I am trying to write extended data attached to AutoCAD entities such as lines (DWG file format) and am not finding examples on how to do this. I'm not finding the documentation particularly helpful in this regard. Does anyone know how to do this? See image below, thanks.
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Writing Extended Entity data to DWG
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Best answer by andreaatsafe
Hi @dbaldacchino1 ,
Assuming you're using the "Extended Entity Data" mode of the ACAD or RealDWG format, can you try using the command line prompt "XDLIST" and select and object, and expand the command prompt to see you extended entity data?
My understanding for extended entity data is this information is not easily visible for users in AutoCAD and is typically revealed with plugins in Autodesk - or by using the "XDLIST" command.
The information written as extended entity data, will not show up in the properties panel.
You may also want to consider using the AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data writer to write attributes as object data on entities, depending on if this works for you.
-Andrea
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I am not sure this is possible due to the constraints in AutoCAD. I think this is stored on AutoCAD tag attributes which is possible on blocks, but not on lines or areas. I have done this on a number of workspaces using points/blocks, but I was never able to get this to work for other geometry types. If anyone, can explain how, I'd be interested to hear as well.
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drc43 wrote:
I am not sure this is possible due to the constraints in AutoCAD. I think this is stored on AutoCAD tag attributes which is possible on blocks, but not on lines or areas. I have done this on a number of workspaces using points/blocks, but I was never able to get this to work for other geometry types. If anyone, can explain how, I'd be interested to hear as well.
It should be possible as far as I know: https://www.cadalyst.com/cad/autocad/extend-autocad-entity-data-4772#:~:text=This%20is%20based%20on%20the,and%20it%20is%20your%20data.
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Does anyone know anything about this? There is a specific setting in the writer but not much in terms of documentation about what needs to happen in the data structure to actually make it happen.
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- Best Answer
Hi @dbaldacchino1 ,
Assuming you're using the "Extended Entity Data" mode of the ACAD or RealDWG format, can you try using the command line prompt "XDLIST" and select and object, and expand the command prompt to see you extended entity data?
My understanding for extended entity data is this information is not easily visible for users in AutoCAD and is typically revealed with plugins in Autodesk - or by using the "XDLIST" command.
The information written as extended entity data, will not show up in the properties panel.
You may also want to consider using the AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data writer to write attributes as object data on entities, depending on if this works for you.
-Andrea
+11- Supporter
andreaatsafe wrote:
Hi @dbaldacchino1 ,
Assuming you're using the "Extended Entity Data" mode of the ACAD or RealDWG format, can you try using the command line prompt "XDLIST" and select and object, and expand the command prompt to see you extended entity data?
My understanding for extended entity data is this information is not easily visible for users in AutoCAD and is typically revealed with plugins in Autodesk - or by using the "XDLIST" command.
The information written as extended entity data, will not show up in the properties panel.
You may also want to consider using the AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data writer to write attributes as object data on entities, depending on if this works for you.
-Andrea
Thanks @andreaatsafe , I do see the data with the XDLIST command, so thanks fort that tip. I was hoping this would show in the Extended Data tab of the Properties dialog but it doesn't, so you are correct (unfortunately!).
Looking at the AutoCad Map 3D writer, it doesn't seem to have an option for Extended Entity Data so I'm not sure this will be any more useful than the Autodesk AutoCAD RealDWG DWG/DXF writer, which seems to be more stable than the Autodesk AutoCAD DWG/DXF writer (had issues with the latter). At least for what I am currently doing. Thanks again.
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