Production Enhancements

MicroStation V8 offers many enhancements designed to facilitate the production of engineering information.

Models

When you draw, or place elements, in a MicroStation V8 DGN file, you are creating a model. A DGN file is composed of one or more models. Every model has its own set of eight views.

It may be helpful to think of a DGN file as a box that can contain both 3D and 2D objects — models — any of which you can view individually. There are two types of models — design and sheet.

Using the Models dialog box (File > Models), you can create and switch quickly between models in a DGN file.

See also:
Models
Models dialog box

Levels

In the MicroStation V8 DGN file format, the number of levels is unlimited, and the minimum number of levels is 1. You can delete unused levels. All levels are named and have default colors, line weights, and line styles, providing the foundation for numerous enhancements. Perhaps the most important benefit of the new level system is that it is much easier to standardize level structures across DGN files.

MicroStation V8 levels support:

level symbology override per level
Level- and cell-based symbology (in addition to element symbology). Level-based symbology is referred to as “ByLevel.” Cell-based symbology is referred to as “ByCell.”
level libraries (for project-oriented level definitions)
level hierarchies
customizable level attributes

The easiest way to turn the display of levels on and off in views and to set the Active Level is to use the Level Display dialog box. This dialog box is most easily accessible through an icon in the Primary Tools tool box.


Level Display dialog box

The intuitive controls in the Level Manager dialog box (Settings > Level > Manager) enable you to quickly and easily determine and change:

which levels are displayed in which views
which levels are populated with design data
which levels plot (independent of display)
which levels are locked for write access
the default color, weight, and line style for each level
each level´s description
which levels are referenced from an external resource

Unnamed levels used in designs created with previous MicroStation versions are assigned special names — “Level 1,” “Level 2,” and so on — upon conversion to MicroStation V8 DGN file format.

Filters

You can define filters to filter the level entries in the list boxes in the Level Display and Level Manager dialog boxes. You can save and recall sets of applied filters using the contextual (right-click) menu in the list box.

View groups

A view group is a set of view window layouts applicable to a model within the open DGN file.

The View Groups window (Window > Views > Dialog) is used to select the active view group. When you start MicroStation V8 “out of the box,” the View Groups window is open and docked to the status bar.


View Groups window

To create and delete view groups and to modify a view group's name and description, use the Manage View Groups dialog box. To open this dialog box, click the icon in the middle of the View Groups window.

View groups with changes are saved in the open DGN file when File > Save Settings is chosen.

Saved views

The following categories of settings can be saved with a saved view using the Saved Views dialog box (Utilities > Saved Views):

window aspect ratio, size, or size and position
camera position
view attributes
clip volume
level display
reference settings

Several of the above list items are MicroStation V8 enhancements.

References

As a result of the presence of models in MicroStation V8 DGN files, the term “reference file” becomes obsolete. The MicroStation V8 term is reference because references are between models. That is:

Within a DGN file, a model may reference other models or itself. A DGN file cannot reference a model or vice-versa.
Each such reference is stored in the referencing model as a reference attachment.
A reference may be in the same DGN file as the active model or in a different DGN file.

Not withstanding the reorientation of the concept and resulting terminology changes, MicroStation V8 features many functionality enhancements. The following sub-sections highlight these enhancements.

Reference attachments

The most noteworthy enhancements to references functionality relate to reference attachments. You can:

Attach an unlimited number of references to the active model.
Attach DWG files to the active model as references.
Optionally save, in reference attachment information, the relative path to the DGN file that contains the attached model.

You can also attach a 3D reference to a 2D master model and vice-versa.

If you attach a 3D reference coincident to a 2D master model, you see the 3D elements as they appear in the Top view of the 3D file.
If you attach a 3D reference to a 2D master model with a saved view, you see the 3D elements as they appear in the saved view.

It is possible to create reference attachments from a saved view with the camera on. This will create an attachment that has its own camera and will therefore appear identical to the saved view. This can be helpful when creating detail sections on sheet models. There is one important caveat: As these attachments are essentially projections from 3D to a 2D image, they are only allowed in 2D master models or sheet models.

When copying elements from an attached 3D reference to a 2D master model using the Copy tool, the elements are converted to 2D. If the 3D element is a B-spline surface, it is converted to a group (orphan cell) with a network of B-spline curves that are graphically equivalent to the wireframe appearance of the 3D B-spline. Similarly, cones are converted to a group of elements that are graphically equivalent to the wireframe and are put in a group. 3D surfaces and solids are treated the same way.

