looking for a lisp that will insert word files

[CEIDave]

Our office is currently using a version of the Asctext.lsp to insert word files into our drawings without loosing any formatting. I was wondering if anyone knew of a better lisp that is floating around that will insert the files with correct formating without the typists having to save their word files as *.asc files first. Thanks in advance!

 

[Paul Turvill]

You're using .doc files? It's not an easy chore to design a LISP routine capable of handling Word formatting. You have a couple of options, however:
insert as OLE objects, or use a more basic text processing program for setting up your notes--something like TextPad, that can convert TABs to series of spaces, etc.
___

Our office is currently using a version of the Asctext.lsp to insert word

files into our drawings without loosing any formatting. I was wondering if anyone knew of a better lisp that is floating around that will insert the files with correct formating without the typists having to save their word files as *.asc files first. Thanks in advance!

 

[CEIDave]

Thanks Paul, The files that we insert all start as .doc files, but the typists save them as .asc files for us to insert them right now. There are some things that just don't transfer like division symbols, and sometimes the formating gets a bit quirky, its nothing we can't deal with since its no more than occasional, but were just wondering if something else was floating around out there that would eliminate the middle step of saving as .asc.

 

[jofireman]

The best way I found was to save the *.doc file as a *.txt file. With Mtext import the *.txt file. This was you can resize your paragraph without any problems.

 

[Ronnie Wilkins Jr.]

I'm currently working on this exact problem...it would be based in VB/VBA not LISP. One of the things to think about when trying to import a Word document is that you will want to use a similiar font in both applications, if you use Arial in Word then also use it in AutoCAD. The reason behind this is due to font metrics, each font behaves differently and even the same font acts differently between Word and AutoCAD. With Arial, I've been changing the width factor to .7 in order to get a 99% correct import.

I'm currently reading straight from Word via Automation, this has been the only way that I have found to get such an accurate import. It does take longer due to architecture but the import is great. It handles Bulleted/Numbered Lists great and knows that not all tabs will be 5 spaces between characters, for example on one line put a tab at 6 inches and centered, even rich text format doesn't do this that great.

This program is in alpha mode currently and I am willing to take some feature requests from everybody and to discuss issues that you have come up to in the past.

One of the features currently being added is ability to import Word tables.

Our office is currently using a version of the Asctext.lsp to insert word

files into our drawings without loosing any formatting. I was wondering if anyone knew of a better lisp that is floating around that will insert the files with correct formating without the typists having to save their word files as *.asc files first. Thanks in advance!

 

[CEIDave]

I wish I knew how to do that kinda stuff LOL My schooling only took me through some lisp and some macro stuff. Thanks everyone!

Ronnie-
Have you found a way to get autocad to recognize ascII symbols inserted in word yet? Thats one thing I've been completely unable to figure out. I can type in something like a division symbol in the font monotxt, but if the typists do it for me, i have to go in and manually change that part of the text after its all inserted.

 

[Ronnie Wilkins Jr.]

If you're using the Autodesk supplied fonts *.shx then you will most likely be missing the font characters for these. You will need to either use a different font or continue doing this manually.

I wish I knew how to do that kinda stuff LOL My schooling only took me

through some lisp and some macro stuff. Thanks everyone!

Ronnie-
Have you found a way to get autocad to recognize ascII symbols inserted

in word yet? Thats one thing I've been completely unable to figure out. I can type in something like a division symbol in the font monotxt, but if the typists do it for me, i have to go in and manually change that part of the text after its all inserted.