Using Dynamic Blocks and Tables - AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required - page 497

Creating tables from Attributes
Early in this chapter you replaced your static room labels with more versatile attri-
bute blocks. The A-ROOM-IDEN attribute block you defined for your room labels
contain three attributes; one set to a visible state and two set to an invisible view
state. As you may recall, the two invisible attributes allowed you to enter the area
(RM_AREA) and floor material (RM_FLOOR) for each room.
Even though you cannot see either of these attributes in the drawing area, both
are still accessible by other parts of the software. You can pull the values from
all three attributes contained within the A-ROOM-IDEN block into a table using
the Data Extraction feature of the TABLE command. Using a data extraction table,
AutoCAD will scan your drawing for every insertion of the A-ROOM-IDEN block
and compile its data (attributes) into a table that will serve as our Room Schedule.
Let me show you how:
1. Continue using 09A-FPLAY4.dwg , or open it if it isn't already.
2. Start the TABLE command from the Annotate tab ➢ Tables panel to
open the Insert Table dialog box.
3. Select the From Object Data In the Drawing (Data Extraction) option
found within the Insert Options portion of the Insert Table dialog box,
as shown in Figure 9.74, and then click OK.
The Data Extraction Wizard opens; this eight-part wizard will walk
you through the creation of a data extraction table.
FiGuRE 9.74 Creating a new data extraction table