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EasyEst Estimating supports the CMS Standard and Extended CAD/Drawing Interface Formats. These are comma-delimited ASCII text file formats which allow a variety of CAD and drawing programs to transfer information to EasyEst Estimating.
The CMS Standard CAD/Drawing Interface Format is supported in our Windows, DOS and Macintosh estimating products (Release 4.0 and above). The Extended Format is supported only in the Windows products, Release 6.4 and above.
The Extended Format, as its name suggests, contains everything that the Standard Format includes, and more. In particular, the Location and a Memo for each Item can be included. It also includes the CAD symbol/block/object name and optional parameters (collectively called the CAD ID), which allow the object to be looked up in the Price Book Item List; it is no longer necessary to enter an Item Code in the CAD object.
Both formats are described here for reference. Many CAD/drawing programs already include exports to one of these formats. You may be able to get your CAD or drawing program to generate the appropriate files using an text attribute export and an appropriate template.
Before reading further, please be familiar with the general information in the CAD/Drawing Interface Overview.
General Notes on Formats
1. The drawing interface file is an ASCII text file, with one CAD object per line. Each CAD Object corresponds to one estimating Item.
2. Each line in the interface file contains one or more fields, separated by commas. It is not necessary to have a comma after the last field. Each line is terminated with a carriage return (ASCII 13) and optionally a line feed (ASCII 10) character.
3. In Releases before 6.4D, lines were limited to 254 characters. In Release 6.4D and after, lines may be as long as needed.
4. In the Extended Formats, all fields except the first are optional. The minimal interface file is just a list of CAD symbols, one per line. In the Standard Format, the Misc. field is optional.
5. Any field, even numeric fields, can be enclosed in double quotes. The quotes are not required. If a field contains a comma, it should be enclosed in double quotes to keep the comma from ending the field. If double quotes are not available, single quotes may be used instead.
6. If the data for a field is too long, it will be truncated.
7. For most fields, leading and trailing spaces are ignored. You may even put spaces after the commas delimiting the fields.
8. To include a double quote character in a field, put a backslash (\) before it. A backslash may also be used to protect a comma (although it is not required if the field has quotes around it), or another backslash.
9. Blank lines are allowed and ignored in the interface files.
10. C-style comments may be included in the interface files. Comments may be enclosed between a slash-asterisk pair (/*) and an asterisk-slash (*/) anywhere in the line. Anything after two slashes together is also consisted a comment. Comments are removed before the line is parsed for fields, etc. Note that the comments in the examples below are to explain the examples only; comments are not required in any real interface file.
11. Some Standard Format files have file ID lines beginning with "/100" as their first line. These lines are still accepted, but not required.
12. Releases 2.6-3.0 accepted lines beginning with "/200", "/300", and "/400". These formats are no longer supported.
13. The widths shown in the format descriptions below include an optional minus sign (-), the decimal point (.) and digits after the decimal point. For instance, "100.25" would be six characters wide.
14. Where a number accepts decimal places, you can pass fewer decimal places if necessary. If you pass more places, the value will be rounded to the available number of places.
15. The maximum number that can be stored in a numeric field is determined by both the width and the decimal places. For instance, the maximum value you could put into a 6-character field with 2 decimal places is "999.99", not "999999", even though the latter value will fit in the field. The minimum number would be "-99.99".
16. The Drawing Interface file format is not internationalized. Commas are always used to separate fields, and the period is always used as decimal point, regardless of country-specific settings which are used in windows and Reports.
17. The end-of-file character, ASCII 26, is optional at the end of the file.
Description of Columns in Standard Format
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Column Name
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Suggested
CAD Attribute Name
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Type
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Width
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Decimal
Places
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Comments
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ID
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ESTID
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Character
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4
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Always "/900"
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Quantity
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ESTQTY
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Numeric
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11
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2
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Bid Quantity
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Unit
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ESTUNIT
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Character
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8
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Bid Unit (only 2 characters used in DOS version)
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Item Code
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ESTCODE
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Character
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12
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Varies
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Can be blank for custom Item
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Description
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ESTDESC
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Character
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75
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Item Description. (Pulled from Price Book Item)
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Misc.
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ESTMISC
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Character
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30
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Only 12 characters used before Release 6.5.
