CSV File Access from Chief

[clearvuedesign]

Hey everyone, does anyone know how to access or get information from a file outside of Chief Architect and have it fill text in Chief Architect? Anything along those lines, like Chief reading something that's not in Chief and then writing text for it? 

Edited July 2 by clearvuedesign

[SHCanada2]

you can write a macro that opens up a file in a specific place (there is no gui to select the file), and then parse the file into global variables. But the macro needs to run every time you open the file

 

The better solution for a one and done, IMHO, is to write a program that converts the csv to the macro specific file format, and then import it via the macro import functionality in CA.

 

or import into excel, and then do whatever you want with it, and then import in CA as picture, pdf, etc

 

Edited July 2 by SHCanada2

[Renerabbitt]

On 7/2/2026 at 12:36 PM, clearvuedesign said:

Hey everyone, does anyone know how to access or get information from a file outside of Chief Architect and have it fill text in Chief Architect? Anything along those lines, like Chief reading something that's not in Chief and then writing text for it? 

You have PPX17, there are upgrade codes for PPX18 in your accounts tab. PPX18 has an automatic CSV reader that is already setup for you in a CAD detail. 
See this chapter:
https://renerabbitt.github.io/ppx18-manual/?chapter=jobtread-buildertrend-spreadsheet-linking