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Excel to drawing

Tekla Structures
Not version-specific
Tekla Structures
Environment
Not environment-specific

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Purpose and description

Use the Excel to drawing component to insert Excel file tables into drawings.

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System requirements

Tekla Structures version: Not version specific

Environments: All

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Installing Excel to drawing

To install the extension:

  1. Download the Excel to drawing installer package from Tekla Warehouse.
    For more information see Downloading an application from Tekla Warehouse.
  2. Install the file package.
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Using Excel to drawing

To use the extension:

  1. Open a Tekla model.
  2. Open a drawing.
  3. Click the Applications & components button 
    Image
    applications_and_components_button.png
    in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
  4. Search for Excel to drawing
    Image
    excel_to dwg_icon.png
    and then double-click to open it.
  5. The Excel to drawing dialog window will open.
    Image
    excel_to dwg_1.png
  1. Insert the *.xls/*.xlsx file you want to add to the drawing using the
    Image
    excel_to dwg_open.png
    Open button.
  2. Make desired modification and click Apply and OK.
  3. Click on the extension's icon from the Applications & components catalog.
  4. You will then be prompted to pick one point to choose the table's position point.
    Image
    excel_to dwg_2.png
  5. After you pick the point, the table is inserted.
    Image
    excel_to dwg_4.png
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Application properties

  1. General properties

    Image
    ExcelToDrawing_v_2.0_GeneralProperties_Tab.png

     

    Field Description Default
    (1) Attribute file - List of the attribute files of the extension. standard
    (2) Save - Button to save the attribute file. -
    (3) Help - Button to open the help page of the extension. -
    (4) Excel file - Box to display/ input the Excel file path you want to insert in the drawing.
    Note: The Excel file supports relative path to the model folder.    		 The location of the last loaded file.
    (5) Browse - Button to select the Excel file you want to insert. -
    (6) Edit - Edit the selected Excel file using Microsoft Excel. -
    (7) Scale factor (%) - Scale the content of the Excel file. 100
    (8) Horizontal alignment - Define the horizontal alignment of the Excel file relative to the insertion point.
    Options are:
    - Left
    - Right    		 Left
    (9) Vertical alignment - Define the vertical alignment of the Excel file relative to the insertion point.
    Options are:
    - Above
    - Below    		 Above

  1. Cell and text properties

    Image
    ExcelToDrawing_v_2.0_CellAndTextProperties_Tab

    Font options

    Field Description Default
    (1) Font name - List to set the font of the text.
    Options are:
    - From Excel - set the font from the Excel file.
    - Select - set the desired font by selecting the
    Image
    excel_to dwg_select.png
    button (2).
    Note: This option is available only when you use Select option.    		 From Excel
    (2)
    Image
    excel_to dwg_select.png
    - Button to browse the font of the text.
    Note: This button is available by choosing the Select option on Font name (1) list.    		 From Excel
    (3) Font size - List to set the font size.
    Options are:
    - From Excel - set the font size from the Excel file
    - Select - set the desired font size from the Specific font size box input value    		 From Excel
    (4) Specific font size - List to set specific font size.
    Note: This option is available by choosing the Select option on Font size (3) list.    		 Inactive/3.00
    (5) Font color - List to set the text color.
    Options are the same as Tekla color.    		 Default - Black
    (6) Font bold - List to set the bold font style.
    Options are:
    - From Excel - use the Excel file bold font style
    - Yes - set bold font style
    - No - remove the bold font style    		 From Excel
    (7) Font italic - List to set the italic font style.
    Options are:
    - From Excel - use the Excel file italic font style
    - Yes - set italic font style
    - No - remove the italic font style    		 From Excel
    (8) Font underline - List to set the underline font style.
    Options are: - From Excel - use the Excel file underline font style
    - Yes - set underline font style
    - No - remove the underline font style    		 From Excel

    Cell options

    Field Description Default
    (9) Show cell - Define whether the cells is shown or not.
    Options are:
    - Yes
    - No    		 Yes
    (10) Cell color - Define the cell color.
    Options are the same as Tekla color.
    Note: This option is available by selecting Yes option on Show cell (9) list.    		 Default - Black
    (11) Show cell border - Define whether the cell border is shown or not.
    Options are:
    - From Excel - use the same as the one in the Excel file
    - No    		 From Excel
    (12) Cell border type - Define the cells border type.
    The options are the same as Tekla line type appearance.    		  
    (13) Cell border color - Define the cell border color.
    The options are the same as Tekla color.    		 Default - Black

    Text alignment options

    Field Description Default
    (14) Horizontal alignment - List to define the horizontal alignment of the text in the table cells.
    Options are:
    - From Excel
    - Left
    - Center
    - Right    		 From Excel
    (15) Vertical alignment - List to define the vertical alignment of the text in the table cells.
    Options are:
    - From Excel
    - Top
    - Middle
    - Down    		 From Excel
    (16) Orientation - List to define the text rotation in the table cells.
    Options are:
    - From Excel
    - Select    		 From Excel
    (17) Specific orientation - Define the text rotation in the table cells.
    Note : This box is available by choosing the Select option on Orientation (16) list.    		 From Excel
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Limitations

  • Microsoft Excel is required to be installed.
  • Using mixed font types and sizes in the same cell is not supported.
  • Sub-script and super-script not supported.
  • File path length is limited to 158 characters.
  • The speed of the Excel files insertion has been increased. However, processing .xls files or updating the Excel file in Tekla Structure while the file is opened is still done by the old library which results in a previous slow performance.
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