This tutorial covers some of the GeoTools AutoCAD Map tools and Extended entity data tools used for working on Object data and Xdata.

1. Open the drawing named lesson7.dwg which is located in your GeoTools Tutorials folder. This folder is located in the folder where you have installed GeoTools.

2. You should see a drawing (see Image 8-1) of a small layout of Conduit carrying electrical cables of different companies represented by 2D Polyline.

Image 8-1

3. The drawing shows number of block attributes displaying the pole details like Pole number, Owner name and  Telephone number.

4. We will see how to transfer Block Attribute information to AutoCAD Map Object Data. The drawing has two object data tables defined i.e. Pole and Lot.

5. Now we will transfer the Block attributes to Pole object data table.

6. Click on menu GeoTools => AutoCAD Map Tools => Transfer block attributes to object data table or type GT_Att2OD at the command prompt.

7. This will pop-up the dialog box as shown below in (Image 8-2)

Image 8-2


8. Click on the drop down arrow under Block Name to transfer from and choose the block name Pole. This will list the attributes associated with it in the Attributes box. 

9. Next click on the drop down arrow under Object Table to populate and select the object table name Pole. This will list all the fields available in the Field Names box.

10. Now check the box Automatically link similar named Attribute=>Fields and make sure that Block to Block only option is selected under Transfer Options. as shown below in (Image 8-4).

Image 8-4



11.Next click on OK button this will pop-up the Standard selection dialog box as shown below in  (Image 8-3).

Image 8-3


12.Next click on Scan entire drawing button for selecting all the block attributes in the drawing. It displays the number of block objects selected at the bottom left corner of the dialog box.

13. Lastly click on Apply button for transferring the block attributes to object data table.

After learning how to transfer block attributes to object data table we will see how to transfer the object data table to Xdata (Extended entity data). Which is useful if you need to transfer your AutoCAD Map drawing to someone who does not have AutoCAD Map. 

Transferring Object data table to Xdata (Extended entity data)

1. Click on menu GeoTools => AutoCAD Map Tools => Convert Object Data table to Xdata or type GT_OD2XD at the command prompt.

2. This will pop-up the dialog box as shown below in the (Image 8-5).

Image 8-5


3. Select the POLE table under Object Tables to export and click on OK button. This will pop-up the Standard selection dialog box as shown below in (Image 8-6).

Image 8-6


4. Click on Scan entire drawing button for selecting all Object data in the drawing. It displays the number of Object data selected at the bottom left corner of the dialog box.

5. Next click on Apply button for transferring the Object data to Xdata.

After learning how to transfer object data to Xdata now we will see how to view this Xdata (Extended entity data) 

Viewing the Xdata (Extended entity data)

1.Click on menu GeoTools => Extended Entity Data  => Display extended entity data from picked objects or type GT_SHOWXD at the command prompt.

2. This will pop-up the dialog box as shown below in (Image 8-7)

Image 8-7


3. Select POLE under Xdata applications to show and then click on OK button. You will be prompted to select object to view xdata.

4. Select any one of the Block attribute and you can view the Xdata of selected object in AutoCAD text window. like the sample shown below in (Image 8-8)

Image 8-8

After learning how to view Xdata now we will see how to export the Xdata into an ASCII file

Exporting XData to ASCII file

1. Click on menu GeoTools => Extended Entity Data  => Extract extended entity data to ASCII file or type GT_XD_EXTRACT at the command prompt.

2. This will pop-up the dialog box as shown below in (Image 8-9)

Image 8-9


3. Select Pole under Xdata application to export and check the boxes as shown in the above (Image 8-9)

4. Click on Export text file button for specifying an appropriate file name along with the file path for extracting the Xdata.

5. Then click on OK button this will pop-up the Standard selection dialog box as shown below in (Image 8-10).

Image 8-10


6. Click on Scan entire drawing button for selecting all Objects in the drawing. It displays the number of Objects selected at the bottom left corner of the dialog box.

7. Lastly click on Apply button for exporting the Xdata to the specified text file.