Attaching references

When attaching a reference with different units than the active model, you can “soft-scale” the reference attachment to adjust it to the units and unit type (English or metric) of the active model. To enable these adjustments, turn on True Scale in the Attach Reference Settings dialog box.


Attach Reference Settings dialog box

Aligning Global Options

When referencing a model from a DGN file whose Global Origin is different than the open DGN file, the Coincident - World option in the Attach Reference Settings dialog box takes into account the DGN files' Global Origins as well as their design plane coordinates. Note that the Coincident World option does not appear when you are in or are referencing models in DWG files, since DWG does not have a Global Origin concept.

REFERENCE ATTACH (RF=) key-in

The REFERENCE ATTACH (RF=) key-in syntax is as follows:

RF=configuration_variable:]<filename> [,model_name] [,logical_name] [,description] [,view_name] [,scale] [,nesting][ON|OFF].

For detailed information about the REFERENCE ATTACH (RF=) key-in's parameters, see Attach Reference.

You can use spaces instead of commas as parameter delimiters.

Merging references

To merge a reference into the active model, identify or select the reference(s), and in the References dialog box, choose Tools > Merge Into Master.

“Exchanging”

To open the DGN file that contains a reference, identify or select the reference, and in the References dialog box, choose Tools > Exchange.

The Tools > Exchange menu item is a graphical interface for the EXCHANGEFILE key-in.

Reference display

The Set Reference Presentation tool in the References tool box is used to set a reference's Display Mode — either wireframe or rendered.

You can set the manner in which attached references are highlighted by choosing Settings > Hilite > in the References dialog box. Boundaries are highlighted by default. Highlighting is optional.

Reference clipping

Reference clipping is defined relative to the world coordinates, and the clipped volume remains the same in all views. Furthermore, you can define a clipping boundary for a reference by identifying an element in the active model. The element must be closed and planar — for example, a circle, ellipse, complex shape, grouped hole. Modifying the clip element automatically updates the view to reflect the new clipping boundary.

Deleting reference clip masks

The Delete Reference Clip tool works on only one reference at a time, so if there is more than one reference selected in the References dialog box it works on the first one.

When you select the reference (either in the dialog box or graphically), the reference is highlighted. If there is a clip boundary and one or more masks, the boundary is shown in color 4, typically yellow, with the dashed line style and line weight 3. The mask(s) are shown in color 3, typically red. You then identify the boundary or mask to delete.

If there is only one mask or boundary, or if the reference is clipped by an element, MicroStation V8 highlights the clipping feature and prompts you to accept or reject the clip boundary or mask. Accepting causes MicroStation V8 to delete the clip boundary, mask, or element; rejecting either the terminates the tool's operation or causes MicroStation V8 to prompt you to select or identify another reference, depending upon the manner in which you selected or identified the previous reference.

References tool operation

Various reference tools — for example, Move Reference, Rotate Reference, and Scale Reference — are redesigned to operate consistently with their counterparts in the Manipulate tool box:

Instead of terminating after an operation on a single reference, these tools remain active, enabling you to select or identify another reference on which to operate.
These tools dynamically display a manipulation as you perform it.
You can temporarily interrupt the operation of these tools to use view controls.
To distinguish multiple references on which to operate, you can use the fence, the Element Selection tool, reference groups, which are analogous to graphic groups, and the list box in the References dialog box. With the fence, if an element in a reference satisfies the fence criteria, the associated reference will be manipulated. With Element Selection. if you select an element in a reference, the associated reference will be manipulated.
These tools have settings, some of which are common to all manipulations, such as Use Fence and the associated option menu for choosing the fence selection mode. The Use Reference Dialog List checkbox is dimmed (disabled) if the References dialog box is either closed or minimized.

Copying reference attachments

The Copy Reference tool is used to copy references. This tool operates on references in the same manner as the Copy Element tool operates on elements in the active model.

Grouped reference attachments

The REFERENCE GROUP ADD and REFERENCE GROUP DROP key-ins are used to flexibly group and ungroup reference attachments in the same manner as the Add to Graphic Group and Drop from Graphic Group tools are used with graphical elements. That is, without “breaking up” the grouping, which is called a reference group, you can add, remove, or manipulate individual member references. The Graphic Group Lock setting applies to reference groups as well as graphic groups.

