KozMos AutoTableX V4.0.91031

  Introduction and AutoCAD table discussion
　         KozMos AutoTableX is an integrated and powerful software which provide AutoCAD users a fully convenient access to tables in AutoCAD and/or with Excel.
        There are two table types in AutoCAD:
  • The native AcDbTable object in AutoCAD2005 and above;
        AutoCAD2005 and above support a new entity type: AcDbTable. The new object can be justified very simply and conveniently. In the latest AutoCAD2006, cells in AcDbTable can have database linkage with other objects in drawing and will be updated automatically when the linking object is changed. In AutoCAD2006+, math functions in AcDbTable will be recorded and processed during the synchronization procedure.
  • The drawn table combined with of border and content objects:
        This kind of table was drawn by the operator or 3rd party programs using TEXT/MTEXT and LINE/LWPOLYLINE. The tables can be so easily modified because they all use native AutoCAD objects, but the user have to do all setting / maintain and upgrading procedure manually. Especially for the contents' location in cells because stretch of table cells always make the tables looked ugly.

        It is undoubted that Excel is the most convenient, powerful and popular used tools in building tables.  But the Excel spreadsheet is NOT the final AutoCAD result. What the AutoCAD users need is either an AcDbTable or a drawn table in AutoCAD instead of the Excel spreadsheet.

        Compared between two AutoCAD table types and Excel, the AutoCAD tables have the profits and limitations in using, but all these limitations will disappear while using Excel:

Table type AcDbTable Drawn Table Excel
Build table speed FAST
We can build an AcDbTable in AutoCAD just by calling a native command. The size of table and cells can be dynamically changed at any time just by GRIP_EDIT. Only change table style can make the table changed globally. 		 SLOW
We have to draw a table with lines as borders and fill text as contents. Both table and cells' size are under adjusting manually all time during the design procedure.		 FAST
The table and border lines is always there. Just fill text in.
Fill content speed SLOW
We have to fill content by keyboard in AcDbTable cells one by one.
AutoCAD2008 make great improvement on this.		 FAST
We can use ARRAY command to fill contents very fast in empty cells and keep the table looks beautiful, then change the proper contents one by one.		 FAST
Copy? adding? just drag mouse in your hand!
Merge cell convenience SIMPLE
Merge cell is simple in AcDbTable but the operation is little complex because there is not any commands can directly do it. The Merge option is only designed to appear at the right-click menu after your indication of cells in AcDbTable. Merge AcDbTable cells will only retain the content of the 1st cell (LeftTop), even there is only one active content in other cell (In Excel, the only active content will be recorded as the content for the merged cell).		 COMPLEX
Merge cells in Drawn table is simple, but may lost the justification of contents in new merged cells, so we have to move the contents one by one again.		 SIMPLE
Within Excel, we can merge cells very easily.

        While processing table design and modification, the best solution may be different in different situations, so the conversion between the three table types is very important to guarantee the AutoCAD users to be able to choose the most effective and quick way processing the works, whatever create new table or modification existing table data. The following table will show AutoCAD users about the solutions on conversion between the three table types:

Source/Target Method Limitation Non-ATX solution
AcDbTable
 è
 DrawnTable		 AutoCAD native EXPLODE command will decompose AcDbTable into drawn table by basic objects All content are MTEXT and the border lines are segmental and need to be welded. Explode the MTEXT again to convert them into normal dtext. Weld border lines by other programs or manually.
AcDbTable
 è
 Excel		 Export AcDbTable content into a .CSV file (ASCII file) and open it directly with Excel. AcDbTable cell merge information may be lost. Merge the cells in Excel manually.
DrawnTable
 è
 AcDbTable		 We must use a 3rd party software to convert a drawn table into AcDbTable.  Some free software can only process regular drawn tables (same cell height, width, one-line-content, no merged cells), but real tables are often more complex and flexible. Try third party software.
DrawnTable
 è
 Excel		 We must use a 3rd party software to convert a drawn table in to Excel.  Some commercial software can not process complex tables with merged cells. Try third party software.
Excel
 è
 AcDbTable		 AutoCAD "paste special" command will create an AcDbTable directly from selected Excel range.     The various Excel font information maybe lost;
    MTEXT control characters such as "\P", "\A" will be lost;
    Unreasonable redundant quotation marks will be added to multiple-line cell contents. 		Manually fix the bugs in limitation.
Excel
 è
 DrawnTable		 AutoCAD native "paste special" command can build a drawn table from selected Excel range. The border line will not intersect accurately. Move the border lines manually in order to make the borders intersected correctly.
        KozMos AutoTableX is designed to meet the requirement to integrate all three table types and provide AutoCAD users the more possible freedom on creating new tables, editing old drawn tables (created in AutoCAD2004 and before) and converting existing tables into any other two table types.
        KozMos AutoTableX unity contains five members:
  • AutoTableX-Convert
        AutoTableX-Convert will provide AutoCAD users a simple and combined  way in table conversion among three table types. Most limitations in non-AutoTableX solution are all removed.
  • AutoTableX-CellSuite
        KozMos AutoTableX-CellSuite provide AutoCAD users some useful, powerful and convenient commands helping the AutoCAD users working on AcDbTables and cells. By simulating Excel's Copy/Paste cells between different spreadsheet, we can copy AcDbTable cells from one AcDbTable to another just by few points-picking in the cells.
        Merge cells is enhanced to unmerge existing unmerged cells on demand automatically.
        Manipulating Cell contents will become more easy aided by ATX-CellSuite commands.
        AcDbTable operations such as split and combine will be done by few mouse picking in graphic screen.
  • AutoTableX-FixSuite
        AutoTableX-FixSuite is designed to fix bugs on AcDbTable and common drawn table created by PasteSpecial command. There are two FREE commands included: FIXTABLE and FIXACDBTABLE.
        FixTable can fix the inaccurate intersection points of border lines of pasted drawn table in AutoCAD.
        FixAcDbTable will be used to remove the useless redundant quotation marks in multiple-line content cells of pasted AcDbTable form Excel spreadsheet.
  • AutoTableX-QXLink
        AutoTableX-QXLink will run a more fast speed on synchronization between AcDbTable and Excel by only processing the cell's contents. All other properties such as alignment, color, rotation will both be discarded while the synchronization procedure.
  • AutoTableX-TableField
            AutoCAD native FIELD can not record normal string content in AcDbTable cells, AutoTableX-TableField use reactor to accomplish such contents record. Added by AutotableX-TableField, the cell contents can be recorded correctly out of the source AcDbTable and changes on the contents may also be recorded automatically.

