Can I create a table to list drawing information in BricsCAD?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes — you can create a table to list drawing information in BricsCAD, and the most common professional method is DATAEXTRACTION to pull block, attribute, or object data into a table. This is the fastest workflow for structured schedules and drawing lists. Limitation: extraction quality depends on clean, consistent source data.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: if your blocks do not use consistent attributes, property names, or layer standards, the extracted table can be incomplete or misleading. External references and dynamic blocks may also require extra checking because not all expected properties appear the way users assume.

How to Create a Table to List Drawing Information

  • Command: DATAEXTRACTION

  • Shortcut: No default shortcut

  • Quick Steps:

    1. Run DATAEXTRACTION, then in the wizard choose to create a new data extraction file; this is the standard professional method for reusable drawing tables.
    2. Select the current drawing or add multiple drawings, then filter object types such as blocks or attributes and enable only the properties you need.
    3. Choose Insert data extraction table into drawing, confirm column settings, then place the table in model space or paper space.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Insert data extraction table into drawing

  • Expert Setting: this option controls whether the extraction becomes a live table object in the drawing or only an external output file such as CSV/XLS. For production drawings, enable the table insertion option so the schedule is visible and plot-ready.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): objects may not contain usable properties or attributes, so the extraction returns blank cells or incomplete rows.
  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): source objects on locked, frozen, or xref-dependent layers can be skipped or appear inconsistently during selection and filtering.
  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): users often extract the wrong object category or forget to enable required columns, so the final table does not show the intended drawing information.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: rerun DATAEXTRACTION and refine the object filter and property list before placing the table.
  • Manager’s Verdict: use data extraction for block- and attribute-based schedules, equipment lists, and drawing registers; avoid manual tables when data must stay coordinated across repeated updates.

FAQ

Can I update the table after the drawing changes?
Yes, rerun or refresh the data extraction if the source data was modified.

Can I list information from blocks with attributes?
Yes, that is one of the most common uses of DATAEXTRACTION.

Can I export the same data to Excel?
Yes, the extraction wizard can output external files as well as an in-drawing table.

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