AreaUtil reactor

Update area information automatically

You can now find higher, more general functionality in our new application - LiveLabel

AreaUtil reactor

The AreaUtil utility (for AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT) transfers information about the area of the selected closed polyline or polygon into the selected block attribute. A live link is created in your drawing and then the attribute value is updated automatically or on demand at a change of the polyline.

You can link any user block with attributes. Current area (acreage) is updated automatically at any change of the border polyline. Can be used eg. for simple and precise display of true area of parcels, rooms...

Installation

Unpack the distribution archive to any folder on your hard disk. Load the application into AutoCAD by the ARX or APPLOAD commands.
If you want to load the application automatically when launching AutoCAD, add the areautil.arx reference to your acad.rx file - located usually in AutoCAD Support folder.

Example of the acad.rx file

D:\Utility\Areautil\areautil.arx

Commands

Application contains only a single command - AREAUTIL. This command contains these options:
Create creates a new link between a polyline and selected block attribute.
Options displays dialog for option settings. If you are using always the same attribute name, you can check the Run in quiet mode options and enable the "quiet mode" with a default attribute name. Command then doesn't show the Select attribute dialog and uses instead the default attribute name set in the Default attribute box.
Update updates all drawing entities with links created.

Example

Create link

Open the tutorial1.dwg drawing
Use the ARX command to load areautil.arx (or areautil_demo.arx)
On the command line, enter AREAUTIL command
Enter the Create option
Select the red polyline
Select the rectangle inside the red polyline
In the Select attribute name dialog select the AREA attribute
Close the dialog by OK button

Automatic update

On the command line, enter AREAUTIL command
Enter the Options option
In the Options dialog, check the Allow automatic update
Close the dialog by OK button
Use grips to change shape of the polyline
New value of the area is displayed automatically in the attribute

Manual update

On the command line, enter AREAUTIL command
Enter the Options option
In the Options dialog, uncheck the Allow automatic update
Close the dialog by OK button
Use grips to change shape of the polyline
On the command line, enter AREAUTIL command
Enter the Update option
New value of the area is displayed in linked attributes

You can even create several links from one border polyline to more blocks - eg. one descriptive in the center of an area and another in the legend. You can use the attached AREABLK.DWG as an example for the description block.

What's new?

Version number	Description
LiveLabel	Further development continues in our new application LiveLabel.
15.0.3.0 (26.7.2001)	Support for the quiet mode with default attribute name. The select attribute dialog is not displayed then.
15.0.2.0 (25.7.2001)	Links are kept during object copying, when saving objects using WBLOCK, etc. Optional area "divisor" coefficient (usefull eg. for displaying area in different units - feets, acres...)
15.0.1.0	First version

Supported platforms

Program was tested under Windows NT4.0, Windows 2000 and Windows 98.

Program supports AutoCAD 2000/2000i/2002, AutoCAD LT 2000/2000i and vertical applications based on these.

Problems

If the area value is not updated automatically after you reopen your drawing, you are probably using the Demo version of this application.

Please send possible questions and problems to: info@cadstudio.cz. Please send inquiries about custom application development to: develop@cadstudio.cz.

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AreaUtil Demo + Buy/Order

Limited (reactor works only in current session - not saved/restored, Area value only, no LT version) demo version is free for download. If you are interested in the full unlimited commercial version, use the Order below or contact CAD Studio.

Price of the commercial version of AreaUtil is 45,-EUR .