Rotating references

You can rotate a reference by entering data points to define the angle of rotation. To invoke this method, set Method to By Points in the Rotate Reference settings window.

Scaling references

You can scale a reference by the Active Scale factors or by entering data points to define the scale factor.

To scale by a factor, choose Scale Factor from the Method option menu in the Scale Reference settings window, and in the Scale Factor field, key in the factor. Specify the factor as the ratio of the active model's Master Units to the reference's master units.

To graphically define the scale factor, set Method to By Points in the Scale Reference settings window.

To set the absolute scale ratio between the reference and the active model, choose the other Method option: Absolute Ratio.

Nested reference attachments

MicroStation V8 provides “live” nested reference attachments (as an alternative to “flattening” all reference attachments in the active model). When this option is enabled, changes to reference attachments in designs that are referenced to other designs are reflected the next time either the active model's views are updated or the file is reopened.

Reload All

Reload All, on the Reference dialog box's Tools menu, reloads all attached references — allowing you to see changes that have been made to these references since they were last attached or reloaded.

MS_OPENREFFILEFILTER

This configuration variable is used to override the default (.dgn) file filter on the Attach Reference dialog box. For example, if MS_OPENREFFILEFILTER is set to .dwg, then a list of available dwg files displays when the Attach Reference dialog box opens.

Placing elements

The expanded MicroStationV8 DGN file format provides greater ability to connect virtually an unlimited number of points for elements or fences. Additionally, enhancements to the Place Arc tool allow for greater flexibility in arc placement.

Line strings, point curves, and shapes

In the MicroStation V8 DGN file format, a line string, shape, or point curve can have up to 5000 vertices. There is no limit to the number of components in a complex chain or complex shape.

Place Arc tool

MicroStation V8 enables you to place arcs counterclockwise or clockwise. Additionally, the Length setting locks the length when placing an arc.


Arcs (with Method set to Center) can be placed either counterclockwise (left) or clockwise (right).

AccuDraw

AccuDraw is enhanced for MicroStation V8.

AccuDraw automatically starts when you open a DGN or DWG file.

When Auto Point Placement is on in the Operation tab of the AccuDraw Settings dialog box (Settings > AccuDraw), data points are placed automatically when they are fully constrained — that is, both the X and Y values are locked, or if either is locked while the pointer is indexed to zero. Auto Point Placement is off by default — this capability is recommended for advanced users.

When Sticky Z Lock is on, when you lock the Z axis, it remains locked through consecutive operations instead of unlocking after you enter a data point. This setting is useful, for example, where you want to draw on one plane — that is, you want to lock Z=0 — while snapping to elements on another plane. With Sticky Z Lock on, the Z value remains locked. Sticky Z Lock is off by default.

AccuDraw Settings dialog box

The dialog box controls used to adjust AccuDraw settings are consolidated in the AccuDraw Settings dialog box (Settings > AccuDraw). This dialog box is redesigned with tabs. Each of the four tabs corresponds to a category of AccuDraw settings. The tabs are labeled as follows:

Operation
Display
Coordinates

See also:
AccuDraw

Grid orientation

There is more than one way to align the grid. The new options are primarily useful for 3D modeling.

You can align the grid with the active ACS or with a Top, Right, or Front view, as well as with the view.

The Grid Orientation option menu in the Grid category of the DGN File Settings dialog box (Settings > Design File) is used to set the grid orientation.

While Grid Orientation is set to

Top, the grid extends along the X and Y axes from the global origin.
Right, the grid extends along the Y and Z axes from the global origin.
Front, the grid extends along the X and Z axes from the global origin.

Perspective view displaying the grid with Orientation set to Top

See also:
Grid orientation

AccuSnap

AccuSnap is a new snapping mode that may be used by itself, or in combination with AccuDraw, to reduce the number of “button presses” required during a design session. AccuSnap provides graphical assistance — a “smart” pointer — for snapping to elements. In AccuSnap mode, with Show Tentative Hint turned on, you simply select a tool and move the pointer over the elements. As you do this AccuSnap displays the nearest snap point with a crosshair (the tentative hint). When you move the pointer close to this “hint”, the crosshair changes to a heavier line weight “X” and the element highlights, denoting a tentative snap point. This eliminates the need to press the Tentative button. The location of the snapping point depends on the Snap Mode setting.

