Add Text to Database

[Ken]

I want to transfer the contents of my ancient general notes file which happens to be a MS Excel file. So I start off by pasting one text block (a general notes paragraph) in VW, leave it selected, then pull down the Add Text to Database command. The dialogue window opens. The Selected Text Only checkbox is checked, which seems to be what I want. All layers and all classes are selected. My newly made notes database is also highlighted under "Exclude Text Already in One of These Databases:"

But below it reads "0 of 196 notes have been located so." Whatever. I press the OK button.

Then the Notes Manager dialogue window opens. On the right side there's a list of items under "Text to Add to Database." But my selected text block is nowhere to be found. It seems to have found several other text blocks in the drawing. Scrolling through all that gets tedious, but does not turn up my selected text block anyway.

Is this feature working properly? The manual does not explain anything else.

[Jonathan Pickup]

open the database controls, then you can copy and paste from excel to the database directly.

[Ken]

"Open the database controls?"

So the command in question is not functioning as it seems it should on a selected text block -- namely, to "add text to database?"

[Jonathan Pickup]

for me the command works well. I can have a block of text in my file and add it to the database. But if you have a big excel file and you want to add lots of bits of text then it?s going to save you time to open the excel file and open the database dialog box (where you add new bits to it). Then change to the excel file, copy the text, change to VectorWorks and add that note to the correct section, change back to excel... and so on. It would be quicker that?s all

the add text to database works for blocks of text in the current file. But i have not had your problem.

[Ken]

Can you tell me what the dialogue window reports to you? Is it something like, "14 of 196 notes have been located so..." if your selected text block has 14 words?

I understand pasting directly from Excel to Notes Manager is easy to do once that window is open.

Now I just want to pinpoint why or how it's NOT working as it should when a simple text block is selected in a drawing. So you pull down the menu command, and then proceed to add that selected text block into your database?

Anybody else to confirm? Is this just a Macintosh bug?

[ptarmigan]

is there a reason why you can open the database file directly in a text app and drop any info in from Excel or wherever in and then read it back via Notes Manager ?

lissom

[Jonathan Pickup]

lissom, while you could open the database file directly in a text editor, DON?T . It?s too easy to scramble the file

[Jonathan Pickup]

Arch.Ken,

the add text to database adds all the text block in the current file, not just the selected blocks of text. So, the method would be to open a new file and paste all the text that you wanted into it, then add the text to the database.

first I get this dialog box wher you can choose just the selected tet or all the text...

then I get this one

[Ken]

Thank you for the screen shots.

Here's the scoop:

The very first time that the command is used, IT DOES NOT WORK on just one selected text block! However, if the checkbox for Selected Text Only is unchecked, then running through the command clears it out to work okay there on for either selected or unselected text blocks.

Go figure.

Anybody else? If you are sure you have NOT used it before, first try it with the checkbox checked.

[JRMastera]

Hi Guys;

While you're talking databases....I am trying to simply put the window labels on a WIndow Schedule "Report" I created in numerical order. I'm getting nowhere. Can VW do it? (I imagine it can.) Ans if so, how?

[ptarmigan]

you clik on any row of the worksheet (but not the top row marked by a white diamond) so a whole row is selected. Doing this you will note the asc and desc and sum icons come to life. Drag the one you want to the column you wish to order

lissom