Spread2Cad Pro! - Integrated.cc

User Guide
Spread2Cad Pro!
Version 2.0
Excel Spreadsheet to AutoCAD drawing Utility
Supports AutoCAD
2000 through 2007
Supports Excel
97, 2000, XP, 2003, 2007
Professional tools for productivity!
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Bryon Lewis – Integrated Systems
US Copyright Number: TXu-1-191-702
Spread2Cad Version 2.0
(A Spanner Replacement Product)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION OF SPREAD2CAD PRO! ...............................................................4
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ...........................................................................5
QUICK USE DEMO ...............................................................................................15
AUTOCAD COMMANDS ......................................................................................21
EXCEL COMMANDS ............................................................................................29
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Description of Spread2Cad Pro!
Spread2Cad was written as a way to export spreadsheets from Microsoft Excel to AutoCAD.
It does more than just export spreadsheets from Excel…
1. Replaces the Spanner product with a professional interface and menu.
2. Spread2Cad Pro! does not rely on Excel 4.0 macro language, in uses VBA for future use.
3. Spread2Cad Pro! has the ability to automatically link cells, with a cad drawing like selection.
4. Spread2Cad Pro! can automatically remove #REF errors in the spreadsheet.
5. Spread2Cad Pro! has the ability to automatically remove external workbook links.
6. Spread2Cad Pro! can automatically remove external workbook links and keep the values.
7. Spread2Cad Pro! has a powerful text replace program which can search all worksheets.
8. Save the paths in the spreadsheet for export.
9. Export all sheets in the workbook or a single sheet, with one click on the menu.
10. Automatically change text case from lower to upper or upper to lower and proper case.
11. Automatically sorts sheets.
12. Creates 100% Spanner compatible X2A files.
13. Supports Merged Cells!
14. And more…
It does more than just import spreadsheets into AutoCAD…
1. Replaces Spanner product with a professional interface and menu..
2. Saves Excel and X2A file paths in AutoCAD.
3. Changes drawing “X2A” created block directories, so drawings can be copied from one project
to another project and reused.
4. Spread2Cad Pro! will not support editing in AutoCAD, but only in Excel.
5. Spread2Cad Pro! will launch Excel and load the spreadsheet for editing.
6. Click on the menu and then the spreadsheet block and the spreadsheet will open up in Excel.
7. Update all spreadsheet blocks or a single spreadsheet block with a click of the menu.
8. Set colors, layers, linetype setting of the spreadsheets.
9. Load and save DAT files, that store different setting for each project (optional use).
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Installation instructions:
Copy all program contents into a “directory” or folder under the C: drive root folder as shown below.
“C:\Spread2Cad Pro!” (this folder is needed for AutoCAD support). Spread2Cad Pro! must be able to
write to this folder.
Open Excel and choose “Tools” then “Add-Ins…”
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Select “Browse…”, then browse to “C:\Spread2Cad Pro!”. Select the “Spread2Cad Pro!.xla” and click
the “OK” button.
Spread2Cad Pro! will show up in the list, make sure Spread2Cad Pro! is checked and click “OK”.
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Spread2Cad Pro! will now show up in the Excel Menu.
Open AutoCAD. Type in Menuload at the command line.
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Click on the “Menu Groups” Tab and then the “Browse Button”.
Select the browse to folder “C:\Spread2Cad Pro!”. Select “C:\“Spread2Cad Pro!.mnc” and click “Open”.
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Click the “Load” button and “Spread2Cad” will show up in the Menu Groups. Click the “Menu Bar” Tab.
From the “Menu Group” dropdown select “Spread2Cad” and Spread2Cad Pro! will show up in “Menus”
list box. Select “Help” in the “Menu Bar:” list box and Click the “Insert>>” button. Then Click “Close”.
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The “Spread2Cad Pro!” Menu will now show in the AutoCAD menu bar.
Now we need to load the lisp program and set paths.
From the menu bar, Select “Tools” and then “Load Application…”
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Select the Startup Suite “Contents…” button. Click the “Add…” button and browse to “C:\Spread2Cad
Pro!” Select the “Spread2Cad.lsp” file and click “Add”. Then click “Close” and “Close”.
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Now we need to set file search paths…
We add a file path for the Spread2Cad Pro! support files.
From the menu bar, Select “Tools” and then “Options…”
Click the “Add…” button then the “Browse…” button.
Browse to “C:\spread2Cad Pro!” and click “OK”.
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We add a file path for the Microsoft Excel executable program, so AutoCAD can start the program.
Click the “Add…” button then the “Browse…” button.
Browse to “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11” for Excel 2003.
