Extract attributes into a text file

Home tab > Symbol group >  Attributes menu > Extract attribute information, ATTEXTRACT

Read attribute information from objects and save them into a text file. Using template file user can define information to be extracted to a result file.

Result file can be imported to common database or spreadsheet programs for example Microsoft Excel.

Do the following:

  1. Enter template file name.
    Full file path shall be entered (for example C:\Own\CADMATIC\attextract_templatefile.txt).
    Entering '-character a file dialog is shown to help selecting template file.

  2. Enter result file name.
    Full file path shall be entered (for example C:\Own\CADMATIC\attextract_result.txt).

  3. Select CDF or SDF as a result file format.
     CDF: Fields are separated by a comma. Text fields are quoted. Each element is followed by an automatic line feed.
     SDF: Unformatted, template file shall contain all format information

Want to try?

Copy following template file example to a text file. Save it to disk and try this command how it works.

This template file does not contain any format information so CDF is correct result file format in this case

[CIRCLE]

:X0

:Y0

:RADIUS

:AREA

:PERIMETER

This template file contains all necessary format information so SDF is correct result file format in this case

Fields are separated by a comma (,) so that spreadsheet programs (e.g. Excel) can separate fields correctly to own columns. Typically this kind of separator is either comma, semicolon, space or tabulation (\t).

 

[LINE]

:X0 "%.2r,"

:Y0 "%.2r,"

:X1 "%.2r,"

:Y1 "%.2r,"

:LAYER "%s\n"

This template file contains also all necessary format information so SDF is correct result file format in this case

Formatting is done so that end result works best when viewed with ordinary text editor.

[SYMBOL]

:NAME "Symbol name is %s\n"

:ANGLE "Symbol angle is %.2r degrees\n "

:LAYER "and layer %s\n"

PRICE "Attribute PRICE on %i\n"

QUALITY "Attribute QUALITY is %s\n"

Template file

Based on template file information is extracted to external text file. Template file is textual file that defines what elements and how information is extracted.

Depending on element type following information can be extracted:

Property Explanation

NAME

Symbol name
X0 Insertion point X coordinate
Y0 Insertion point Y coordinate
LAYER Layer
ANGLE Symbol angle
XSCALE X scale
YSCALE Y scale
ROWS Rows
COLUMNS Columns

ROWSPACING

Row spacing

COLUMNSPACING

Column spacing

ATTRIBUTE NAME

Attribute value
Property Explanation
X0 Start point X coordinate
Y0 Start point Y coordinate
X1 End point X coordinate
Y1 End point Y coordinate

LAYER

Layer

COLOR

Line color

ANGLE

Line angle

LENGTH

Line length
Property Explanation
X0 Mid point X coordinate
Y0 Mid point Y coordinate
LAYER Layer
COLOR Arc color
STARTANGLE Arc start angle
ENDANGLE Arc end angle
LENGTH Arc length
RADIUS Arc radius
Property Explanation
X0 Mid point X coordinate
Y0 Mid point Y coordinate
LAYER Layer
COLOR Circle color
RADIUS Circle radius
AREA Circle area
CIRCUMFERENCE Circumference
Property Explanation
X0 Mid point X coordinate
Y0 Mid point Y coordinate

X1

Major axis X coordinate

Y1

Major axis Y coordinate
LAYER Layer
COLOR Ellipse color
STARTANGLE Ellipse start angle
ENDANGLE Ellipse end angle
LENGTH Ellipse length
RADIUS

Ellipse radius
AREA

Ellipse area
Property Explanation
X0 1st point X coordinate
Y0 1st point Y coordinate

X1

2nd point X coordinate

Y1

2nd point Y coordinate

X2

3rd point X coordinate

Y2

3rd point Y coordinate

X3

4th point X coordinate

Y3

4th point Y coordinate
LAYER Layer
COLOR Fill color

Result file detailed structure (not mandatory)

Each element can have separate format definition how information is extracted to file. Format definition shall be done if static text is needed alongside element information. Quoted format definition can contain statical text but also line feed (defined by \n) or tabulation (defined by \t).

In case that more detailed formatting is needed it shall be defined as follows:

"% + .decimals + field type"

Field type can be either i, r or s (where i=integer number, r=decimal number, s=text)

For example:

"%.1r\t"   (decimal number is always shown with 1 decimal, followed by tabulation)

"Symbol name is: %s\n"   (text will be for example "Symbol name is: MODEL" followed by line feed)

Template file examples

110.00, 147.1267, "LAYER1",

250.00, 267.3, "LAYER1",

340.00, 421.551, "LAYER2",

Template file row

Explanation
[LINE] Extract information on lines in drawing
:X0 "%.2r" Line start point X coordinate. For decimal number (r-character) two decimals is always shown.
:Y0 Line end point Y coordinate. Because no formatting is available all information (all decimals) is shown as it is.
:LAYER Layer name.

Symbol name is SYMB1

Symbol angle is 0.00 degrees and layer 0

Attribute PRICE is 7

Symbol name is SYMB2

Symbol angle is 45.00 degrees and layer OWN

Attribute PRICE is 9

Template file row

Explanation

[SYMBOL]

Extract information on symbols in drawing

:NAME "Symbol name is %s\n"

Symbol name, s-character means text. Before symbol name text "Symbol name is" will be added. Line feed (\n character).

:ANGLE "Symbol angle is %.2r degrees "

Symbol angle. r-character means a decimal number and .2 means that number is shown with 2 decimals. Text line will be "Symbol angle is" followed by angle value and text "degrees".

:LAYER "and layer %s\n"

Symbol layer name (s-character) as text. Text line will be "and layer" followed by layer name. Line feed (\n character).

PRICE "Attribute PRICE is %s\n"

Symbol attribute PRICE name as text (s-character). Text line will be "Attribute PRICE is" followed by attribute value. Line feed (\n character).