Jump to content

Alexandra Beshevlieva

Vectorworks, Inc Employee
  • Posts

    41
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Alexandra Beshevlieva

  1. Two-way live link between Excel and VW is possible, you can read data from Excel, create tables, but not to update the table. The Microsoft ODBC Excel Driver do not support UPDATE statements. Here are more details: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/178717 "The driver will not support DELETE, UPDATE, or ALTER TABLE statements. While it is possible to update values, DELETE statements will not remove a row from a table based on an Excel spreadsheet. These operations are not supported. Basically, you can only append (insert) to a table. "
  2. As Miguel wrote you, you need to be familiar with ODBC. Here is a simple tutorial how to connect Vectorworks with excel file: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/getattachment.php?data=MTIxOHxPREJDIENvbm5lY3Rpdml0eSBpbiBWZWN0b3J3b3Jrcy5wZGY%3D Good luck!
  3. Yes, I have. Here is a tutorial how to do it: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/967/ODBC+Compatibility+-+Excel
  4. If there is no wizard, on System tab click Add. Enter a name for the DSN and enter two keywords: - Host with value 127.0.0.1 (if the Filemaker is running on the same machine or enter the IP of the server machine); - Port with value 2399. Close it with OK and it should work. Take a look on this article: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/970/ODBC+Compatibility+-+FileMaker+Pro
  5. Hi Vincent C, Could you, please, share experience about Vectorworks ODBC connectivity? Thank you, Sasha
  6. Hi Guys, To use ODBC before starting Vectorworks a DSN must be created. Windows has OS integrated ODBC manager here: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Administrative Tools. If your OS is 64bit, you should use 32-bit version of ODBC manager, otherwise you won?t be able to see the driver list. On Mac you have to install ODBC manager like ?ODBC Administrator?, ?ODBC Manager? or other tool. For FileMaker you should install also ODBC driver (for both platforms). Then create a DSN using the driver and start Vectorworks. In Vectorworks, there are 3 stages for ODBC connectivity: 1) Select Tools > Databases > Manage Databases and establish a connection to the DSN. 2) Select Tools > Databases > Record Format Connection and map format record to the external database columns. 3) Select object(s) you want to link with the database and execute Tools > Databases > Object Connection. Select database row(s) with which the object(s) will exchange data. Use menu command ?Update External Database? to write data into the external database and use ?Update Vectorworks Document? to write record fields in the document. Regards, Sasha
  7. Hi Niko, Here is an article about ODBC driver connectivity in Vectorworks: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/858/ODBC+Driver+Information. The drivers who are mentioned here are tested. That doesn't mean that other drivers from other vendors won't work. It just not possible to test all of them Note that Actual Technologies ODBC driver for Access is read only, it is not possible to write files with it. Regards, Sasha
  8. Hi Sebastian, It is not necessary for the column to be marked as primary key in the database. Use your key column and say to Vectorworks to use it as primary key as placing a check box in the 'Use as key' column in the Manage Databases dialog. Sasha
  9. Hi, Yes, it is possible. To test it, place a sheet border in the drawing. Select Tools > Record Format Connection and there should be listed the sheet border parametric record format. Click on 'Manage Databases' button and establish a connection to the target DSN (before that a DSN should be created for the excel file). Then click to edit the parametric record format and bind the fields you want to read/write from/into the excel file. Use menu commands 'Update Vectorworks document' and 'Update External Database' to read and write the data. Regards, Sasha
  10. As far as I know Bento doesn't have ODBC support. For external database connectivity Filemaker is required. Sasha
  11. By the way, here is an article which ODBC drivers Vectorworks do support for sure: http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/858/ODBC+Driver+Information For Excel files on Mac you can use Filemaker.
  12. Hi Guys, It is specific that MacOS doesn?t have integrated ODBC support. Here is a simple scenario how to use *.xls and filemaker files via ODBC to read/write data from/in Vectorwosk file. Notice that there are three steps in Vectorworks but before that there is necessary to install and configure some additional stuff on Mac. First of all, you need an ODBC manager tool. If there is any in Utilities, download and install ?ODBC Administrator? or ?ODBC Manager? (both are free) or other tool. Then make sure that you have installed FileMaker application and ODBC FileMaker Driver. Filemaker can be used to read data from xml files. So, here we are: 1) Start Filemaker and open the database file. If the file is xls file, Filemaker will offer you to convert it. Allow it to do this and continue. Go to File > Sharing > ODBC/JDBC? and turn on ?ODBC/JDBC Sharing? for the file and all users (or particular user). 2) Do not close anything. The file should stay opened while working with it otherwise the ODBC driver will return error. Start ODBC Manager and create System DSN using FileMaker ODBC driver. If there is no wizard, you must configure the driver manually. Enter keywords SERVER=localhost (or the IP of the server machine) and PORT=2399. This is very important. 3) Start Vectorworks. Establishing ODBC connection in Vectorworks consists of three steps: 1) Connect to DSN. Go to Tools > Database > Manage Databases? and connect to the DSN you?ve created. Enter ?admin? for the username if you don?t have one. 2) Create Record Format Database Connection. Go to Tools > Database > Create Record Format Connection..., select the record format you want to link and go to edit it. Each field of the record format needs to be mapped to the appropriate database table column. 3) Create Object Database Connection. This is the final step and it is to connect object instances to the database table rows. Select object(s) which you want to link to the database data and go to Tools > Database > Object Connection?. Choose a row to whom this object will correspond or use the find options in Multiple Objects dialog. Now you are able to update record field values with data from the database file or to write into the database file. Use ?Update Vectorworks Document? and ?External Database? menu commands to do that. I hope that post will spread a little light into the darkness Regards, Sasha
×
×
  • Create New...