Import X,Y Coordinates from Excel into AutoCAD

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Autodesk, AutoCAD, Design, Technology, and more blog.

30 June 2009

I am currently on vacation but wanted to share a great AutoCAD

(http://www.autodesk.com/autocad) Tip from my friend the
AutoCAD Trainer Guy Michael Beal
(http://autocadtrainerguy.com/). Michael always has great tips and
clear instructions in his monthly Michaels Corner
(http://www.cadtutor.net/corner/) available on the web as well as a
monthly newsletter (http://www.cadtutor.net/general
/subscribe.php).
The following tip is from Michaels Corner May 2009
(http://www.cadtutor.net/corner/2009/may.php).
Prerequisite: The X and Y values need to be in a
single cell in the format of X,Y for this to work. If X
and Y have their own column, you will need to
make the necessary adjustments to get them to X,Y
format.
Instructions to Create a Drawing with X,Y
Coordinates from Excel
1. In Excel, highlight and Copy the column of
X,Y coordinates to be used to generate the
drawing.
2. Open Windows Notepad (Start
Notepad).

All Programs Accessories

3. Before pasting the coordinates, type LINE as the first word in the
file (this will launch the Line command when the script is run),
then press [Enter].

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4. Now Paste the column of coordinates into the file and you should
see something like that shown in the figure.
5. Close and save the .SCR file (remember where you're saving it).
6. In AutoCAD, launch the SCRIPT command, then navigate to
where you saved your file in the previous step, then select it and
click Open. AutoCAD will launch the Line command then,
beginning at the first set of coordinates entered, will draw line
segments from one point to the next.
You may also want to consider
Replacing the LINE command with the PLINE command.
Adding the word CLOSE as the last word in the script to have the
linework close back to the start point.
Dragging the .SCR file out of Windows Explorer and dropping it
into the drawing window.
Do you have an AutoCAD (http://www.autodesk.com/autocad),
AutoCAD Architecture (http://www.autodesk.com
/autocadarchitecture),AutoCAD Mechanical
(http://www.autodesk.com/autocadmechanical), or AutoCAD MEP
(http://www.autodesk.com/autocadmep) tips, tricks, or resources
you would .like to share with the thousands of readers of this
Between the Lines (http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/)
blog? Send me your favorite tips, tricks and resources
(mailto:shaan@autodesk.com?subject=BTL AutoCAD Tips)
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Publish Your
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Tutorials on the
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/publish-your-autocad-tips-and-tutorials-on-the-autocadexchange-community.html)

AutoCAD
Reference Manager
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Comments for this thread are now closed.

16 Comments

zachcurtis333@gmail.com

Stuck on the prerequisite... How do I get the x-cell and the y-cell
to merge together into one cell that displays as x,y?
My issue is x = 300 y = 200 and when trying to merge them I get
"three hundred thousand two hundred" (300,200.00)

mujib

(Import X,Y Coordinates from Excel into AutoCAD). I found very

very useful. If z is inserted, in the form ex:
2,3,4 u can see 3D lines. thanks. bye

Steffen S. Mortensen

This was very helpful.

Thank you very much!

bob.at

Why using notepad and an additional file? Do the same

procedure in autocad command line and it will work in the same
way: - highlight and copy in Excel - type "LINE" in AutoCAD
command line - "insert" the coordinates (in the command line,
not in the drawing window) - finish with "Enter"
br Bob

Furky

Thanks!!

Shaan Hurley

You don't want the cell format to be a SUM formula just a

string/text.

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