Topic: The Problem with 'Paste Special'...

[craigr]

I found a tip from a Frequent poster - Copy Excell Tables to AutoCad Tables.

The process is, copy your table from Excell, then in AutoCAD, do a Edit-Paste Special-AutoCAD Entities.

It works fine, but it also brings in the Cell 'garbage' from Excell.

I had one table that when brought into CAD, one column of the table's text was .05 - even though 'properties' showed it as .1. The way I found out was to explode the table, then look at the cells properties. It had some type of 'forumla' or - like %/#%I or such - garbly gook to me.

The other thing I noticed is that it takes the numbers in the original table and shows them as '2.0000' instead of just '2'.

My intent of posting this is NOT to complain, but to ask if there is a way to bring it in without all of the formatting, so the table automatically switches to the Table Style that is loaded in the dwg.

Thanks in advance,
craigr

[M-dub]

I've never used tables in AutoCAD, but I'm wondering what would happen if you removed all formatting and formulas from the Excel version first.  To get rid of the formulas, but keep the results OF the formulas, select all of the populated cells, copy to clipboard, then place the cursor in the top-left corner and paste special.  Select Values and hit OK.

I'm just wondering if there is formatting in the original spreadsheet, it will override formatting given in AutoCAD.  If there's NO formatting in the original, then it might take the AutoCAD formatting when it comes in...

??

[Kate M]

I had one table that when brought into CAD, one column of the table's text was .05 - even though 'properties' showed it as .1. The way I found out was to explode the table, then look at the cells properties. It had some type of 'forumla' or - like %/#%I or such - garbly gook to me.

This sounds like maybe a display units precision problem?

The other thing I noticed is that it takes the numbers in the original table and shows them as '2.0000' instead of just '2'.

The number of decimal places shown is controlled on a per-cell basis, AFAIK, and defaults to match your current units. So if your units are set to 1/256", you may get a whole lot of extra zeros.

My intent of posting this is NOT to complain, but to ask if there is a way to bring it in without all of the formatting, so the table automatically switches to the Table Style that is loaded in the dwg.

I think it gets pasted in with the current Table Style. You may have to right-click the table and select "Remove All Property Overrides". Depending on how much was done to it in Excel, you may still have some tweaking to do.

[Mark]

This is what I do before I copy the xcel data.

[craigr]

Well, I / we went back to doing the  Data link way to copy our MS Word to MS Excell, then to CAD - On my machine, it comes thru great.

The process I use is to copy the MS Word table to MS Excell, save it as a temporary dummy file. I then open a CAD file with a table of one cell. Then attach a data link to that 'dummy' Excell file. Once the table comes in, I detach the data link, then remove all properties overides.

The imported table then resorts to the Table style I have set up in the dwg which has the text as Arial .1.
This works flawlessly on my machine and a coworkers in another office.

I have another coworker that I showed how to do it this morning and her machine does not act the same. When she brings the table in and detaches the data link, then removes property overrides, the text become .05 - even though the Current Text Style is set at .1.

These files are the same files I am working on in the same file location. So, I figure it HAS to be some setting in CAD.

Do any of you know what could be causing this?

craigr

[craigr]

Added info -

I tried changing the Text style to .08 and the text size in the table went to .04.

So, it appears that the text size in the table is set to 1/2 the size of the current Text Style.

I'm getting closer!

craigr

[craigr]

Okay, been trying to figure it out for 3 hours!!

I give up for now, she will have to re-type all of the tables. (It sucks to be her).

craigr

[M-dub]

What if you change the textstyle height to zero?

[craigr]

What if you change the textstyle height to zero?

Then all of the text in the table jumps to .18 - ( ? )

I'm thinking that it HAS to be some conversion variable that she has set different on her machine.

craigr