Points into AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT from a text file

A common task for an AutoCAD Map 3D or AutoCAD Civil 3D user is bringing in points from a text file or a database. With AutoCAD Map 3D and AutoCAD Civil 3D you have a variety of tools/methods to do this and the point file can be in a number of different formats.

With plain AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT this task is a little more difficult.

In the past I have written a number LISP routines for plain AutoCAD to import points as well as transferring additional field values to block attributes.

With AutoCAD LT, we are very limited, but it is not completely impossible.

Thanks to a previous post some time ago on Murphs "Map 3D and Murphs Law" blog...

http://map3d.wordpress.com/2006/06/25/points-from-a-text-file/

We are reminded of the MULTIPLE command.

The MULTIPLE command repeats a command that you provide in the command line until you press the escape button.

In order to import points into AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT the text file containing the points data must contain nothing but the coordinates for the points, if you have attributes or point ID numbers etc. in the file you will need to delete them.

Example text file:

2765937.35,6284404.54,606.29
2765936.40,6284401.61,606.63
2765932.00,6284406.64,604.62
2765931.33,6284407.43,604.65
2765934.03,6284400.94,606.06
2765925.28,6284407.32,603.24

Open the file containing the points in Notepad (or similar), select all the points and use CTRL+C to copy all required points the windows clipboard.

In AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT, enter the MULTIPLE command, then enter the POINT command. On the command line, paste the copied text from the windows clipboard using CTRL+V, press ENTER to accept the last point (if required), then press ESC to cancel the command.

The points will be created, you may have to zoom extents and change the point mode (PDMODE) settings to see them.

Crude but effective.

Comments

[Helder]

Thanks a lot, simple and above all fast!
Saved me a few headaches trying to extract points from a Trimble SCS900 GPS DTM.

[Vil]

this worked out great! thank you so much! now i have to find out how to make those points a little bit more visible, replacing them with some block or something

[Duster]

Simple yet elegant. Holy crap that just saved me hours!

[Kevin Mclaughlin]

Most excellent dude!
I've been trying to remember how to do this for like years!
Simple and effective -- i.e. great engineering!