Callouts - Is there a batch export path?

[thinkbuild]

Greetings everyone.

Callouts have become an important part of my workflow.

I have been using them to make very detailed notes which are a part of the *legal* description of the project. Is it possible to export them - all of the callouts - into a CSV or other worksheet which can then be edited outside VW?

I have tried with the "report" tool but have had no luck. I dont care if the edges are rounded, etc., or how long the shoulder is - all that matters is:

1. the sheetlayer that the callout is on;

2. the text INSIDE the callout

Questions:

A. How can I export this to a spreadsheet?

B. I would like to use the Active Database - Callout.txt - with my own modifications of course - but I can't figure out how to save the database as a .txt file (it only saves as a .xml file) and, when I make any changes, it will no longer let me re-import. Why? And, if I have to work with an .xml file, what software would be good to do so (on a Mac) which will leave the file in a format that Vectorworks will happily re-import and place in my existing callout boxes?

C. Is there a path available :

VW Callout > Create Report (insert magic parameters here please!) > Worksheet > Export worksheet > edit in Office, iWork, etc. > Import Worksheet > back to Callouts...?

That would be amazing. Or any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Please advise.

Thanks very much!

Jason

(thinkbuild)

Technical Note:

I am using VW 2008 / MAC, OS 10.5.8

(No upgrade planned in the immediate future...)

Also, when I double click on the callout, I get the "Notes Manager: Callout" Box - ie., they are "Database Notes" - active database for now is simply Callout.txt

Edited September 17, 2009 by thinkbuild

[brudgers]

Callouts are stored in a text file.

In windows defaults are stored in c:\program files\plug ins\commonfiles\data\notes\callouts.txt

User files are stored similarly in the user directory.

[Pat Stanford]

GI have tried with the "report" tool but have had no luck. I dont care if the edges are rounded, etc., or how long the shoulder is - all that matters is:

1. the sheetlayer that the callout is on;

2. the text INSIDE the callout

Questions:

A. How can I export this to a spreadsheet?

B. I would like to use the Active Database - Callout.txt - with my own modifications of course - but I can't figure out how to save the database as a .txt file (it only saves as a .xml file) and, when I make any changes, it will no longer let me re-import. Why? And, if I have to work with an .xml file, what software would be good to do so (on a Mac) which will leave the file in a format that Vectorworks will happily re-import and place in my existing callout boxes?

C. Is there a path available :

VW Callout > Create Report (insert magic parameters here please!) > Worksheet > Export worksheet > edit in Office, iWork, etc. > Import Worksheet > back to Callouts...?

You can create your own worksheet instead of using the Create Report.

The criteria will be Record Callout is Present

The formulas will be

=L {this will get the layer of the object}

='Callout'.'Text' {This will get the text of the callout

You could then export the worksheet to an external database.

The easiest way to bring the text back would be to Copy and Paste from the external file. Make sure you select the same number of rows for both the copy and paste.

The callout text will update with the new pasted items.

[Miguel Barrera]

And why do you need to export the callouts to a spreadsheet or text file? It seems like a lot of work just to edit the callout text.

[thinkbuild]

Dear Pat -

Great to hear from you, and thanks for taking the time to look at this issue.

Concerning your post:

You can create your own worksheet instead of using the Create Report.

Yes, I thought I was on the wrong track. But, honestly, I never worked with Worksheets before now.

I tried to make one following your tips and the instructions listed in the help files, but I think I need to know a few more basic things to get it running. For example, what is the key to get the worksheet to "run" - ie., search through the drawing file and gather all the callouts? I couldn't get that going.

And, I wasn't able to smoothly fit your tips into a working worksheet -

The criteria will be Record Callout is Present

This much was OK - I could find the place to make that happen, but then I was confused. Does this all happen in one cell? Or just the first column of a cell row? ... ??

The formulas will be

=L {this will get the layer of the object}

='Callout'.'Text' {This will get the text of the callout

This part seems really easy and sensible. I understand what this is doing but again, couldn't see how/where to tell it to do this.

You could then export the worksheet to an external database.

The easiest way to bring the text back would be to Copy and Paste from the external file. Make sure you select the same number of rows for both the copy and paste.

The callout text will update with the new pasted items.

I think this will work too but I havent gotten there yet to test it...hmmm..

Pat - do you think you could post a few more tips and/or list a link here that would give me some more basic knowledge about how to get worksheets "going"? Or - in an ideal world - I'd really love it if you could make a little example file of a worksheet that does this. Then I could study it and modify/explore it. But I don't want to be pushy ... Please advise what you think the best step would be for me here.

Looking forward to hearing back.

Jason

PS I imagine I should be reading the "Spread Sheet Reports" post also ... Maybe that would help, but I think I have other issues, not really about making a calculation tool ? Or am I wrong ?

Poster: Miguel Barrera

And why do you need to export the callouts to a spreadsheet or text file? It seems like a lot of work just to edit the callout text.

Dear Miguel -

The idea is not to use this system to edit the callout text, but instead to export the callout text to another program - a regular spreadsheet - which I will then use as the basic "foundation" of the legal description (Leistungsverzeichnis in German) for the project. This creates a more efficient workflow, one in which I must enter critical details only once. If I can get it to work well, then I will also be certain not to miss all these details in the legal description part of the project ... Hope that's clear now...

Jason

[islandmon]

Jason... using the OSX filepath has many benefits especially when it comes to grabbing the txt files and using Automator to handle the protocol switching.

[Pat Stanford]

Very brief worksheet lesson:

There are two types of cells in the worksheet: Worksheet cells and Database cells.

Worksheet cells work just (or at least mostly) like Excel. Type in data, create a formula by starting with =, Reference another cell using A2 type references.

Database cells are populated by making a database header row. Once you set the criteria in the header row, you get one sub-row for each item in the drawing that matches the criteria. The data that populates each cell is based on the formula that you put in the header row for database.

So now the step by step.

Create a new worksheet.

Click and hold on the row header that says 4. When the menu pops up, set it to be a Database Row. A dialog box will open. Set the criteria to be Record Callout is Present.

You should now set a sub row (4.1, 4.2, ...) for each callout object in your drawing.

Select cell A4 in the database header row. Put in the formula =L

Select cell B4 in the database header row. Put in the formula ='Callout'.'Text'

You should now have a worksheet that shows all of the callout objects in the drawing displaying the layer each is on and the text of each object.

If this does not get you what you need, let me know and I will clean up my test file and post it here.

[thinkbuild]

To Pat:

Thanks so much! It worked beautifully. I am very pleased.

Now I have to find a way to format the worksheet, etc., but I should be able to figure that out.

I was also able to copy an exact number of cells to the worksheet as you listed in your previous post on this thread.

I'm still exploring workflows, ie., in and out of VW to a spreadsheet; if I come up with something which might be of interest to others I'll be sure to report back.

Here's another question: Can I import (replace!) an entire worksheet? Or better, "link" it - like with InDesign, when a referenced image is updated in Photoshop - then the image is automagically updated? That would be cool...

To Islandmon:

Yes, I was thinking about that - but honestly, I have no idea how to do it. I couldn't figure out how to get the callouts into a file that automator would access and process....if you would like to share details (step by step?) of your idea that would be nice. As I said, I am still exploring workflows ...

Thanks to everyone for interest and help.

Jason

thinkbuild