A simple menu based interface allows AutoCAD operators to search for AutoCAD entities based on any combination of properties. The PET search engine allows millions of possible combinations, providing a precision selection set builder for other automated operations.

Powerful yet easy to use

PET uses a simple pop-up dialog box interfaces for all entries. Three PET menus are used: one for Text (TSR), one for Blocks & Attributes (ASR)and one for the other Entities (ESR). Each function defaults to: select everything and change nothing. The operator only needs to make entries to limit entities selected and specify changes to be made.Example: We can use TSR to find all Text between 8 and 11 units high and change the layer to STNAME. You would enter 8R11 in the Search Height field and STNAME in the Replace Style field, then pick OK.

From the published review: PET could be AutoCAD's best friend
by Alan D. Smith in Civil Engineering News

"Editing is often the most time consuming operation performed with AutoCAD. Fortunately, PET offers the operator a fast, easy way to perform an almost unlimited variety of edits automatically:"

On using PET for scale changes he writes,

"Since Text size and placement and Block scales are usually set based on the final plotted scale, any changes in plotted scale will require these entities to be scaled and moved in order to maintain the desired appearance. With PET, text and blocks can be automatically scaled and moved to compensate for scale changes."

On Standards enforcement he writes

"Bring drawings from another company or from another CAD or GIS system into conformance with your company standards. These type of drawings almost always use different standards for layer, color, linetype, text style and block names. Using PET, these type of drawings can be automatically transformed to meet your standards and save many hours of tedious editing."

Specialized Search Capabilities

In addition to editing common entity properties like Layer, Color and Linetype, PET also includes a host of specialized search tools and options such as:

Ranging - all numeric search fields can find entities within a range of values.

Example: To find all Blocks whose Rotation Angle is between 45 and 90 you would enter 45R90 in the Search Block Rotation field and pick OK. Ranging is available for Block rotation and scale, Attribute and Text height, rotation, width and obliquing angle, Polyline width and Elevation for all entities.

Wildcarding - all text fields can include any wildcard character.

Example: A Search Block Name entry of ?PT* will find all blocks whose name has PT as the 2nd and 3rd characters.Wildcarding is available for layer, linetype, Text value & style , Block name, Attribute tag, value, style and shape names.

Elevation intervals - You can find entities whose Z value is a multiple of a specified value. within a specified tolerance. Use this to select contours by any interval.

Complex Block Searching - ASR allows a Qualifier Tag & value and a Search Tag & value so you can Search for Attribute Blocks based on data in two different attributes.

Example: You might need to find Blocks that have a Tag Name of INSTALL_DATE with a value of 1992, AND has a Tag Name of STATUS with a value of SERVICED.

Powerful Compound Searches - Each processor allows unlimited use of Search and Replace Criteria.

Example: Use ESR to find all 2D Polylines whose layer ends with RW, whose Width is between 30 and 50, whose Linetype is PAVED and whose Color is 3.

Specialized Replace Capabilities

PET includes a powerful search engine, but the Replace engine is where the work gets done. In addition to changing common entity properties like Layer, Color, Linetype, Justification and Style, PET also includes a host of specialized replace tools and options such as:

Modify less common entity properties - Such as Text and Attribute obliquing angle, Attribute mode (visible, constant, etc.), 3Dface visibility and Shape name.

Block substitution - Blocks with attributes are redefined and the attribute data from the old block is automatically passed to the new block.

Relative or Absolute changes - Most numeric properties can be set to a value or scaled by an amount (Block rotation and scale, Text and Attribute height, width and rotation). Example: you could change all Text to be exactly 50 units high (enter @50), or you could make it 20% larger (enter 1.2).

Secondary Search and Replace - For Text and Attribute values you can perform a character based search and replace on Text or Attributes found by a primary search.

Example: find Text on Layer COLLECTOR and then change all occurances of "Street" in those Text strings to "St.".

Rotation sensitive moves- Move Text and Attributes in relation to current rotation angles. Labels that are aligned with other entities, like street names, can be moved "into and out of" the street automatically.

Elevation manipulations - Change the Z value of entities by offsetting (adding/subtracting), scaling (multiplying/dividing), rounding (to any number of places) or setting to an absolute value. When 3D polylines or meshes are processed, each vertex is changed, yielding a Z exaggeration for TIN's or DTM meshes.

Comprehensive Polyline transformations - Perform 2D to 3D, 3D to 2D, splinefit, fitcurve, decurve, explode, change width and setting/resetting the LTGEN flag.