microstation tips and tricks

MicroStation / GEOPAK Tips, Tricks and Frequently Asked Questions

Esther BarwickCADD Design Support Coordinator

Selecting a Project

When a project is selected it sets the variable _USTN_PROJECTNAME, which resolves to set the variable _USTN_PRJECTDATA

This is a system variable which is used by both MicroStation and GEOPAK

Passing Arguments At Start-up of MicroStation

C:\bentley\program\microstation\ustation.exe –Sfile.txtn Executes a script file when starting MicroStation. The file can

include macros, mdl programs, key-ins etc.C:\bentley\program\microstation\ustation.exe –WS(variable)n Defines a specific variable at startup

C:\bentley\program\microstation\ustation.exe –WRd:\workspn Defines the workspace directory

C:\bentley\program\microstation\ustation.exe –debugn Runs MicroStation in debug mode

C:\bentley\program\microstation\ustation.exe –WUsitefdotengn Defines the user interface at startup

Default User Config File

The dfltuser.cfg file should contain the 2 lines shown below. The _USTN_USERNAME variable should be set equal to the last workspace that MicroStation properly exited.

%level 0_USTN_USERNAME = sitefdoteng

Note: If MicroStation is not opening correctly change the workspace back to examples.

The MicroStation User Preference File

A binary fileStores the Saved Settings of the workspace which includes the dialog boxes open status, working directory of last session, previously selected project in MicroStation Manager, etc.

Note: At times this file becomes unstable due to size or corruption & must be deleted.

Resource Files

The Location Variable for Resource Files is MS_RSRCPATH.This variable can be set to Create & Locate an

MDL’s Resource File in the current working directory. The Advantage:(locating the Resource Files in the working directory)

the Settings for each project is remembered.The Disadvantage: (if the Resource Files must be deleted, for example, when the program is updated)

the Resource Files must be located in several directories. At times Resource Files are corrupted and should be

deleted, if its corresponding MDL file consistently aborts. Also when new versions of an MDL are installed

its corresponding resource file should be deleted.

Note: Never delete the Resource Files in the Bentley directory.

Modifying User Configuration Files

Always leave a carriage return at the bottom of the file.

Graphics Accelerator

If the computers’ Graphic Accelerator is OpenGL, then set the MicroStation variable to qvisgl (the default).

If the computers’ Graphic Accelerator is Direct Draw, then set the MicroStation variable to Quickvis.

Disable Direct Draw from the Display Adapter for Quantities Manager

Finding Dialog Box Resource Numbers

To find the Resource ID for a dialog box or tool box key-in:

To activate it: dmsg dialogdebug toggle OR dmsg dialogdebug onTo turn it off: dmsg dialogdebug toggle OR dmsg dialogdebug off

Below shows resulting messages when dialogdebug is ON & the Polygon Tool Box is torn away from the Main Tool Frame. (Note the tool box ID Number)

Resolving Conflicts Between Dialog Box Resource Numbers

Inability to load the Dialog box or Application & the error “Unable to load dialog ID number ????” displaysindicates a conflict between applications.

MDL files store Dialog IDs Statically or Dynamically. Note: Application ‘A’ assigns dialog ID#9001 Statically.If Application ‘B’ loads prior to ‘A’ & grabs the ID#9001 Dynamically, then ‘A’ will not load.

To Resolve: Find the Dialog Box/Aapplication conflicting & change the order of load.

To Avoid Conflicts(with user customized tool boxes/frames):Set the variable _USTN_CUSTOMIZEBASEID to a high number (Ex: 50000 for a starting number)

Problems Customizing ToolboxesDeactivate GEOPAKCreate the Tool

Boxes/Frames locallyCreate a Tool Frame

(necessary for easy transfer of Tool Boxes to other interfaces)

A Tool Box created under fdoteng & added to the sitefdoteng interface may need the Resource Number changed using the MDL uimgr .

User Interface Manager

Provides a mechanism to copy/modify/delete tool boxes or frames between different user interface files.

Pasting Text in a Dialog Box

Many dialog boxes in MicroStation and GEOPAK do not support the keystroke of <cntrl>V to copy text. Instead you must use the key stroke <Shift><Insert>

Increasing MicroStation Undo BufferWhen do I need to increase the undo buffer?Example: A user ran a set of xsections, a few days later the xsection program aborted using the same input & criteria files.Answer: For some reason the design files exceeded memory allocation due to Complex Elements.

Note: the Undo Buffer should be in increments of 1024.

Reference File Problems

The MDL FDOT Config must find the _meta_info directory under the Project Number. (run PEDDS when the Project is initialized to resolve problem)

To prevent full paths being saved for Reference Files: Set the variable MS_DISALLOWFULLREFPATH.

