This command makes GIS links between blocks in the drawing and a database table using a key field that is in both the block attributes and the database table. Both the block entities and database records must exist before running this routine.
The routine starts by prompting you to select the block entities to process. Then a dialog appears for choosing the block attribute and table to link. The current template and output database file names are shown at the top of the dialog. Use the GIS Database Settings command to set these file names before running Create GIS Links. The dialog lists all the block names that were found in the entity selection. Choose a block name to process. Then in the lower left of the dialog, there is a list of the attributes for the selected block. Highlight the attribute name that contains the point ID key field for the blocks and then pick the Select First Key Value button. For each block entity, the program will use the value of this attribute to link to the record in database table. This value is matched to the database record using the PT_ID database table field. For example, a block with an attribute value of 402 for the specified attribute name will be linked to the database record with a value of 402 in the PT_ID field.
Next, the database table needs to be specified to either one fixed table name or to table names defined by a block attribute. A list of the available tables in the current output database is displayed. To link all the blocks to one table, highlight the table name from the list and pick the Select Second Key button. Or to link the blocks to various table names based on a block attribute, highlight the attribute name and pick the Select Second Key button. This attribute value for the blocks will then need to contain the database table name. For example, consider a block for electric utility data with two attributes: ID and TABLE. The ID is a number to use as the first key and the TABLE is the table name (i.e. POLE, BOX). Once the key fields are set, pick the OK button to create the links.
Pulldown Menu Location: GIS Data
Keyboard Command: create_links
Prerequisite: Block entities with attribute IDs and a
database table with matching IDs.