Extended Data

Extended data (xdata) is created by AutoLISP or ObjectARX applications. If an entity contains extended data, it follows the entity's normal definition data. The group codes 1000 through 1071 describe extended data. The following is an example of an entity containing extended data in DXF format.

INSERT

F11

AcDbEntity

TOP

AcDbBlockReference

BLOCK_A

0.0

0.0

0.0

AME_SOL

 1.95059E+06

2.54717

2.122642

2.049201

ECD

EE9

0.0

1.0

MILD_STEEL

The group code 1001 indicates the beginning of extended data. In contrast to normal entity data, with extended data the same group code can appear multiple times, and order is important.

Extended data is grouped by registered application name. Each registered application group begins with a 1001 group code, with the application name as the string value. Registered application names correspond to APPID symbol table entries.

An application can use as many APPID names as needed. APPID names are permanent, although they can be purged if they aren't currently used in the drawing. Each APPID name can have no more than one data group attached to each entity. Within an application group, the sequence of extended data groups and their meaning is defined by the application.

Extended data group codes and descriptions
Entity name	Group code	Description
String	1000	Strings in extended data can be up to 255 bytes long (with the 256th byte reserved for the null character)
Application name	1001 also a string value	Application names can be up to 31 bytes long (the 32nd byte is reserved for the null character) NoteDo not add a 1001 group into your extended data because AutoCAD assumes it is the beginning of a new application extended data group
Control string	1002	An extended data control string can be either “{”or “}”. These braces enable applications to organize their data by subdividing the data into lists. The left brace begins a list, and the right brace terminates the most recent list. Lists can be nested When AutoCAD reads the extended data for a particular application, it checks to ensure that braces are balanced
Layer name	1003	Name of the layer associated with the extended data
Binary data	1004	Binary data is organized into variable-length chunks. The maximum length of each chunk is 127 bytes. In ASCII DXF files, binary data is represented as a string of hexadecimal digits, two per binary byte
Database handle	1005	Handles of entities in the drawing database NoteWhen a drawing with handles and extended data handles is imported into another drawing using INSERT, INSERT *, XREF Bind, XBIND, or partial OPEN, the extended data handles are translated in the same manner as their corresponding entity handles, thus maintaining their binding. This is also done in the EXPLODE block operation or for any other AutoCAD operation. When AUDIT detects an extended data handle that doesn't match the handle of an entity in the drawing file, it is considered an error. If AUDIT is fixing entities, it sets the handle to 0
3 reals	1010, 1020, 1030	Three real values, in the order X, Y, Z. They can be used as a point or vector record. AutoCAD never alters their value
World space position	1011, 1021, 1031	Unlike a simple 3D point, the world space coordinates are moved, scaled, rotated, and mirrored along with the parent entity to which the extended data belongs. The world space position is also stretched when the STRETCH command is applied to the parent entity and this point lies within the select window
World space displacement	1012, 1022, 1032	Also a 3D point that is scaled, rotated, and mirrored along with the parent (but is not moved or stretched)
World direction	1013, 1023, 1033	Also a 3D point that is rotated and mirrored along with the parent (but is not moved, scaled, or stretched)
Real	1040	A real value
Distance	1041	A real value that is scaled along with the parent entity
Scale factor	1042	Also a real value that is scaled along with the parent. The difference between a distance and a scale factor is application-defined
Integer	1070	A 16-bit integer (signed or unsigned)
Long	1071	A 32-bit signed (long) integer

Extended data group codes and descriptions

Entity name

Group code

Description

String

1000

Strings in extended data can be up to 255 bytes long (with the 256th byte reserved for the null character)

Application name

1001

also a string value

Application names can be up to 31 bytes long (the 32nd byte is reserved for the null character)

NoteDo not add a 1001 group into your extended data because AutoCAD assumes it is the beginning of a new application extended data group

Control string

1002

An extended data control string can be either “{”or “}”. These braces enable applications to organize their data by subdividing the data into lists. The left brace begins a list, and the right brace terminates the most recent list. Lists can be nested

When AutoCAD reads the extended data for a particular application, it checks to ensure that braces are balanced

Layer name

1003

Name of the layer associated with the extended data

Binary data

1004

Binary data is organized into variable-length chunks. The maximum length of each chunk is 127 bytes. In ASCII DXF files, binary data is represented as a string of hexadecimal digits, two per binary byte

Database handle

1005

Handles of entities in the drawing database

NoteWhen a drawing with handles and extended data handles is imported into another drawing using INSERT, INSERT *, XREF Bind, XBIND, or partial OPEN, the extended data handles are translated in the same manner as their corresponding entity handles, thus maintaining their binding. This is also done in the EXPLODE block operation or for any other AutoCAD operation. When AUDIT detects an extended data handle that doesn't match the handle of an entity in the drawing file, it is considered an error. If AUDIT is fixing entities, it sets the handle to 0

3 reals

1010, 1020, 1030

Three real values, in the order X, Y, Z. They can be used as a point or vector record. AutoCAD never alters their value

World space position

1011, 1021, 1031

Unlike a simple 3D point, the world space coordinates are moved, scaled, rotated, and mirrored along with the parent entity to which the extended data belongs. The world space position is also stretched when the STRETCH command is applied to the parent entity and this point lies within the select window

World space displacement

1012, 1022, 1032

Also a 3D point that is scaled, rotated, and mirrored along with the parent (but is not moved or stretched)

World direction

1013, 1023, 1033

Also a 3D point that is rotated and mirrored along with the parent (but is not moved, scaled, or stretched)

Real

1040

A real value

Distance

1041

A real value that is scaled along with the parent entity

Scale factor

1042

Also a real value that is scaled along with the parent. The difference between a distance and a scale factor is application-defined

Integer

1070

A 16-bit integer (signed or unsigned)

Long

1071

A 32-bit signed (long) integer