To remove hard-coded reference file paths: use the Giffels refutil program (or) select SiteMenu>Utils>Reference File Utilities> Remove Reference File Path

Note: GEOPAK clipping strips off all Reference File logical paths set by TIMS Attach Reference File dialog. ECSO is working with GEOPAK to get this resolved.

Making Solid Filled Shapes TransparentMake shapes transparent by applying a "glass" material to the shapes and then render the view (Constant, Smooth, or Phong). The steps are: n Select Tools > Visualization Tools > Rendering Toolsn Select the Apply Material tool

n Set the Method to Attach Attribute, and Mode to Apply Material. The name of the material file appears in the Table field.

n Click on the Open button to open the Glass palette and navigate to the ..\Workspace\system\materials\folder

n Select the Palette called "Glass".n Select the desired material from the pick list - Glass - Element.

The color of the 'glass' will pick up the element's color. In other words, yellow element = yellow glass and so forth. It will prompt you to identify the element.

n Select & Accept each shape needing to be transparent, or pre-select elements with the Element Selection tool & accept the Selection Set.

n To view the effects of the glass material:render the view in either Constant, Ssmooth or Phong.

Making Solid Filled Shapes Transparent …continued

Raster Manager & Cal files

Install any updated versions of Raster ManagerChange the Foreground and Background colorUse a Plot Driver specifically set up for Raster Manager

Note: In MSJ, Raster plot files plotted with Raster Manger are much larger than Raster files plotted with Image Manger.

Plotting Settings for Raster ManagerThe following options control Raster Plotting of images by Raster Manager:

MDLCOMMAND = implot ; For Image ManagerISV_RASTER = 1 ; Plots the raster image, 1=On 0=Off Default=1PIXEL_RESOLUTION = 300 ; Resolution of pixels on output (dpi) Default=80

;Raster Manager uses PIXEL_RESOLUTION to override HARDWARE_RASTER/RESOLUTION

CONTRAST = 50 ; Contrast in percent, between 0-100 Default=50BRIGHTNESS = 50 ; Brightness in percent, between 0-100RASTER_FENCE = 0 ; Clip the raster to fence, 1=On 0=Off Default=0NO_DGNRASTER = 0 ; MS plot of 87/88, 1=Don't plot 0=Plot Default=0NO_RASTERREF = 0 ; MS plot of 90's,1=Don't plot 0=Plot Default=0GRAYSCALE = 0 ; Plot in gray scale, 1=On 0=Off Default=0

Monochrome Raster background color is specified by the followingparameter in Raster Manager, but is ignored by Image Manager. BACKGROUND = 2 ; 0=white,1=black,2=color Default=0

For BACKGROUND = 0 or 1 (white or black), the raster foreground is inverted if identical to the Monochrome Raster background.

For BACKGROUND = 2 (color), no change is made to the background.

Plotting Grayscale to a Laser PrinterTo Plot Grayscale to a laser printer, the printer must have PostScript

capability. Add the following PEN lines after the “change_pen=“ statement to the

PLT file to control the Grayscaling. Make sure that the "change_pen=“ statement is set to "color" or "both“

PEN(n)=(a-b)/RGB=(x,y,z)

Where (n) is the pen number, (a-b) is a single or a range of element color(s), (x,y,z) are the Red Green Blue values.

To control the Degree of Grayscale, set the "RGB=" statement inside the parentheses as shown:

10% screen - (233,233,233) 60% screen - (102,102,102) 20% screen - (204,204,204) 70% screen - (77,77,77) 30% screen - (178,178,178) 80% screen - (26,26,26) 40% screen - (153,153,153) BLACK - (0,0,0) 50% screen - (127,127,127)

Plotting Grayscale to a Laser Printer …continued

Example: Pen Statement that will set color 0 to a 30% screen:

PEN(1)=(0)/RGB=(178,178,178)

Example: Pen Statements that will map colors 0 - 8 to black & colors 9 - 16 to a 40% screen:

PEN(1)=(0-8)/RGB=(0,0,0) PEN(2)=(9-16)/RGB=(153,153,153)

Note: The PEN(number) should not be set less than 1. Some printers/plotters have a PEN(0), but MicroStation does not recognized it & will reject the plot configuration file.

One useful grayscale is 0%(white). When placing an opaque shapewith CO=200 between text elements & an aerial photo, this setting, pen(200)=(200)/RGB=(254,254,254), whitewashes the text background making it more readable.

