AutoCAD question

[KG]

i'm pretty sure i've seen this done. i want be able to click on a block in Model Space and look on my Properties flyout to find out how many of that block are in the drawing.

thanks in advance to all my fellow drafters cruising DU when you should be working. :)

[CottonBear]

1. Have you tried searching the ACAD help menu? I'm using ACAD 2000. n/t

I've never done what you are wanting to do. (Sorry for offering no help at all!)

[KG]

2. yep, been looking thru help files, but cant find it. pretty sure someone showed me how this was done

one time, but can't recall it exactly.

[sniffa]

3. Hmmm

I'm not at my work computer so I'm just running through some ideas without trying it out.

First one: Edit the block, and it should ask you afterward if you want to make that change to the rest of the blocks (same block) in the drawing. Click yes, and it will state how many blocks were updated. Then you can undo.

You could also isolate the layer, select all, and then hit F2 - and you can scroll through the selections. This won't be helpful if you have hundreds of objects on the layer.

There's probably even easier ways to do it, but I'm difficult. :P

[KG]

4. i draw houses/additions. i've made blocks of windows, doors, electrical fixtures etc

if i could get a quick count of these objects, it would make creating schedules w/ quantities alot easier and more accurate.

seems i'm always missing a recept. or two, or somethig when counting up stuff.

[sniffa]

5. Ok, is it just one specific block you want counted, or all blocks?

[KG]

6. i want to know the quantity of each block, as i highlight each named block, i.e.:

how many '3068DR'? how many '110RECPT'? how many 'SW3POLE'?

[sniffa]

8. Here's one last shot

Do a purge; purge only your blocks; purge all. I think if you F2 your command lines into a new screen, it will show you the names of the blocks purged, and hopefully the quantities of each.

If not, I'll think it some more over a martini.

[madinmaryland]

9. See my response in #7.

[madinmaryland]

7. Here's your answer. Use the Extract Block Attribute command.

The command is "eattext" in Autocad. Just follow the instructions. It's pretty slick and will allow you to save the information as an excel file!

Will let you pull whatever block information you have out of the drawing.

:hi:

AutoCAD 2006 here.

[KG]

11. that seems to be what i'm looking for.

thanks!

[KG]

10. oops

[kentauros]

12. I was indeed working when this thread popped up

so that's why I'm replying long after you have been answered!

I have certainly used that extract command in order to paste duplicate titleblock info into other drawings. It usually does a good job, though sometimes the revision fields are in backwards order. But at least I don't have to type all that out again ;)

You might also bookmark this site as I have had it come in handy many times, especially as we use Civil 3D 2008 and none of us have had anything but on-the-job training.
AutoDesk Discussion Groups

Also, though your question has been answered, here's the search results for the terms "counting blocks."

Hope that helps, even this long after-the-fact. My mind is a bit numb from doing minute acreage calculations and then recalculating when the supervisor found a 3 acre discrepancy! Doh!