Академический Документы
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ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Fall 2005
Professor Mark S. Lindhult, FASLA Office: Room 311 Hills North e-mail: lindhult@larp.umass.edu
TA: Elizabeth Lokocz elokocz@larp.umass.edu
The first example shows a circle and some lines and arcs that could be anything. The second example shows the same
geometry with the attributes visible so that you see that the pictures show a tree. The attributes describe the tree key, botanical
name, common name and diameter of the proposed tree. You can see that AutoCAD has a useful tool for showing more than
just geometry. This information can then be extracted out of AutoCAD and then used in a spreadsheet or other program which
could generate a Bill of Materials. You can also use custom programs to use them in the CAD drawing.
In this Tutorial you will be creating attributes and attaching them to the computer block that you made previously. Like
everything you do in AutoCAD, there are particular steps involved when you work with attributes.
1. Define (or create) the attributes.
2. Create the block with attributes.
3. Insert the block you will give it the specific information.
4. Extract the information from AutoCAD and save it as an Excel file for formatting.
5. Merge the data back into the drawing
Many of the commands that you will be using are tough to remember at first. You may find it easier to use icons (but then
the icons look very similar). Pull down menus are another option, so you can see exactly what the command is that you are
starting.
Command Keystroke Icon Menu Result
Define an attribute DDATTDEF / ATT Draw > Block >Define Attribute Creates an attribute definition
Edit attributes DDATTE / ATE Modify> Object> Attrb.> Single Edits the contents of an existing attribute
Repeat ATTDEF one more time for the Size but make
certain that you uncheck the Constant Mode.
Once all the attributes are created you should have a symbol with the attribute
tags listed next to it.
Now, insert the block and you will get a dialog box where you can enter the
values for the tags. You will be prompted to provide answers to the prompt
that you defined in the attributes. For the tree, the size is the only TAG that
you will be asked to provide an answer.
Command: I INSERT
Specify insertion point or [Scale/X/Y/Z/Rotate/PScale/PX/PY/PZ/
PRotate]: (click)
Enter attribute values
What size is this tree? <4”>: 3.5”
EXTRACTING ATTRIBUTES
So what can you do with all of this information? A CAD drawing can be used to count how many trees, benches, lamp posts
or other objects a designer is using and export that data to another file for others to use to generate a cost estimate. In our case,
we’re going to use the plants blocks to set up a plant list for our planting plan.
Exporting the data became MUCH
easier in recent versions of AutoCAD
with the EATTEXT (Enhanced Attribute
Extraction) command box appear. Accept
all the defaults in the wizard dialog, hitting
the Next button until you get to this step
(right).
Continue until the wizard asks you for a filename and save the data
as a Microsoft Excel (*.xls) file and finish. Click on the box next to
filename to select the directory where the file will go.
The project:
For those taking a design studio, you must work on your current project and create a planting plan with plant list. For those who
are not in a design studio, you will use the plan handed out on Wednesday in class.