ExcelProGen
This is an Excel Add-In which can create text based files or AutoCAD dwg's from a template.
ExcelProGen is a template engine, controlled from Excelsheet, which can create AutoCAD/BricsCAD oder textbased files from templates. It can extract attributes from DWG or DXF to Microsoft Excel as well as export the data back to the drawing.
With this tool you are able to generate text files from templates like xml, html, txt, dxf. ini.
Each of the Excel rows will create one new file from a template by using placeholders.
With the Add-In you can create AutoCAD files from template in .dwg, or update these files with new values. We are using COM automation, so you can't use AutoCAD LT here. Beside AutoCAD you can use BricsCAD as well. If you don't use one of these two, you can use the DXF format, which is available without an external program.
These functions are available:
AutoCAD:
- Import of AutoCAD drawings to read attributes into the current Excelsheet.
- Export of attributes into AutoCAD drawings.
- Generation of DWG/DXF files by replacing Attributes, as well as TEXT und MTEXT placeholders.
Text:
- Generation of new textbased files by replacing placeholders in a template.
- Replacing placeholders in already existing files.
After Installation of ExcelProGen you will find a new group in your Add-Ins ribbon. With this you can control the generator.
How it works (AutoCAD):
As you can see in the screenshot, there are new menu items in Add-Ins tab like Import, Export, Generate and Settings.
You can import your DWG/DXF attributes via CAD import. For each block or "block selector" a line is created in the Excel table.
With the "Generate" button you create files from a template. You need the "Template" and "File" fields in your Excel spreadsheet to do this, which on the one hand represent the template and the output file. To set attributes, the block name may be specified if the attribute is to be replaced in only one block, and a "block selector" which describes the block by an attribute. Furthermore, you can replace text passages within attribute values, here you must set the appropriate check mark in the settings. It is also possible to provide the fields TEXT and MTEXT with placeholders, which are then replaced by "Generate". Again, you will find a checkbox in the settings.
With the export button you can replace values in attributes of the DXF files, the export button works similar to the "Generate" button, with the exception that the field TEMPLATE is not used.
How it works (text):
Your text templates contain placeholders, which are defined as header fields in the Excel spreadsheet. After you have filled the fields FILE and TEMPLATE with the templates and the file names to be created, you can start the process by "Generate".
Use Cases:
- Creation of documentation in which some data changes per generated file.
- Generate Sourcecode.
- Creation of configuration files. (xml,ini usw.)
- Mass-generating of technical drawings, circuit diagrams, measuring and control technology together with AutoCAD (Example).
- Update attributes of AutoCAD files with new values.
- Automatically generate HTML files. (Example)
- Generate test logs in bulk.
- Product descriptions with different information of dimensions
Minimum system requirements: Excel 2010 or higher.