3 New FREEWARE tools in GeoTools-Bricscad / AutoCAD

Hello Forum Readers,

This is going to be a long post but I am putting it up here for a general benefit and information for users of AutoCAD Map object data.

Object data is data attached to CAD graphical objects in AutoCAD Map. It was possible to attach and edit them using AutoCAD Map only.

The good news - Not anymore!!!

We have added 3 FREEWARE tools in our GeoTools software wich make it possible for Bricscad and plain vanilla AutoCAD users to edit object data. All it requires is a bit of data preparation and ro run a few commands in sequence.

GT_OD2XD4BRICSCAD, GT_BC_ODEDIT and GT_BC_XD2OD

Collectively, these three tools show you how to edit object data in Bricscad or plain vanilla AutoCAD. These commands are useful for GeoTools-AutoCAD users as much as for GeoTools-Bricscad users.

1. First step, run the GT_OD2XD4BRICSCAD (GeoTools -> AutoCAD Map Tools -> Bricscad/plain AutoCAD compatibility tools -> Convert Object Table Data to Xdata). This must be done in AutoCAD Map only and is disallowed in Bricscad or plain vanilla AutoCAD.

This operation would copy the object data into extended entity data complete with the object table structure also. The user then saves the drawing in AutoCAD Map.

2. Second step, the drawing is opened in Bricscad or plain vanilla AutoCAD and the user runs the GT_BC_ODEDIT command  (GeoTools -> AutoCAD Map Tools -> Bricscad/plain AutoCAD compatibility tools -> Edit object data from AutoCAD Map)

This command will read the extended entity data and allow it to be edited in a dialog-box based user-interface. This is the object data which was created by GT_OD2XD4BRICSCAD earlier, and will save it back as updated xdata in the DWG.

3. Third step, open the drawing in AutoCAD Map and run the GT_BC_XD2OD command which will read and transfer the xdata back into object data and then will optionally delete the xdata.

4. At the end of these three steps, you are able to edit object data without the need for AutoCAD Map. In other words, if you have one copy of AutoCAD Map, and the rest being Bricscad or plain vanilla AutoCAD, you can easily read/query/edit object data as though you had AutoCAD Map on each comnputer.

This has been a long-pending request from many of our users and we are happy to announce that this has been made possible and as a FREEWARE too.

We have tested this troika of commands at our end using some sample data. We would like you to test it at your end and please let me know any feedback (especially if it is a bug/malfunction) so that we can make these tools work even better for you.

The AutoCAD Map side of the commands are FREEWARE too. Which means you can download and install GeoTools for AutoCAD as well as Bricscad and run these commands free.

Feel free to comment, discuss, debate...

Download GeoTools V11 for Bricscad at the URL shown below:
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** English : http://www.coordsys.com/geotools/download/geotools_bricscad.exe
** German : http://www.coordsys.com/geotools/download/geotools_bricscad_de.exe
** Spanish : http://www.coordsys.com/geotools/download/geotools_bricscad_es.exe
** Russian : http://www.coordsys.com/geotools/download/geotools_bricscad_ru.exe


** Blog: http://rakeshrao.typepad.com

GeoTools - AutoCAD downloads:

** English : http://www.4d-technologies.com/geotools/download/geotools.exe
** German : http://www.4d-technologies.com/de/geotools/download/geotools_de.exe
** Spanish : http://www.4d-technologies.com/es/geotools/download/geotools_es.exe