CXPTSExport and import (CSV)Version 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD

Plot named points from a CSV file

Plots survey-style points from a spreadsheet file: name, X, Y and optional Z become a point with its name written beside it.

Download cxpts.lsp LISP terms

How to use it

Prepare a CSV with columns name, x, y and optionally z.
Type CXPTS and choose the file.
Points and names appear on the current layer.

Good to know

Point style is set to a visible cross for the run and restored afterwards.

Load it in AutoCAD

Save the file anywhere you like.
Type APPLOAD, pick the file and choose Load.
Type the command name: CXPTS.

To have it at every start, add it to the Startup Suite in the same dialog, or load a whole folder at once with the optional loader. About the optional loader

Tested in AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work, but they are not tested.

The code

Plain text, nothing hidden. Copy it into a file named cxpts.lsp, or download it.

;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXPTS - Plot named points from a CSV file
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxpts
;;; Tested in: AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work but are not tested.
;;; Copyright (c) CADXChange. Free for personal and commercial use; do not resell or
;;; republish it as a collection. Terms: https://cadxchange.net/legal/lisp-terms
;;; ============================================================================

;; Plot survey-style points from CSV ROWS: name, x, y, optionally z. Each point becomes a POINT object with its name
;; written next to it as text of height HEIGHT on layer LAYER. A row whose x and y are not numbers (a header) is
;; skipped. Returns how many points were plotted.
(defun cx:pts-run (rows height layer / n z)
  (setq n 0)
  (foreach r rows
    (if (and (cdr r) (cddr r) (numberp (read (cadr r))) (numberp (read (caddr r))))
      (progn
        (setq z (if (and (cdddr r) (numberp (read (cadddr r)))) (atof (cadddr r)) 0.0))
        (entmakex (list '(0 . "POINT") (cons 8 layer) (list 10 (atof (cadr r)) (atof (caddr r)) z)))
        (entmakex (list '(0 . "TEXT") (cons 8 layer)
                        (list 10 (+ (atof (cadr r)) (* 0.6 height)) (+ (atof (caddr r)) (* 0.3 height)) 0.0)
                        (cons 40 height) (cons 1 (car r)) (cons 7 (getvar "TEXTSTYLE")) '(100 . "AcDbText")))
        (setq n (1+ n)))))
  n)

(defun c:CXPTS ( / *error* cx:sv file rows)
  (setq *error* cx:err)
  (if (setq file (cx:file-open "CSV file with name, x, y, z"))
    (if (setq rows (cx:csv-rows file))
      (progn
        (cx:start '(("CMDECHO" . 0) ("PDMODE" . 35) ("PDSIZE" . 0)))
        (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (cx:pts-run rows (getvar "TEXTSIZE") (getvar "CLAYER"))) " point(s) plotted."))
        (cx:end))
      (princ "\nThe file could not be read.")))
  (princ))


;;; ---- Shared helpers (used by the command above; identical in every CADXChange tool) ----

;; Close the undo step and put the system variables back.
(defun cx:end ()
  (foreach v cx:sv (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_End")
  (setq cx:sv nil)
  (princ))

;; Error handler: restores everything, stays quiet on Esc.
(defun cx:err (msg)
  (if (> (getvar "CMDACTIVE") 0) (command))
  (cx:end)
  (if (and msg (not (wcmatch (strcase msg) "*BREAK*,*CANCEL*,*EXIT*")))
    (princ (strcat "\nError: " msg)))
  (princ))

;; Ask which CSV file to read. Returns a path or nil. With FILEDIA 0 the name is typed at the command line.
(defun cx:file-open (title / f)
  (if (= (getvar "FILEDIA") 0)
    (progn
      (setq f (getstring T (strcat "\n" title ": ")))
      (if (= f "") nil f))
    (getfiled title (getvar "DWGPREFIX") "csv" 4)))

;; All lines of a text file, or nil when it cannot be opened.
(defun cx:read-lines (file / f l out)
  (if (setq f (open file "r"))
    (progn
      (while (setq l (read-line f)) (setq out (cons l out)))
      (close f)
      (reverse out))))

;; One CSV line to a list of strings (handles quotes and doubled quotes).
(defun cx:csv-parse (line / out cur q i c)
  (setq out nil cur "" q nil i 1)
  (while (<= i (strlen line))
    (setq c (substr line i 1))
    (cond
      ((and q (= c "\"") (= (substr line (1+ i) 1) "\""))
       (setq cur (strcat cur "\"") i (1+ i)))
      ((= c "\"") (setq q (not q)))
      ((and (= c ",") (not q)) (setq out (cons cur out) cur ""))
      (T (setq cur (strcat cur c))))
    (setq i (1+ i)))
  (reverse (cons cur out)))

;; Remove spaces and tabs at both ends.
(defun cx:trim (s / a b)
  (setq a 1 b (strlen s))
  (while (and (<= a b) (member (substr s a 1) '(" " "\t"))) (setq a (1+ a)))
  (while (and (>= b a) (member (substr s b 1) '(" " "\t"))) (setq b (1- b)))
  (substr s a (max 0 (1+ (- b a)))))

;; The rows of a CSV file as lists of strings, empty lines skipped; nil when the file cannot be read.
(defun cx:csv-rows (file / out)
  (foreach l (cx:read-lines file)
    (if (/= (cx:trim l) "") (setq out (cons (cx:csv-parse l) out))))
  (reverse out))

;; Save the system variables in VARS ((name . value) ...), set them, and open one undo step.
;; The caller declares cx:sv as a local so the saved values live exactly as long as the command.
(defun cx:start (vars)
  (setq cx:sv (mapcar (function (lambda (v) (cons (car v) (getvar (car v))))) vars))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_Begin")
  (foreach v vars (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (princ))

(princ "\nCXPTS loaded. Type CXPTS to start.")
(princ)

Version history

Version 1.0.0 · 27 de outubro de 2026

First release.