Block Attributes To Access

Hello!

I need some help with my new application. Soory for my bad English.

Application runs in AutoCAD and. AutoCAD projects includes a lot of BLOCKs
with Attributes. I would like to store this values of Attributes into a
Database (Access). In the current project a have many BLOCKs with the same
name, but with different Attribute VAlues. This Values is needed for
calculation of entire project.

So, the new block (Extetnal) that I insert into project, should have some
data (Attributes) that are stored into database (price, time to oreder,
quantity in by store, ...) and if there is no item into the store the system
should prompt me that I MUST order the item; This values of blocks are used
for other financial program that also "look" into database of this project.
Then I can make quick calculation how much the project costs, how many and
witch items I need, witch i must order, etc.

I tried to use and program with VBA and DAO 3.6. Something is missing: how
to link block attribute to database record? Please HELP!!!

Thx in advance.

Uros LESJAK,
Slovenia - EU

 

The description of the process for transferring attributes between AutoCAD
and MS-Access goes like this.

1. Set a project reference to the data access library you are using, either
MS Data Access Objects (DAO) or MS ActiveX Data Objects (ADO).

2. In the AutoCAD VBA code, create a connection to the MS-Access database
using DAO or ADO. See the documentation for details.

3. Collect the blocks containing the attributes you want into a selection
set.

4.. Step through the selection set and save the attribute objects you want
to an array or collection. This should include a primary key which uniquely
identifies the block to which the attribute belongs. An entity handle works
well for this purpose.

5. To send attributes from AutoCAD to MS-Access:
a. Concatenate a string expression that contains a SQL INSERT statement
containing the primary key, attribute tag, and attribute value . See the
documentation for details.
b. Execute the SQL INSERT string expression via the connection from step
2. This will add a new record to the database table.
c. Repeat to add as many records as you need.

6. To send attributes from MS-Access to AutoCAD:
a. Concatenate a string expression that contains a SQL SELECT statement
containing the fields you want. See the documentation for details.
b. Execute the SQL SELECT string expression via the connection from step
2. This will create a RECORDSET object.
c. Step through the RECORDSET object. Read the primary key, attribute
tag, and attribute value of the current record. Locate the array or
collection element from step 4 with the matching primary key and attribute
tag. Update the attribute value.

When you have digested this very basic outline, ask some more questions. Of
course, experienced developers will see other probably more efficient
methods. Fell free to jump in.

 

Here's a snipet of code for accessing the attributes of blocks. As for the
Access access, I have no experience. my application for this subroutine was
to pull the revision letter from a block with attributes. Since multiple
rev blocks could possibly reside in a particular drawing, I had to find a
way to get the individual attribute values. I found that the only way to
access the attributes for a block already in the drawing was to cycle
through the model space objects and use the AcadBlockReference object to
access the attributes. Please realize this is a rough draft, and that there
are most likely more efficient ways to handle this, but I thought it may
help in some way. If anybody has tips to streamline this routine, I'm open
for suggestions. I don't particularly like having to cycle through all of
the ModelSpace objects.

Regards,
Jason

Public Sub GetAcadRevision(ByVal DontKnowDoc As AcadDocument)
Dim BlockRef As AcadBlockReference
Dim X As Integer
LatestRev = ""
Dim AttSet As Variant
Dim item As AcadObject

On Error Resume Next

For Each item In DontKnowDoc.ModelSpace
If item.HasAttributes Then
If Not Err Then
AttSet = item.GetAttributes
For X = LBound(AttSet) To UBound(AttSet)
If AttSet(X).TagString = "REV" Then
If LatestRev = "" Then
LatestRev = AttSet(X).TextString
Else
If Asc(AttSet(X).TextString) > Asc(LatestRev)
Then
LatestRev = AttSet(X).TextString
End If
End If
End If
Next
Else
Err.Clear
End If
End If
Next

On Error GoTo 0

If LatestRev = "" Then
LatestRev = "0"
End If

End Sub