chosen objects is displayed in the next step.

Objects

Object column
Displays each object by its name. Blocks are listed by block name. Non-blocks are listed by their object name.

Display Name column
Provides a place to enter an optional alternative name for an object as it will appear in the extracted information. Select a display name, right-click in the list, and click Edit Display Name.

Type column
Displays whether the object is a block or non-block.

Display Options

Display All Object Types
Displays a list of all object types (blocks and non-blocks) in the Object list view. This option is selected by default.

Display Blocks Only
Displays only blocks in the Object list view.

Display Non-Blocks Only
Displays only those objects that are not blocks in the Object list view.

Display Blocks with Attributes Only
Displays only those blocks in the Object list view that contain attributes. Dynamic blocks are listed if they have special properties assigned to them (for example, actions and parameters).

Display Objects Currently In-Use Only
Displays objects in the Object list view that exist in the selected drawings (Turn OFF is not supported yet).

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Select Properties (Step 4 of 7)

Controls the object, block, and drawing properties to extract.

Each row displays a property name, its display name, and category.

Right-click a column head and use options on the shortcut menu to check all or clear all items, invert the selection set, or edit the display name. Click the column head to reverse the sort order. Columns can be resized.

Properties

Property column
Displays object properties from objects selected on the Select Objects page. The property list is filtered according to the filter categories that are selected. Properties are the same as those listed in the Properties palette.

Display Name column
Provides a place to enter an optional alternative name for a property as it will appear in the extracted information. Select the property display name, right-click in the list, and click Edit Display Name.

Category column
Displays a category for each property. For example, General designates ordinary object properties, such as color or layer. Attribute designates user-defined attributes. Dynamic designates user-defined property data for dynamic blocks. Categories are the same as those listed in the Properties palette.

Category Filter

Property Category List (check)
Displays a list of categories that are extracted from the property list. Unchecked categories filter the Properties list. Categories include 3D Visualization, Attribute, Drawing, Dynamic Block, General, Geometry, Misc, Pattern, Table, and Text.

Property Grid Shortcut Menu
Check All
Selects all the properties in the property grid.

Uncheck All
Clears all the properties in the property grid.

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Refine Data (Step 5 of 7)

Modifies the data extraction table. You can reorder and sort columns.

Data Grid View
Displays properties in a table format.

Combine Identical Rows
Groups identical records by row. Updates the Count column.

Show Count Column
Displays the Count column in the grid.

Show Name Column
Displays the Name column in the grid.

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Choose Output (Step 6 of 7)

Specifies the type of output to which the data is extracted.

Output Options
Insert Data Extraction Table into Drawing
Creates a table that is populated with extracted data. You are prompted to insert the table into the current drawing when you click Finish on the Finish page.

Output Data to External File
Creates a data extraction file. Click the [...] button to select the file format in a standard file selection dialog box. Available file formats are Microsoft Excel (XLS), comma-separated file format (CSV), Microsoft Access (MDB), and tab-separated file format (TXT). The external file is created when you click Finish on the Finish page.

The maximum number of columns that can be exported to an XLS and MDB file is 255.

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Finish (Step 7 of 7)

Completes the process of extracting object property data that was specified in the wizard and creates the output type that was specified on the Choose Output page. If data linking and column matching to an Excel spreadsheet was defined in the Link External Data dialog box, the selected data in the spreadsheet is also extracted.

If the Insert Data Extraction Table into Drawing option was selected on the Choose Output page, you are prompted to insert the table into the drawing when you click Finish.

If the Output Data to External File option was selected, the extracted data is saved to the specified file type.