Program record

  • 2009-05-07: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV3
    Add Installation guidance in help CHM file.
  • 2009-04-30: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV3
    Add EXALIGN for AutoTableX-CellSuite.
    Add default cell horizontal margin option for AutoTableX-Convert while AcDbTable is created.
    Fix fatal error while processing rotated AcDbTables.
  • 2009-03-31: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV3
    Upgrade together with VLDCL System.
  • 2008-08-31: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV2
    Fix a tiny bug on AutoTableX-Convert while converting Excel Spreadsheet into AcDbTable
    Upgrade together with VLDCL System.
  • 2008-01-31: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV2
    Optimize public functions.
    Add Default text height for exporting Excel to text-content drawn table.
  • 2007-06-01: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    Add 2nd and final version of AutoTableX-TableField.
  • 2007-04-25: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1 (Non-published version, internal evaluation only)
     Add 1st version of AutoTableX-TableField.
  • 2007-04-20: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    Add AutoTableX-CellSuite-ExHideCell, switch the appearance of AcDbTable cell content.
  • 2007-03-31: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    In AutoCAD2008, MATCHCELL command will unmerge cells if a merged cell is indicated as destination. AutoTableX-CellSuite-EXMATCH will automatically merge the cells back after calling MATCHCELL internally.
  • 2007-01-18: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    Add *QXLINK* in Right-Bottom cell in AcDbTable for ATX-QXLINK    .
  • 2007-01-11: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    Process all contents "Orientation" in Excel cell    .
  • 2006-12-31: AutoTableX TRINNOLOV1
    Bugfix processing truecolor object
    Version upgrade.
  • 2006-08-01: AutoTableX MemliX
    Optimize codes to speed filling data in AcDbTables.
  • 2006-05-08: AutoTableX NoIStoRja
    Support Formula Move in EXSWAP.
  • 2006-04-27: AutoTableX NoIStoRja
    Support "Lock FIELD contents" in ATX-QXLink and ATX-Convert.
  • 2006-04-20: AutoTableX NoIStoRja
    Support true color in AutoCAD2007
    Support BlockCell, details     HERE!
    Add new command: EXATTR
  • 2006-03-31: AutoTableX NoIStoRja
    Upgrade and re-design the main modules.
    Fix a crash bug when PROTO text is not there in AutoFill feature during the drawn table's synchronization from Excel.
    Support math functions in AutoCAD2006+ AcDbTables
    Add new commands: VFCOLOR, QXLINK
    Components: ATX-Convert, ATX-QXLink, ATX-CellSuite, ATX-FixSuite
  • 2006-01-15: AutoTableX NoIStoRja
    Upgrade SimExcel into ATX-CellSuite
    Add more advanced options for EXMERGE
    Add new commands: EXWFACT, EXCOMBO
    Components: ATX-Convert, ATX-CellSuite, ATX-FixSuite
  • 2005-06-30: AutoTableX V2
     Some tiny bugs fixed;
    Components: Convert, SimExcel, TableXpress
  • 2005-05-31
    Dialog layout re-design;
    Code optimized to increase speed on processing AcDbTable.
  • 2005-05-24: AutoTableX V1.5
     First release finished.
　

//Koz Jono Yeoh//

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