Note: your folder may be OFFICE10 ect. Find where your excel.exe file is located and select that
folder.
Select the proper folder for Excel and click “OK” and then “OK” to close the options dialog box.
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Installation complete! … Restart AutoCAD and you are ready to start using Spread2Cad Pro!
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QUICK USE DEMO
Step 1: Create your spreadsheet
Step 2: Set your spreadsheet export area (it is a range named is set to Spread2Cad Pro!)
Step 3: Export your X2A file for import to AutoCAD
Here is a demo…
Create a folder named “C:\My Demo Project”. Copy “C:\Spread2Cad Pro!\Demo.xls” into the “C:\My
Demo Project” folder.
Highlight or select the area you wish to export, any section or the entire sheet. Your selection will be
saved in the spreadsheet, but can be changed at any time.
Select the sheet as shown below. (The panel schedule is all we want in AutoCAD)
From the Spread2Cad Pro! menu select “Set and save Cad file export area”. This only has to be done
once to all sheets to be exported. Each sheet’s selection will be saved with the sheet, until erased from
the ranges or another “Spread2Cad_Auto_Select” range selection is made on the sheet.
When this sheet is copied or the workbook is saved and renamed for another project, the Spread2Cad
settings are already saved in the workbook and worksheets.
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The export default settings for path and file name are… The workbook folder (it’s directory) and the
worksheet name.
Select “Create Cad files for all sheets” for the menu and the program will write out the X2A files to the
“C:\My Demo Project” folder.
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In the “C:\My Demo Project” folder, there will be three new files…
HA1A.x2a, H1B.x2a and L1U.x2a
AutoCAD Overview
Now we can insert the X2A files…
From the Spread2Cad menu select “Quick Insert of new Spreadsheet”
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Click the “L1U.x2a” file and click “Open”
Pick an insertion point and scale. (the default scale is set to dimscale)
Insert all sheets the same way…
Let us change some data in the Excel spreadsheets. In Excel select “Create Cad files for all sheets” from
the menu and the program will write out the X2A files to the “C:\My Demo Project” folder.
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In AutoCAD select “Update drawing…(All Spreadsheets)” from the menu.
Demo finished
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Description of program functions:
AutoCAD Commands
The Commands are shown in the menu below.
1. Dialog insert of new Spreadsheet – It inserts the spreadsheet and then ask for settings.
2. Quick insert of new Spreadsheet - It inserts the spreadsheet with the current setting in
the Spread2Cad.dat file.
3. Update spreadsheet – It open the Settings Dialog box for the spreadsheet selected. It allows
all settings of the sheet to be modified and saved. They also may be saved to a data file for
future use. Just as AutoCAD supports different pen setting for different projects, so does
Spread2Cad support different settings in *.dat files to match your project needs.
4. Update drawing …(All Spreadsheets) – It will reread all new X2A file (the import spread sheets)
and update all the spreadsheets in AutoCAD with the latest spreadsheets written from Excel.
5. Set spreadsheet and X2A file paths in this drawing – It will set the paths in the blocks so
when spreadsheets are updated they are not looking at an old project paths. This allows
drawings to be copied form one project to another and save the work of placing the same
spreadsheets in the drawing again.
6. Edit this spreadsheet in Excel – It starts Excel and loads the spreadsheet for editing. This
ensures the data in Excel and AutoCAD are consistent. No more modifying the AutoCAD
drawing and having the wrong data in the spreadsheet.
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AutoCAD Commands Shown
Dialog insert of new Spreadsheet
Select the folder that contains the “X2A” file and click “Open”.
Select the setting for the spreadsheet in AutoCAD and click “OK”. (setting will be explained in update)
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Quick insert of new Spreadsheet
Select the folder that contains the “X2A” file and click “Open”.
That is it. The Spread2Cad program will use the settings loaded and saved into Spread2Cad.dat.
Update spreadsheet
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The Import Spreadsheet Settings Dialog functions…
1. Text
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Color - is set with the AutoCAD select color dialog
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Style - is set with the style dialog box
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Layer – is set with the layer dialog box
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2. Border LineType Options
• The border linetype options dialog
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Layer – is set with the layer dialog box
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Linetype – is set with the linetype dialog box
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Color – is set with the AutoCAD select color dialog box
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Width – is the line width and is entered directly
3. Set Spreadsheet to settings
• This button sets the AutoCAD spreadsheet setting to the current Import Spreadsheet
Setting. If settings are changed in the dialog or from loading another dat file, the
existing drawing spreadsheet will reflect the changes after pressing this button and OK.
e.i. (Change spreadsheet from Wal-Mart settings to Home Depot settings)
4. Save sheet setting to dat file
• If settings are changed in the dialog and you wish to keep them as default settings,
then press this button to save the settings to the Spread2Cad.dat file. Next time
AutoCAD is opened the setting will still be there to use.
