How it works

AutoCAD application

• If no AutoCAD is running, JTB Batch Change will try open the latest version of AutoCAD installed.
• If an AutoCAD session is opening, JTB Batch Change will take it to perform the job.
• An external application called JTB Batch Change Guard will run on top of your screen. This application will help the process keeps on focus. Any popup message comes from AutoCAD will be closed by JTB Batch Change guard
Note: Don't do anything on AutoCAD while JTB Batch Change is running.

Named object and commands

In AutoCAD, objects can be put in 2 groups: Named object and graphical object.

Graphical objects are also called Entities. They are line, arc, circle, text etc. They are visible.

Named objects are definitions like Layer, TextStyle. A name object can have none, or one, or many references. References are graphical objects.

Commands on named objects can affect not only the named object, but also its reference entities. Here are common commands:

• Rename: rename the named object
• Delete: delete the named object. Only applicable if it does not have any reference.
• Replace: switch all the named object's reference entities to a new named object (if avaiable). E.g. replace all inserted blocks "Car A" by blocks "Car B"
• Merge: equal to Replace, then Delete
• Delete All Ref: find all of the named object's reference entities, delete them all, then delete the named object itself.

See also: Objects Reference

Examples

In "JTB Batch Change Example.xlsx" workbook, each sheet contains many examples and instructions of how it work.

Here, we only show some special cases:

• How to change attribute tags in title blocks
• How to rename and change description of many layers in drawings but you want to see them in a table of properties first, then enter new values later?

Advance: Formulas in Find Value and New Value

Tip: In Help sheet, there are more instruction about how to use the text find and replace formula "ApplyTextStringFormula". It worths to take a look when you want to run more advance text change functions.

A change command in Batch Change has 3 main parts:

• The object type: this can be Layer, Block, Attribute, Text, Line etc.
• Find Value (for specific property).
  • Find value can be "absolute". If you want to find all text where text content is "2014", enter "2014" at Find Value cell.
  • Find Value can also be a wild card. If you want to find all layers whose name contains "Wall", enter "*Wall*" at Find Value.
  • If you have many patterns, separate them with ";". For example: With Color, Find Value = "1; ByLayer; 2" will find all objects whose color is red (1), or ByLayer, or yellow (2)
  • You can use operators like "<> JTB*" to find names that do not have JTB as prefix, or "> 9" to find color greater than 9.
  • Find Value is non-case sensitive. This help you easier work with drawings inconsistent in naming.

• New value (for specific property): once object matches Find Value, the Batch Change will apply New Value to it.

  New Value is non-case sensitive too except when working with Text Content of Text, Mtext, Dimension and Table.

  New value can be:

  • Static, like "A-TEXT"
  • Prefix and Suffix formula: New Value = "JTB-{...}-Test" will rename TextStyle by adding "JTB-" and "-Test" as prefix and suffix to its current name.

    Note:

    • "..." part in "{...}" can be blank, or a formula.
    • Start and end spaces won't count and will be trimmed. If you want prefix including space, enclose text with quotes, e.g. "JTB " instead of JTB.
  • Absolute formula: new value = "Door 1 = Door 2; Door 3 = Door 4" for block reference's name will replace all inserted "Door 1" blocks with "Door 2" block, and "Door 3" with "Door 4"
  • Find and Replace formula: using quotes "..." to enclosed the text you want to find and its replacement.

    For example: New value = "ARCH-" = "AAA-"; "CONC" = "C" will rename "ARCH-FURN" layer to "AAA-FURN", and "TAG-CONC" layer to "TAG-C"

Example of formulas in Change spreadsheet

Example of converting Title Blocks in Change CrossTab sheet - JTB Batch Change Example.xlam

Normally 1 object has many properties. Each property has its own Find Value and New Value (except ReadOnly property, like IsDynamicBlock, will have no New Value). To access full properties of an object, use "Change" spreadsheet. Other spreadsheets are design for a specific property or specific group of properties only.

When working with the "Change" spreadsheet, the object is matched those Find Values. Cause Find Value results can be many, you can choose combination type in Combination box.

There are 2 options:

• Change only when all values match. This is "AND" combination.
• Change once a Find Value matches. This is "OR" combination.

Log and Backup

Each running session, a backup folder is created. All your drawings will be copied to subfolders in that backup folder.

To find your old drawing, click "Log" command. Log worksheet will be activate. Select your working session in cell B2. All backed up drawings will be listed. Find your drawing there and click to link at Backup Location column.

You can also have your custom description of each running session via this Log spreadsheet.

By default, JTB Batch Change BackUp folder is located in Windows's Temp folder. You can change this setting in Help worksheet

Note: You should manually empty your BackUp folder to save disk space. A warning will show up if there is not enough disk space.

Contact and Support