AcDbTable objects are generated from table templetes. Table content is stored and managed by AcDbLinkedTableData, while the format is managed by a derived class, AcDbFormattedTableData. Together, these classes have the following capabilities:
- Store the content and format of a table entity
- Store the content and format for a table templete
- Store the content and format obtained from multiple external/internal data sources. The data is obtained from these sources via data links
- Store the content and format changes in linked cells so that the data sources can be updated with the changes
In addition AcDbFormattedTableData objects are used by table entities, table templates, and data links to store data downloaded from sources. To iterate through a table, use AcDbTableIterator.
These tables should not be confused with database tables (implemented by AcDbDataTable); they differ in the following respects:
- AcDbLinkedTableData and AcDbFormattedTableData contain data in a non-homogenous format, where each cell can be of any data type; all cells in a database column must be of the same data type
- AcDbFormattedTableData cells can have AutoCAD specific content like blocks and fields.
- AcDbLinkedTableData can contain cell formatting information in addition to content.