5. Load settings from job Dat file
• This button will load saved settings from a user defined dat file. Once the settings are
loaded, press the “Save sheet setting to dat file” button and the setting are the default.
6. Save setting to job Dat file
• This button will save current user defined settings to a user defined dat file.
(It use a dialog like the load settings dialog above.)
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7. Update from x2a file
• This button will re-read the data from the X2A file of the spreadsheet and update
the AutoCAD spreadsheet with the new data from Excel
(use this for a Individual Sheet only, to update all AutoCAD spreadsheets at one
time use the “Update drawing …(All Spreadsheets)” menu item.)
Update drawing …(All Spreadsheets)
It will reread all new X2A file (the import spread sheets) and update all the spreadsheets in AutoCAD
with the latest spreadsheets written from Excel. There is no user interface, just command line feedback.
Set spreadsheet and X2A file paths in this drawing
Select the folder that contains the “Book1.xls” and click “Open”.
Then select the folder that contains the “X2A” files and click “Open”.
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It will set the paths in the blocks so when spreadsheets are updated they are not looking at an old
project paths. This allows drawings to be copied form one project to another and save the work of
placing the same spreadsheets in the drawing again.
Edit this spreadsheet in Excel
It starts Excel and loads the spreadsheet for editing. This ensures the data in Excel and AutoCAD are
consistent. No more modifying the AutoCAD drawing and having the wrong data in the spreadsheet.
(Excel’s folder (directory) path must be set in AutoCAD as shown in the installation instructions.)
End of AutoCAD Commands
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Excel Commands
The Commands are shown in the menu below.
1. Create Spreadsheet to Cad import file… – It Exports the Excel spreadsheet for AutoCAD
import. Used for single sheet export or temporary selection export.
2. Create Cad files for all sheets… - It exports all spreadsheets in the workbook, without user
interface.
3. Set and save Cad file export area – It saves the selected area of the spreadsheet to export
to export to AutoCAD. This needs only to be done one time. The area is saved in the worksheet.
4. Set how to save file export information – Sub menus allow you to choose using the workbook
folder (directory) path and the name of the worksheet or you can set a path and file name for
each individual sheet. If user specified names are used, use the “Create Spreadsheet to Cad
import file…” button to set path and name of saved export file. After the information is saved
once, the “Create Cad files for all sheets…” button can be used.
The default setting is, use the workbook path and worksheet name. (nothing else needs to be
done)
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5. Remove all #REF errors – It will attempt to remove any #REF error in the sheet. This is
great where say a 42 circuit panel is reduced to 24 circuits and #REF errors exist. The
program will re-write the formulas so the #REF errors are removed.
6. Remove all external workbook links – It removes the external links and re-links to the
worksheet with the same name in the current workbook. If the worksheet does not exist
you are offered a choice to remove the values and formulas or keep the values as text.
7. Link Sheets – Just select the destination cells, click “Link sheets”, select the source cells
and click “Done”. It is that simple to link with Spread2Cad Pro!. Anyone can do it without
understanding Excel.
8. Goto Sheet – When working with 16 or 20 worksheets in one workbook, it can be difficult to
find the worksheet you want. Spread2Cad Pro! shows a list of the work sheets. Just click on the
one you want and it will be displayed.
Create Spreadsheet to Cad import file
It Exports the Excel spreadsheet for AutoCAD import. Used for single sheet export or temporary
selection export
The option button shown selected is for exporting the Spread2Cad range (selection) saved.
The second option button is for exporting the entire contents of the page.
The third option button is to export a temporary selection like notes.
There can be only one Spread2Cad range (saved selection) per worksheet (spreadsheet).
The “Set selection as Spread2Cad” check box, will take a temporary selection; save it as
Spread2Cad save range and go ahead and export the spreadsheet.
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A “browse for folder” is also included for temporary selections and save as path and name settings.
Create Cad files for all sheets…
It exports all spreadsheets in the workbook, without user interface.
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Set and save Cad file export area
It saves the selected area of the spreadsheet to export
to export to AutoCAD. This needs only to be done one time. The area is saved in the worksheet.
(The range name is “Spread2Cad_Auto_Select”)
Set how to save file export information
Sub menus allow you to choose using the workbook folder (directory) path and the name of the
worksheet or you can set a path and file name for each individual sheet. If user specified names are
used, use the “Create Spreadsheet to Cad import file…” button to set path and name of saved export
file. After the information is saved once, the “Create Cad files for all sheets…” button can be used.
