ACAD_db

About | Download | System requirements | Purchase
Documentation | License agreement | Revision History | Customers

About

Make use of AutoCAD together with an external database. Block attribute values can automatically be updated back and forth to one or many external databases. If you make changes to the attribute values they can be synchronized back to the external database or the other way around.

There are three sync methods available and can be set individually for each attribute to synchronize.

• Sync in both directions.
• Sync only from the drawing to the database.
• Sync only from the database to the drawing.

Some information might be useful to sync in both directions while other information like dimensions needs AutoCAD to be the owner. Other information like price might best be owned by the database.

Information in the title block as well as revisions is something that can be synchronized.

More flexibility and functionality than the standard AutoCAD commands EATTEXT, DATAEXTRACTION, ATTIN and ATTOUT.

ACAD_db will improve your work process and experience and will improve quality of your data and remove redundancy and conflicts of data and information.

Support for blocks in both model space and paper space and in multiple layouts. Fields of all types like Sheet Set Manager properties are supported but then sync only from drawing to the database.

Dynamic blocks are supported.

Download

Contact us to get a time limited license file for free.

ACAD_db_2.zip (305 KB). Version 2.0

ACAD_db.zip (269 KB). Version 1.0 (only version to support 2008-2009)

ACAD_db_SQL.zip (114KB). Sample database for SQL Server/SQL Server Express.

ACAD_db_Oracle.zip Needed if Oracle will be used as database.

System requirements

AutoCAD 2008, AutoCAD 2009, AutoCAD 2010, AutoCAD 2011, AutoCAD 2012, AutoCAD 2013, AutoCAD 2014. Verticals with version 2008-2014 like AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil Design, AutoCAD Civil Design 3D, AutoCAD Civil Design Professional, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD P&ID, AutoCAD Plant 3D and AutoCAD Structural Detailing.
Both 32-bit and 64-bit is supported.
AutoCAD LT is not and will not be supported.

Any database like Access (MDB or .accdb) or SQL Server that can be connected with dbConnect within AutoCAD is supported. Other examples are SQL Server Express,  Oracle, ODBC, etc. AutoCAD 64-bit does only support Access 2010/2013 64-bit or the free Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider/Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable.
Excel is not supported as it is not a real database.

If you run 64bit AutoCAD you cannot have 32bit Office installed and also connect to MS Access database. If installing Office 64-bit is not an option, some have said that it works to uninstall Office, then install the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 and after that install Office again. Another workaround could be to use SQL Server or SQL Server Express as backend and then MS Access 32-bit as a frontend.

Any operating system that can run the above is supported from Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Purchase

50 EUR for one license or less depending on the amount of licenses.
2 licenses 44 EUR each
3-5 licenses 40 EUR each
6- 9 licenses 36 EUR each
10-15 licenses 34 EUR each

Click here to Purchase with PayPal (Use your credit card or bank account where available) and you will be emailed the license (this is done manually but normally within 24 hours). Calculate the price based on above price list and enter the total price in the Unit Price text box and click on Update. Quantity will say 1 no matter the number of licenses but the total sum determines the number of licenses so that is ok.

Contact us for a quote and include how many licenses you want to purchase and your preferred payment method. If you have a really many users that you want to give access to this software we can discuss a discounted price based on your particular situation. Educational discounts available. Network license needs can be met.

The license is perpetual and support is included. If you have more than one computer and you are the only user of the application one license is enough.

PayPal, share-it, Mastercard/Eurocard, Visa, American Express, and Diner's Club online are accepted. Alternatively, there is support for bank transfer/wire transfer, or Checks and Money Orders through postal mail. Online transfers via giropay and Nordea Solo are also supported.

To pay by PayPal you can also send payment to the account of info@jtbworld.com at www.paypal.com.