To toggle AccuSnap mode on/off, click the Toggle AccuSnap button on the Snap Mode button bar. To open the AccuSnap Settings dialog box, choose Settings > Snaps > AccuSnap.

To snap to an element using AccuSnap (with Show Tentative Hint)

Move the pointer to the vicinity of the desired snapping point.
As the pointer moves across or near an element, AccuSnap highlights the element and displays a dashed crosshair at the nearest potential snapping point, as determined by the Snap Mode setting.

Move the pointer towards the crosshair, until it becomes a heavier line weight “X”, then press the Data button.
A data point is entered at the location indicated by the “X”.


With both Show Tentative Hint, and Display Icon turned on — Left: With the pointer within the snap tolerance of an element, AccuSnap shows a prospective snap point with a crosshair (+), along with the current snap mode icon. Right: When the pointer is within Keypoint Sensitivity range, AccuSnap highlights the element and displays the tentative snap point as a heavy line weight “X”. A data point at this stage will be placed at the tentative snap point location.

See also:
AccuSnap Settings

Locating elements

Whenever you attempt to identify an element that is not allowed by the selected tool (e.g., it is the wrong type for the tool, it is locked, or in a reference, etc.), MicroStation reports the reason the element cannot be selected.

MicroStation V8 automatically locates elements as you point to them, so that you can tell if an element is acceptable without having to press the Data button. This helps you determine a tool's intent and, in some cases — the Delete Element tool, for example — saves you from entering a data point to accept the identified element.

This feature is enabled by default. To disable it, turn off Identify Elements Automatically on the General tab in the AccuSnap Settings dialog box (Settings > Snaps > AccuSnap).

Immediately below the Identify Elements Automatically check box is a check box and option menu labeled Pop-up Info. If Pop-up Info is on, when you point at or enter a tentative point on an element, depending on the Pop-up Info option chosen, MicroStation V8 displays a tool tip showing the element type and level of that element.

See also:
AccuSnap Settings

PowerSelector tool

The PowerSelector tool's settings window is enhanced to simplify the process of defining attribute-based element selection criteria and to accommodate the MicroStation V8 DGN file format. The settings window contains a tab for each attribute-based selection criterion (tab titles are in parentheses):

level (“Lv”)
color (“Co”)
line style (“Lc”)
line weight (“Wt”)
element type (“Ty”)
class (“Cl”)

Manipulating and modifying elements

MicroStation V8 has enhancements to improve the manipulation and modification of elements.

Move/Copy Parallel tool

The Move/Copy Parallel tool is enhanced: The tool setting Gap Fill Mode determines the manner in which the gap created by moving two connected elements to a parallel location is filled. The options are Miter and Rounded.


Move/Copy Parallel tool lets you choose between mitred (left) and rounded (right) to close gaps at vertices.

Graphically defining the distance

By clicking the icon next to the Distance field in the Move/Copy Parallel settings window upon selecting this tool, you can graphically define the distance by which to move or copy.

Scale tool

The About Element Center setting allows you to scale one or more elements about each element's center point instead of an identified point.


Left: Selecting the elements to scale with a fence. Right: After scaling the elements with About Element Center turned on (originals shown dashed).

See also:
Scale tool documentation

Rotate tool

The About Element Center setting allows you to rotate one or more elements about each element's center point instead of an identified point.


With Method set to Active Angle, and About Element Center turned on: Left: Identify the element (1) — a cell in the illustration Center: The rotation displays dynamically Right: Accept (2) to complete the rotation about the center of the element


Left: Selecting the elements to rotate with a fence. Right: After rotating elements about their centers.

See also:
Rotate tool documentation

Fence operations

Like line strings, point curves, and shapes, the fence can be placed with as many as 5000 vertices.

Fence persistence in 3D is the same as in 2D; you can place a fence in a 3D file, zoom in on a design and, when you zoom back out, the fence remains intact. Also, in 3D, the fence is parallel to the view in which it is placed.

Selecting elements by dragging with the Element Selection tool removes the fence.

Change Element Attributes tool

Enhancements to the Change Element Attributes tool enable you to change an element´s attributes without affecting the active settings. Also, using this tool you can both match and change element attributes.

Cells

Cell names and cell sizes are unlimited in the MicroStation V8 DGN file format.

