Table Referencing in Layout

I’m using Sketchup Pro, 2018, fully current.

I would like to find a feature to update the Auto-Text entries from a local table in Layout.

I have a template which requires text data that gets populated across multiple pages in a document (client name, door style, interior materials, exterior materials, hinge style, drawer track style, etc.) I’ve created auto-text tags and update each tag using Layout’s Document Setup Auto-Text function as required for my Layout document.

aClient = Smith
aDoor = Shaker
etc…

It’s very clunky and an awkward experience that I’m looking to simplify. I’m exploring the Tools/Table tool and was wondering if there is a way to reference a table I’ve created in Layout, perhaps similar to Excel’s referencing scheme - =MyTable(“B1”) or using Layout’s scheme <MyTable(“B1”)>

I’ve had no success figuring out how to name the table, let alone reference it, so I’m sending it through the community forum to see if anyone else has had success or found a more functional workaround than Layout’s auto-text option?

Thanks!

What version of SketchUp/LayOut are you using? Your profile is incomplete.

There’s no way to set Autotext entities like you suggest but assuming you have a version that supports it, there’s no reason you couldn’t insert an XLSX file and use only one cell from it as the text. Then if you update the table in Excel, when the reference is updated in LayOut, the change will be made. You can copy that text to anywhere you need in the LO file, too.

Thanks for your response.

I’m using 2018 Pro, fully current.

With the xlsx option, it seems I’d be adding to my work. I have about 20 data elements that are populated across every page - picture an architectural drawing with an info bar across the right. The data from the auto-text entries populate each page but the Layout method of updating the auto-text is a hassle. I’d rather have a page that I set aside as a data entry page with a table that I update when the file is created. The table allows me to tab through each row and column and make the appropriate changes in a few seconds compared to the 5-10 minutes I spend updating using the auto-text dialog. To copy and paste every entry from an xlsx inserted table every time I create a new document is more drama than I want and when I paste from the table into the info bar, the text I’ve pasted doesn’t change when the table data is changed. That means I’d have to do the cut/paste operation every time data changes. Not a good option for what I need.

I kind of figured you’d make a custom template with the text fields where you want them on the sheets with a “dummy” .xlsx file as the reference. When you start a new project, you’d use that template but relink the .xlsx reference to the one for the client. That would update all of the text fields that refer to cells in the spreadsheet table. If you need to edit the data after starting the LayOut project, edit the spreadsheet save it and update the reference like you’d do with a SketchUp model or an image file.

I don’t see where you’d be doing any cut/paste when the data changes.

Thanks. I’ll give that a try.

You suggestion was greatly appreciated - after a little experimenting, I can make it work. Thanks, DaveR!

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you can also use a 'project-component 'containing information on your model/project and use generate report to fill in the blancs:

The LayOut file is actually a compressed folder, if you rename it to a .zip file and extract it, you can investigate it’s content. There should be a .xml file containing the autotext-fields.