CXBLK2CSVExport and import (CSV)Version 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD
Export blocks and their attributes to a CSV file
Exports every block with its name, layer, position, rotation, scale and one column for each attribute, a ready-made parts list.
How to use it
- Type CXBLK2CSV and choose All or Selection.
- Choose the file to save.
- Open the CSV in Excel or any spreadsheet.
Good to know
- The attribute columns are built from every tag found in the exported blocks.
Load it in AutoCAD
- Save the file anywhere you like.
- Type APPLOAD, pick the file and choose Load.
- Type the command name: CXBLK2CSV.
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 cxblk2csv.lsp, or download it.
;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXBLK2CSV - Export blocks and their attributes to a CSV file
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxblk2csv
;;; 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
;;; ============================================================================
;; CSV lines (header first) for the block references in NAMES: block, layer, x, y, rotation in degrees, X scale,
;; then one column per attribute tag found in any of the blocks (in order of appearance).
(defun cx:blk2csv-lines (names / tags rows ed)
(setq tags (cx:tags names))
(foreach e names
(setq ed (entget e))
(setq rows (cons (cx:csv-line
(append
(list (cx:dxf 2 ed) (cx:dxf 8 ed)
(cx:n4 (car (cx:dxf 10 ed))) (cx:n4 (cadr (cx:dxf 10 ed)))
(cx:n4 (* 180.0 (/ (if (cx:dxf 50 ed) (cx:dxf 50 ed) 0.0) pi)))
(cx:n4 (if (cx:dxf 41 ed) (cx:dxf 41 ed) 1.0)))
(mapcar (function (lambda (tg) (if (cx:att-get e tg) (cx:att-get e tg) ""))) tags)))
rows)))
(cons (cx:csv-line (append '("Block" "Layer" "X" "Y" "Rotation" "Scale") tags))
(reverse rows)))
(defun c:CXBLK2CSV ( / *error* cx:sv ss file)
(setq *error* cx:err)
(setq ss (if (= (cx:ask-kw "Export blocks in" "All Selection" "All") "All")
(ssget "X" (list '(0 . "INSERT") (cons 410 (getvar "CTAB"))))
(cx:pick "\nSelect blocks: " '((0 . "INSERT")))))
(if ss
(if (setq file (cx:file-save "Save the block list as CSV" "blocks"))
(cx:csv-save file (cx:blk2csv-lines (cx:ss->list ss))))
(princ "\nNo blocks found."))
(princ))
;;; ---- Shared helpers (used by the command above; identical in every CADXChange tool) ----
(defun cx:dxf (code ed)
(cdr (assoc code ed)))
;; The ATTRIB entities of a block reference, in order.
(defun cx:attribs (ins / e out)
(setq e (entnext ins))
(while (and e (= (cx:dxf 0 (entget e)) "ATTRIB"))
(setq out (cons e out) e (entnext e)))
(reverse out))
;; The attribute tags found in a list of block references, each once, in order of appearance.
(defun cx:tags (names / out)
(foreach e names
(foreach a (cx:attribs e)
(if (not (member (strcase (cx:dxf 2 (entget a))) (mapcar 'strcase out)))
(setq out (append out (list (cx:dxf 2 (entget a))))))))
out)
;; 1-based position of SUB in STR at or after START, or nil.
(defun cx:find (str sub start / n i r)
(setq n (strlen sub) i start r nil)
(if (> n 0)
(while (and (not r) (<= i (1+ (- (strlen str) n))))
(if (= (substr str i n) sub) (setq r i))
(setq i (1+ i))))
r)
;; Replace every OLD in STR by NEW (case sensitive).
(defun cx:replace (str old new / n out pos)
(setq n (strlen old) out "" pos 1)
(if (= n 0)
str
(progn
(while (<= pos (1+ (- (strlen str) n)))
(if (= (substr str pos n) old)
(setq out (strcat out new) pos (+ pos n))
(setq out (strcat out (substr str pos 1)) pos (1+ pos))))
(strcat out (substr str pos)))))
;; One CSV field: quoted when it holds a comma, a quote or a line break.