The default setting is, use the workbook path and worksheet name. (nothing else needs to be done)
All X2A files will be written to the folder path. I recommend saving the Excel workbook in the project
folder. This way the x2a file can be easily accessed by AutoCAD.
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Remove all #REF errors
It will attempt to remove any #REF error in the sheet. This is
great where say a 42 circuit panel is reduced to 24 circuits and #REF errors exist. The
program will re-write the formulas so the #REF errors are removed.
The panelboard has been reduced to half of it’s size and #REF errors exist and must be removed.
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Remove all external workbook links
It removes the external links and re-links to the worksheet with the same name in the current workbook.
If the worksheet does not exist, you are offered a choice to remove the values and formulas or keep the
values as text.
We will start a demo showing how to remove external links and re-link to a copied sheet or save the
values as text or clear the cells of all external linked formulas.
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Remove external links demo
Create a copy of a project as an example. Take the Demo.xls and select the H1A1 and H1B tabs in
Excel, as shown below. Right click and select “Move or Copy”. Check the “Create a copy” and select
“(new book)” from the dropdown box. Click “OK”.
A new workbook, named Book1.xls, will appear with the two worksheets shown below.
H1B has external links to workbook “Demo.xls” and sheet L1U in the workbook “Demo.xls”. You may
ask why do this? There may be multiple projects that have similar need or values, such as electrical
panels with predefined electrical loads. Just copy the panels you need into one new book.
The problem is all of these worksheets now have external links to the workbooks they came from.
Spread2Cad Pro! will remove external worksheet links and re-link the worksheets to local sheets in the
new workbook, if the sheets needed, are in the new workbook.
When “Remove all external workbook links” encounters a missing worksheet on attempting to re-link to
a local sheets, it displays the following menu.
1) Remove external links and keep current values
2) Remove the external link and clear cell
3) Skip worksheet(s) and notify me what linked sheet(s) are missing
4) Cancel so I can copy the missing worksheet(s)
The first two options are self explanatory. The third option will show all sheets that have links but are
missing. The fourth option is self explanatory
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Select “Skip worksheet(s) and notify me what linked sheet(s) are missing”.
Result of pressing “Skip worksheet(s) and notify me what linked sheet(s) are missing”
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It says H1B is linked to L1U and L1U is missing.
Copy L1U from the Demo.xls to Book1.xls. Highlight the tab L1U, right click and select “Move or Copy”.
Select the copy checkbox and select Book1 from the dropdown box and move to end. Now L1U is in
Book1.xls
Click on G22 in Book1.xls sheet H1B. It will say “=[Demo.xls]L1U!G36”. It says “Demo.xls” because it is
linked to the L1U in Demo.xls instead of Book1.xls.
Spread2Cad Pro! will remove these external links and re-link the cells in Book1.xls , sheet H1B to
sheet L1U in Book1.xls from Demo.xls, sheet L1U.
It sounds confusing so let’s just do it and see how simple it is.
While in Book1.xls, run “Remove all external workbook links” and select “All Workbook Sheets”. Here
are the results.
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The sheets in Book1 are linked to Book1 only. Click on H1B cell G22 again. The cell is now linked to
the local workbook worksheet L1U not “[Demo.xls]L1U”.
Link Sheets (One of the most important features)
Just select the destination cells, click “Link sheets”, select the source cells and click “Done”. It is that
simple to link with Spread2Cad Pro!. Anyone can do it without understanding Excel formulas.
Let us do a link example in Demo.xls
Select the area in H1B as shown below and hit the Delete Key on the keyboard. This will erase all
formulas and data in these cells.
We want the electrical loads from panelboard L1U to show up in H1B under the title of Transformer
T1U. To do this we must link the two worksheets with formulas. Spread2Cad Pro! does this for you
automatically.
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With the area still selected as shown below, click on “Link Sheets” from the menu. The following dialog
box show. Click on sheet L1U in the “Goto Sheet…” and click “Open”
See Next Page…
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Highlight the area shown below. This is the area where Sub-Total electrical loads are shown. Click
“Link current selection” and then click “Done”.
Note: “Clear last” removes the last link selection, “Start over” clears all link selections.
Here is the results of the “Link Sheets” the cells are linked. When a load is changed in the L1U
panelboard the electrical load changes are shown in the H1B panelboard.
Remember more than one panelboard may be linked. You may have three panelboard tapped from one
panelboard or transformer. Spread2Cad Pro! will do this for you.
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The Spread2Cad Pro! shortcut menu has zooms and “Paste Values Only”. “Paste Values Only” will
paste the values instead of the formulas when coping cell.
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