When you first attach a MicroStation v7 cell library during a MicroStation V8 session, it is automatically converted to MicroStation V8 format. The original version is saved in the directory specified by the MS_BACKUP configuration variable.

MicroStation V8 cell libraries can contain both 2D and 3D cells. 2D cells can be placed in 3D DGN files and vice-versa. When a 3D cell is placed in a 2D DGN file, the cell's Top view is displayed.

It is not possible to save a MicroStation V8 cell library as a MicroStation v7 cell library.

Cell-based symbology (ByCell)

Another aspect of MicroStation V8's interoperability with the DWG file format is its support of cell-based symbology or “ByCell.” When the active color, line style or line weight is set to ByCell, cells are placed with the active attribute(s) rather than the cell's own attribute(s).

ByCell is enabled by default only in DWG Restriction workmode.

Browsing cells

You can browse the contents of cell libraries when setting the Active Cell using the Place Active Cell settings window. Clicking the magnifying glass icon next to the Active Cell field opens the Cell Library dialog box for browsing.

Placing cells

When placing or replacing a cell that was created in a model with different units than the active model, you can “soft-scale” the cell to “adjust” it to the units and unit type (English or metric) of the active model. To enable these “adjustments,” turn on the tool setting True Scale.

This approach is workable in MicroStation V8 because the working units of the model from which a cell is created are stored with the cell in the cell library. Furthermore, the MicroStation V8 DGN file format makes working unit settings insignificant for practical purposes.

Hatching and patterning

In the Pattern Area settings window, clicking the magnifying glass icon opens the Cell Library dialog box so you can select the Active Pattern Cell. If the selected cell is not in an attached cell library, the cell library in which it resides is automatically attached.

MicroStation V8 enables you to:

create patterns that regenerate when a patterned region's boundaries are moved.
reassociate disassociated patterns
create single associative patterns with disjointed regions.


Hatching disjointed regions. Left: Select the regions to “flood” hatch (<Ctrl>-data points 1–3). Right: Accept to hatch the selected regions (4).

MicroStation V8 provides visual feedback when a pattern created in this manner becomes disassociated, making it easy for you to reassociate it.

3D Modeling

MicroStation V8 enhancements to 3D modeling tools allow for shell, thicken and modify face operations on non-analytical geometry — that is, SmartSolids that contain B-spline faces. These enhancements affect certain tools in the Curves, Modify Curves, 3D Primitives, 3D Modify, 3D Utility, and Modify Surfaces tool boxes. In addition, the operation of a group of 3D modeling tools is more consistent with other drawing tools.


Shell Solid (above) and Thicken to Solid (below) now support SmartSolids that contain B-spline faces.

Curves tool box

The Offset Element tool is renamed Offset Curve, and the tool settings are changed. Gap Fill Mode is noteworthy among the tool settings: the gap-filling options are Miter, Round, and Natural.


Offset curve with Gap Mode set to Round (left) and Miter (right). Identify the curve (1) and create the offset curves (2 & 3).

The Extract Iso-parametric lines tool is enhanced to extract rule lines from any type of surface including faces of a solid.

Modify Curves tool box

The Rebuild Curve tool replaces the Reduce Curve Data tool. This tool is used to rebuild a curve, reduce a curve's data, or reparameterize a curve, depending on the chosen Type.

When using the Change Element Direction tool on a closed element, the tool setting Mode is used to determine the tool's effect — reversing the shape's direction or changing its starting point.

You can deform a curve with restricted parameter domain using the Deform Curve tool.

3D Construct tool box

The Extrude tool has an option for extruding the profile element in both directions.


When Both Directions is turned on, the profile is extruded in both directions

The Extrude Along Path tool provides a choice between extruding the profile from its current position, following a path defined by the path element, or extruding along a path element to which the profile is attached. This option applies only to non-circular profiles. Also, the tool adds support for holes.

3D Modify tool box

You can taper a surface or solid using a specialized tool — Taper Solid/Surface. A cube display updates dynamically to allow you to preview the results. You can apply the tool to all faces of the surface or solid or to selected faces.

Edit 3D Primitive is a general tool for modifying the properties of 3D primitive elements. For example, in the case of a slab created with the Place Slab tool, you can modify its length, width, and height.