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Sample Drawing Import File in Standard Format
/* 1 Indoor Bathroom Spa, Item Code 18.920. Misc. field contains "Blue": */
/900, 1, "EA", 18.920, "Bathroom : Spa - indoor", "Blue"
/* Same thing, with quotes around all fields. (Legal.): */
"/900","1", "EA","18.920", "Bathroom : Spa - indoor", "Blue"
/* Same thing, with no quotes around all fields (Legal): */
/900,1, EA,18.920, Bathroom : Spa - indoor, Blue
/* Quotes needed to protect comma: */
/900,1, EA, 18.920, "Bathroom : Spa, indoor", Blue
/* Sample with quotes, backslashes, etc. */
/900,540.50, LB, 2.530, "Nails - 10p" /* Misc left out */
/* Will read 2"x4"x8 Pressure Treated: */
/900,180, EA, 1.102, "2\”x4\”x8’ Pressure Treated", ""
Description of Columns in Extended Format
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Column Name
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Suggested CAD Attribute Name
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Type
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Width
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Decimal Places
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Comments
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Symbol Name
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Character
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32
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Part of CAD ID (along with up to 3 Parameters). Must be non-blank. If symbol name not known, use "/900"
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Quantity
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ESTQTY
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Numeric
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11
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2
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Bid Quantity
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Unit
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ESTUNIT
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Character
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8
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Bid Unit (only 2 characters used in DOS version)
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Item Code
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ESTCODE
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Character
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12
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Varies
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Can be blank for custom Item
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Description
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ESTDESC
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Character
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75
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Item Description. (Pulled from Price Book Item)
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Misc.
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ESTMISC
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Character
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30
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Only 12 characters used before Release 6.5.
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Location
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ESTLOC
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Character
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8
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Param 1
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ESTPAR1
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Character
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20
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Part of CAD ID. Total Length of Symbol plus Param1-3 and hyphen delimiters must be no more than 64 characters.
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Param. 2
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ESTPAR2
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Character
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20
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"
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Param. 3
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ESTPAR3
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Character
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20
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"
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Memo
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ESTMEMO
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Character
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80
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Added to end of any existing Price Book Item Memo.
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X coordinate
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Numeric
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16
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variable
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X coordinate of object/block/symbol in CAD drawing. In CAD units. Optional. Not yet used in estimating.
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Y coordinate
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Numeric
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16
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variable
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Y coordinate of object. In CAD drawing. Optional. Not yet used in estimating.
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Layer
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Character
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32
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Layer where object is inserted in CAD drawing. Optional. Not yet used in estimating.
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Handle
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Character
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8
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Handle (unique ID) for CAD object/symbol/block. Optional. Not yet used in estimating.
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Orientation
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Numeric
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6
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2
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CAD object’s orientation (rotation). Usually measured in degrees from 3 o’clock counter-clockwise. Optional. Not yet used in estimating.
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Sample Drawing Import File in Extended Format
/* Simplest Possible: Just a SPA symbol: */
SPA
/* All fields passed: */
/* 1 Indoor Bathroom Spa. Item Code will be looked up. */
/* Misc. field contains "Blue" (color of spa) */
/* Location MastBath. Parameters: Indoor, Deluxe, (3rd not used). */
/* At (405.21, 702.95) Layer FIXTURES, Handle 4E550287, */
/* Orientation 90 degrees. */
/* (This is all one long line:) */
SPA, 1, "EA", "", "Bathroom : Spa - indoor", "Blue", "MastBath", "Indoor", "Deluxe", "", 405.21, 702.95, "FIXTURES", "4E550287", 90.00
/* Same thing, but fewer fields passed, and no quotes: */
SPA, 1, EA, , Bathroom : Spa - indoor, Blue, MastBath, Indoor, Deluxe
/* Another Example: Carpet: */
CARPET, 986.25, "SF", ,"Carpet - Shag Indoor Stain-Resistant", "White", "Shag", "Indoor", "Stain-Resistant"
/* Forcing selection of Item 14.20661 for Carpet: */
CARPET, 986.25, "SF","14.20661","Carpet - Shag Indoor Stain-Resistant", "White", "Shag", "Indoor", "Stain-Resistant"
See Also: CAD/Drawing Interface Overview, CAD/Drawing Import Dialog Box
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