Creating an Image in MicroStation for PowerPoint or Word

Create an EMF image file using these settings in a PLT file:num_pens = 255 ; defines pens usedmodel = sysprnmetafiledefault_extension = 'emf‘ ; default extension

Insert the image file into Power Point or Word

Adding Hotboxes to SiteMenu# Automatically load GuidSign and AutoTurn

MS_MDL > C:/AutoTURN 4/MS_MDL > C:/GuidSign/MS_MDLAPPS > C:/AutoTURN 4/MS_MDLAPPS > C:/GuidSign/SM_HOTBOX3 = 1SM_HOTBOX3_TOOLS = 9001@gsv7SM_HOTBOX3_COLOR = GREENSM_HOTBOX3_POSITION = 890,6,12,12SM_HOTBOX4 = 1SM_HOTBOX4_TOOLS = 40@atv7SM_HOTBOX4_COLOR = YELLOWSM_HOTBOX4_POSITION = 858,6,12,12

Disabling Fly-Over Activation of HotBoxes

Modify the HotBox Flyover configuration variable to be set equal to zero.Example:n Sm_hotbox1_flyover=0

The user will then have to click on the box to activate it.

D&C Manager Tips & Work-Arounds

D&C problem with Construction Mgr & MR1n “MR1 for GEOPAK 2001 Updates” for the D&C Manager

creates a problem when importing data into the Construction Manager. (A patch is now available)

n To Retain the use of Construction Manager: Replace 2 files (acbook.ma & cmp.ma) in the GEOPAK/bin directory installed by the MR1 with the previous version.

n To Replace Files: Once MR1 is installed, rename the NEW files (acbook.ma & cmp.ma) to (acbook.new & cmp.new). Copy the OLD files (acbook.ma & cmp.ma) into the bin directory. This allows the older version of D&C Manager to remain with all of the updates in the MR.

Setting the Scale when Placing Custom Linestyles from D&C Manager

The Scale Factor for Linestyles is set globally.From D&C select Settings > DesignAll FDOT Custom Linestyles are created at

True Size or placed at the file’s Plot Scale.

Checking D&C Attributes

GEOPAK provides an Attribute Viewer & an Adhoc Attribute ManagerThis allows the user to easily see if the correct Pay Item or AdhocInformation is attached.

Criteria

GEOPAK 98 criteria files ran in GEOPAK 2000 or GEOPAK 2001 gave the following syntax error: %XS-E-INVIEI. Invalid sequence of ‘IF/ELSE IF’ statements. ‘IF’ statement must precede an ‘ELSE IF’ statement for a sequence of ‘IF/ELSE IF’ statements.

The Reason:GEOPAK 98 would allow a bracket out of place or perhaps an incorrect ‘IF/ELSE’ statement.

GEOPAK 2000 & GEOPAK 2001tightened up the syntax checking so these type errors are now caught.

Coordinate Geometry

GPK files become corrupt, sometimes,for no apparent reason. Using the Key-in “Rebuild Database” is the only correction.

Coordinate Geometry …continued

Used when there is a “shift” or offset in the AlignmentSTORE CHAIN RAMPD CUR AC31 S1 SHIFT S2 CUR AC32 A51 STA 0+00


Allows a Multiple User EnvironmentEach user has individual Next Available Element Preferences

Next Available Element Settings are maintained between MicroStation sessions

NEXT Available


SHOW NEXT ELEMENTNEXT Available


Via Key-in:n STORE POINT ? 10000 20000n LOCATE ? P76 245 S 45 23 34.56 En STORE CHAIN ? P101 CUR 4021 CUR 107n SET NEXT POINT S1n SET NEXT CHAIN CHAIN1

Store NEXT Available & SET NEXT Element


The GEOPAK Make Input File command produces a GEOPAK Format Input File containing Coordinate Geometry Commands for previously stored Coordinate Geometry Elements.

Key-in COGO: MAKE INPUT FILE EX901.IUS CHAIN EX90

Make Input File to Create Required ASCII Data


Merging 2 GPK Filesn Open 1st job number (ex: job001)n Make Input File ALL <filename>

Where <filename> includes job number to be merged into (ex: merge002.iop)

n Open 2nd job number (ex: job 002)n Load and Read Input File

Caution: Open Input File before reading & adjusting the point numbers. If both Databases have the same point numbers & Redefine is on, they will be overwritten.


Navigator:n ID Element works only with

COGO Visualized Elements, not with D&C Manager drawn Elements

n Selector can create a Selection Set. n $SEL can be used to substitute

the Selection Set in any COGO command

Conclusion

Questions?Contact Informationn Esther Barwickn (850) 245-1600n [email protected]

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