Object data is a method of storing tabular data associated with CAD objects in your drawing.

It can be attached to any standard AutoCAD object. While you need AutoCAD Map 3D to attach and

manage the data, the objects could be from legacy data, created in standard AutoCAD.

Object data is composed of tables, fields and records, and it is stored within the AutoCAD Map 3D .

dwg file. So, themore object data that is attached, the larger your drawing file will become.

Attaching object data is a manual process. So if you have, for example, a sewer collection system with

thousands of lines, someone is going to have to touch each one of those lines in order to input that

data.

When you begin working with object data, first you need to create an object data table within the

drawing file. Then, you attach those object data records to objects.

One important thing to understand is that there is no way to set database business rules with object

data, such as those that are included with other, more advanced database management software. So

you will need to adhere to standards manually as you enter data.

Object data can be polygons such as parcels, counties, or voting districts. For parcels, you might

have parcel number, owner information, assessed value, and so on. Or, it can be linear information,

such as roads and pipes. With roads, you might have speed limits, or surface type attached. And with

pipes, you might have information such as diameter, material type, the date it was installed, or

maintenance records. You can also attach object data to point information such as hydrants, Sanitary

Sewer manholes, or streetlamps.

And finally, AutoCAD Map uses object data internally as well. Object data is used to control

topologies. When you create topologies, AutoCAD Map 3D attaches the topology information to the

objects in the form of object data.

And, Object Data is used as a vital part of import and export routines.