Reading AutoCAD Tables

Hello @ae_jeff, not sure if this will help but I had a similar question that might be along similar lines

https://knowledge.safe.com/questions/93424/list-to-table.html

@ae_jeff,

Are YOU creating the tables in CAD (or are you receiving the CAD data from others) ???

If you are creating the data, a couple of things u could try......

1. Explode table in CAD (Deaggregate in FME speak). Crude but may suit your purposes.

You can even explode the text down to linework if required (Express Tools in CAD)

2. For table creation in CAD, first create the table in Microsoft Excel.

Then in CAD create link to excel table. Now u have your table in CAD.

This is actually a good way to create tables in CAD.

Then for FME - read in the MS Excel table.

....................

Hope this helps / gives u some ideas

Howard L'

Hi @howard_l,

Thanks for your thoughts! I am making the tables.

1. I think I was able to effectively explode the table (down to the linework) via the FME reader using Entity Options/Explode Blocks into Entities. I would prefer to avoid exploding it on the CAD side so that future revisions to the table are easier.

2. It would definitely make the FME side of things easier to link in an Excel table, but I would prefer to keep everything in AutoCAD so I don't have to maintain information in two separate locations.

- Jeff

Hi @deanhowell2009,

That is a thought! My concern would be that the data doesn't come in exactly the same order every time from every file, and in addition to A&E being in the same column, I would need B&F, C&G, and D&H to always line up...

Are you working with AutoCAD tables? Have you found that not to be an issue?

- Jeff

I am putting together a model to validate cadastral plans that are supplied as DWG and each has a table that I need to read data from but fortunately the order is consistent.