CAD Forum - tips, tricks, discussion and utilities for AutoCAD, Inventor and other Autodesk products [www.cadforum.cz]

CAD tip # 6366:

Question CAD
% platform category

Inserting and updating time and date in an AutoCAD drawing.

There are several ways how to insert a time and date text stamp in an AutoCAD drawing. The individual methods differ also in how and when such date is updated.

Plain text - you can always put dates manually in the text (e.g. by copying from Word)
Diesel macro - you can add a Diesel macro to your toolbars or pull-down menus which inserts the current date/time - use e.g. $M=$(EDTIME,0,DD.MO.YYYY HH:MM:SS); this makes a plain text (never updated)
RTEXT - the remote text command from Express Tools can add a dynamic text containing some property of the drawing or drawing environment - you can e.g. use a Diesel expression $(edtime,0,MON DD"," YYYY - H:MMam/pm) which will display the current date and time. Such date is updated on every regen.
FIELD - dynamic text fields are the most flexible way to add time and date to your drawings. You can use fields separately (as standalone texts, FIELD), in block attributes (e.g. title blocks), or inside Mtext texts. You can choose formatting and various time/date sources (current date, last save date, last plot date, creation date). Please note that the current date value does not behave like the other fields - it is not automatically updated on events defined with the FIELDEVAL variable but only on the UPDATEFIELD command.
You can also use Diesel expressions in Fields - use the above mentioned RText Diesel expression to make a dynamically updated time/date in a Field.

You can also enter the field code as a plain text - AutoCAD will properly interpret it even in AutoCAD LT. Use the DTEXT command to enter e.g. the following text: %<\AcVar Date \f "%#c">%
Plot stamp - plot stamp (the PLOTSTAMP command, or the stamp setting in the PLOT dialog) adds time/date texts only to printouts (outside borders) of your drawings.
External data source - an advanced method for inserting live time data (e.g. time of the latest data update) from an external database or XLS table. You can use the dbConnect tools, linking to Excel or an add-on utility.

ACADLT

* CAD

30.10.2008 20506x

Comments Tell a friend

applies to: AutoCAD · AutoCAD LT ·

See also:
Tip 6950:	Automatic drawing label - filename, date, author...
Tip 2892:	How do I find whether a drawing is digitally signed?
Tip 1578:	How to display current drawing filename in an AutoCAD LT drawing?

Selected tip: Ortho mode in 3D Studio.

Back All CAD Tips

Network rendering in AutoCAD or Revit? « | » The "Select similar" function also in plain AutoCAD.

Have we helped you? If you want to support the CAD Forum web service, consider buying one of our CAD applications, or our custom software development offerings, or donating via PayPal (see above). You may also add a link to your web - like this "fan" link:

CAD: OS: Categ:
Text:	FAQ glossary

Featuring:
Use Google Earth images in your AutoCAD projects with the Plex.Earth Tools

Please use these tips at your own risk.
CAD Studio (Xanadu) is not responsible for possible problems that may occur as a result of using any of these tips.


Login/Register:
Visitors: 2329