CAD tip # 6606:

Question

CAD

% platform category

How to create AutoCAD geometry from Excel?

If you need to automatically "generate" AutoCAD entities (lines, arcs, polylines, splines, blocks, texts, 3D objects...) from X-Y-Z coordinates in an Excel spreadsheet, you don't need any LISP or VBA macros - you can just use AutoCAD script files.

Scripts are text files with sequences of AutoCAD commands - the same as if they were typed in manually on the AutoCAD command line.

Let's say we have a simple Excel table with XY coordinates for a spline curve:

Excel table

In Excel, save (export) this table to a CSV file (comma-separated values format), preferably without the "A" column (point numbers) and without the header - for large tables you can first select and copy/paste the contents of the coordinate-cells to a blank sheet and export this new sheet.

Open this .CSV file in notepad and add "SPLINE" as the first line (similarly, you can use PLINE e.g. to draw a graph). Make sure there are no surplus space characters anywhere. You should get something like:

Notepad data

Please note that on some localizations with comma as decimal separator you would need to perfom a replacement: ","¨"." and ";"¨",".

Save the resulting file to something.scr. Now just drag and drop this SCR file into your AutoCAD drawing window (or use the SCRIPT command). AutoCAD will draw the spline - just finish the command execution with specifying the missing spline tangents (just press Enter twice). This is the resulting spline curve:

AutoCAD spline

For more advanced import of coordinate geometry from Excel see XLS2Curve.

ACADACLT

*CAD

30.3.2009 115585× FAQ

Comments Tell a friend

applies to: AutoCAD · AutoCAD LT ·

See also:
Tip 14059:	Import coordinates from CSV files into Fusion profiles.
Tip 12926:	How to import point coordinates from Excel to AutoCAD?
Tip 12837:	RenameCSV - rename layers, blocks, layouts, views, linetypes using Excel tables
Tip 10709:	How to create a profile from imported XYZ points in Fusion 360?
Tip 3229:	How to replace texts in many AutoCAD drawings? (regular expressions)

Selected tip: Forcing DWG format version for save in AutoCAD.

Back All CAD Tips

How to copy views from another drawing? « | » How to get World coordinates from the ID command?

Have we helped you? If you want to support the CAD Forum web service, consider buying one of our CAD applications, or our custom software development offerings, or donating via PayPal (see above). You may also add a link to your web - like this "fan" link:

Text:

FAQ

Featuring:
Add .CIT raster format support to AutoCAD and Map and Civil 3D
CITin More info

Please use these tips at your own risk.
ARKANCE is not responsible for possible problems that may occur as a result of using any of these tips.

CADforum

Tips, tricks, utilities, help, how-tos and FAQ for AutoCAD, LT, Inventor, Revit, Map, Civil 3D, Fusion, Forma, 3ds Max and other Autodesk software (community support by ARKANCE). See About CADforum.

ARKANCE CZ (CAD Studio) - Autodesk Platinum Partner & Training Center & Consulting Services Partner

CONTACT:
webmaster.cz@arkance.world | tel. +420 910 970 111