(defun cx:csv-field (s)
(if (or (cx:find s "," 1) (cx:find s "\"" 1) (cx:find s "\n" 1) (cx:find s "\r" 1))
(strcat "\"" (cx:replace s "\"" "\"\"") "\"")
s))
(defun cx:join (lst delim / out)
(setq out "")
(foreach s lst
(setq out (if (= out "") s (strcat out delim s))))
(if lst out ""))
(defun cx:csv-line (fields)
(cx:join (mapcar 'cx:csv-field fields) ","))
;; Real X as text with at most PREC decimals and no trailing zeros ("2.50" -> "2.5", "3.00" -> "3").
(defun cx:num (x prec / s)
(setq s (rtos x 2 prec))
(if (wcmatch s "*.*")
(progn
(while (= (substr s (strlen s)) "0") (setq s (substr s 1 (1- (strlen s)))))
(if (= (substr s (strlen s)) ".") (setq s (substr s 1 (1- (strlen s)))))))
(if (or (= s "-0") (= s "")) "0" s))
;; A real as text with at most 4 decimals.
(defun cx:n4 (x) (cx:num x 4))
;;; Geometry helpers: polylines with arcs, length, area, centroid, a point inside a shape.
;;; See helpers.lsp for the format.
;; The ATTRIB of a block reference with the tag TAG (any case), or nil.
(defun cx:att-find (ins tag / r)
(foreach a (cx:attribs ins)
(if (and (not r) (= (strcase (cx:dxf 2 (entget a))) (strcase tag))) (setq r a)))
r)
(defun cx:att-get (ins tag / a)
(if (setq a (cx:att-find ins tag)) (cx:dxf 1 (entget a))))
;; 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 for one of the keywords in BITS ("Yes No"), default DEF; returns the keyword.
(defun cx:ask-kw (msg bits def / v)
(initget 0 bits)
(setq v (getkword (strcat "\n" msg " [" (cx:replace bits " " "/") "] <" def ">: ")))
(if v v def))
;; Use the objects already selected, or ask the user to select; FILTER is an ssget filter list or nil.
(defun cx:pick (msg filter / ss)
(setq ss (if filter (ssget "_I" filter) (ssget "_I")))
(if (null ss)
(progn
(princ msg)
(setq ss (if filter (ssget filter) (ssget)))))
ss)
;; Ask where to save a CSV file; BASE is the proposed file name without folder and extension. Returns a path or nil.
;; With FILEDIA 0 the name is typed at the command line instead of picked in a dialog.
(defun cx:file-save (title base / def f)
(setq def (strcat (getvar "DWGPREFIX") base ".csv"))
(if (= (getvar "FILEDIA") 0)
(progn
(setq f (getstring T (strcat "\n" title " <" def ">: ")))
(if (= f "") def f))
(getfiled title def "csv" 1)))
;; Write LINES to FILE; returns T, or nil when the file cannot be written.
(defun cx:write-lines (file lines / f)
(if (setq f (open file "w"))
(progn
(foreach l lines (write-line l f))
(close f)
T)))
;; Write CSV LINES to FILE and report it; returns T when the file was written.
(defun cx:csv-save (file lines)
(if (cx:write-lines file lines)
(progn (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (1- (length lines))) " row(s) written to " file)) T)
(progn (princ (strcat "\nThe file could not be written: " file)) nil)))
;; Selection set to a list of entity names.
(defun cx:ss->list (ss / i out)
(setq i 0)
(if ss
(repeat (sslength ss)
(setq out (cons (ssname ss i) out)
i (1+ i))))
(reverse out))
(princ "\nCXBLK2CSV loaded. Type CXBLK2CSV to start.")
(princ)
Version history
Version 1.0.0 · October 27, 2026
First release.
Need this across many drawings?
BlockSync does this kind of job on a whole folder of drawings in one run.
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