Documentation

Full documentation: ACAD_db-UserManual 2.0.pdf

Setup files

• JTB.ACADdbMgd 2010-2012.dll
• JTB.ACADdbMgd 2013.dll
• ACAD_db_Samples.mdb
• ACAD_db_EmptyTemplate.mdb
• ACAD_db Blocks and Tables - Metric.dwg
• ACAD_db_samples.UDL
• ACAD_db_license.txt (sent by email from JTB World upon request)

Setup procedure

1. Place the DLL file in a single local folder.
   For example C:\Program Files\JTB World\ACAD_db .
2. Place also the license file ACAD_db_license.txt in the same folder.
3. ACAD_db_samples.UDL should be placed in the Data Links folder. The location is found easiest by using the command OPTIONS and Files>Data Sources Location within AutoCAD.

The DLL needs to be loaded by your AutoCAD application and that can be done in different ways. Use one of the following options.

• Add the row below to your acad.lsp file so it loads automatically when AutoCAD starts.
  (command "netload" "C:/Program Files/JTB World/ACAD_db/JTB.ACADdbMgd 2013.dll")
• Use one of the AutoLoad...reg files that can be provided. Double click on the file and accept to merge to the registry. This will make sure that the commands are available whenever you run AutoCAD.
• Use the command NETLOAD and select the DLL. This loads the command in the current session only. This is not recommended for production usage.
•  Create a menu command, toolbar button, ribbon button or palette tool using CUI and force load it before running the command.
  Macro or Command string:
  ^c^c(command "netload" "C:/Program Files/JTB World/ACAD_db/JTB.ACADdbMgd 2013.dll") AcDbSettings;
  This is not recommended way to load the DLL for production usage. But it can be used to run the ACAD_db commands.

Usage

Prepare the database that holds information on what block and attributes to synchronize and where.

Make sure there is an UDL file (data source) that points out the location of the main database.

In the CAD program use AcDbSettings command to specify what data source to use as the main database.

Run the AcDbMake command to make new/existing drawing possible to sync.

Now use either just open and save/close the drawing or use any of the commands AcDbOut or AcDbIn to sync information into CAD or out from CAD.

The command line will show full details on if there are any problems and what data has been synchronized.

Tutorial on How to sync block attribute values with a database using ACAD_db.

Solution to the following error is to right click on the DLL file and click on Unblock.

Cannot load assembly. Error details: System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not
load file or assembly 'file:///C:\Users\JTB\AppData\Roaming\JTB
World\.....dll' or one of its dependencies. Operation is not
supported. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131515)
File name: 'file:///C:\Users\JTB\AppData\Roaming\JTB
World\.....dll' ---> System.NotSupportedException: An attempt
was made to load an assembly from a network location which would have caused
the assembly to be sandboxed in previous versions of the .NET Framework. This
release of the .NET Framework does not enable CAS policy by default, so this
load may be dangerous. If this load is not intended to sandbox the assembly,
please enable the loadFromRemoteSources switch. See
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=155569 for more information.
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly._nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String
codeBase, Evidence assemblySecurity, RuntimeAssembly locationHint,
StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Boolean
forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoadAssemblyName(AssemblyName
assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark, Boolean
forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.InternalLoadFrom(String assemblyFile,
Evidence securityEvidence, Byte[] hashValue, AssemblyHashAlgorithm
hashAlgorithm, Boolean forIntrospection, Boolean suppressSecurityChecks,
StackCrawlMark& stackMark)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.LoadFrom(String assemblyFile)
at Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.ExtensionLoader.Load(String fileName)
at loadmgd()

See also more details here: Solution to System.IO.FileLoadException Could not load file or assembly error

Revision History

• 2012-10-08 - version 2.0
  • Support for AutoCAD 2013 based products.
  • Support for Oracle database.
  • Fixed a sync bug when NETLOAD is used.
• 2010-08-23 - version 1.1 beta
  • Support for MS Access 2010 64-bit and the free Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider.
• 2009-10-26 - version 1.0
  • First public release.

Some ACAD_db reference customers

More customers are found here.

ACAD_db will help you expand and improve your BIM process or information exchange between AutoCAD and an external database. 

If you want other features added feel free to contact us with your wishes.