3D Utility tool box

The Change SmartSolid Display tool is enhanced to let you suppress rule lines for B-spline faces and/or complex blending faces. Also, when setting the number of rule lines that are used to represent the curved surfaces of SmartSolids and SmartSurfaces, you can specify the number of lines in the U and V directions.

You can create a set of planar shapes from a 3D element based on a specified tolerance using the Construct Facet tool. The shapes can either be saved in a single element called a mesh element or saved to the DGN file as individual elements.


Rendered image showing original element left and the faceted element right.

Modify Surfaces tool box

An option has been added to the Construct Trim and Project Trim tools to specify whether the solid upon which the tool operates remains a solid or is converted to a surface.

The Modify Trim Boundary tool is renamed Untrim Surface. It operates on smart surfaces as well as B-spline surfaces. Where a trim boundary is shared by two faces, along an edge, no change is made.

3D tool operation

The operation of the following tools is, in general, more consistent with most MicroStation V8 tools:

Chamfer Edges
Extract Face or Edge Geometry
Fillet Edges
Modify Solid
Remove Faces
Shell Solid
Taper Solid

After you identify the first face or edge using one of these tools, you can identify additional faces or edges by entering data points while holding down the <Ctrl> key.

While using Fillet Edges, after you identify one edge, entering another data point (without holding down <Ctrl>) starts the filleting operation.

To identify a back (non-visible) face, you must first Reset.

Apply Clip Volume To View view control

Using the Apply Clip Volume To View view control in the View Control tool box (Tools > View Control), you can limit the displayed volume for a view. Doing this will allow you to work efficiently within a limited volume without being hindered by geometry that is outside the volume of interest, but within the view volume. For example, consider a 3D model of a building. You might want to limit the displayed volume in order to work on a single room of the building without the distraction of outer walls, roofing systems, or other room details.

Once a clip volume is applied, elements outside of the clip volume are not displayed and are effectively disregarded as you select elements or snap to them. The clip volume is also applied for such operations as rendering, fence manipulations, and hidden line removal.

When using Apply Clip Volume To View, you identify a clipping element. Once the clipping volume is applied to the view, modifying the clipping element causes the view to automatically update to reflect the new clipping volume.


Before applying a clip volume, the view is crowded, making the stairwell hard to discern.


After applying a clip volume, the stairwell is clearly seen.

If you frequently use Apply Clip Volume To View, consider adding it to the view control bar using the Customize dialog box (Workspace > Customize).

In MicroStation V8.5, this view control is extended and renamed Clip Volume.

Related view attributes

The Clip Volume setting in the View Attributes dialog box (Settings > View Attributes) toggles the clipping of elements for a given view. If no clipping element has been applied to the view it has no effect.

The Clip Boundaries setting in the View Attributes dialog box controls whether the boundaries of the clip volume are displayed for a given view, as well as reference clip boundaries.

Disabling front and back view clipping

In the View Attributes dialog box (Settings > View Attributes), the Clip Back and Clip Front settings enable you to toggle the display of elements and parts of elements located outside a 3D view's clipping planes.

See also:
View Attributes dialog box

Deleting tags

MicroStation V8 has a tool for removing tags from selected elements — Delete Tags in the Tags tool box.

See also:
Tagging Elements

Annotations

MicroStation V8 allows for more efficient handling of text by using TrueType and AutoCAD shx fonts natively, allowing the definition of text styles, supporting masking, overline, italics, and bold, and incorporating a Quick Text editor mode.

Font system

The font system is enhanced to allow the use of TrueType and AutoCAD SHX fonts natively without import via the Font Installer utility.

Each font type has a specific font number range:

MicroStation fonts	0-255
AutoCAD SHX fonts	512-1023
TrueType fonts	1024-65535

The Missing Fonts preference in the Text category of the Preferences dialog box controls the manner in which fonts missing from your system are listed in font selection combo boxes.

See also:
Annotations
Font Libraries

Word processor-style text editor

The default text editor in MicroStation V8 provides text presentation capabilities similar to those commonly found in word processor applications — for example, bolding, italicizing, underlining, and spell checking.

To select a different style text editor, such as the Text Editor window from MicroStation v7, change Text Editor Style in the Text category of the Preferences dialog box (Workspace > Preferences).

Text styles

Text styles are the primary means by which text attributes are defined and applied in MicroStation V8. A text style is a saved set of text attributes. You can define text styles and apply them to text elements during and after placement.

The Text Style Editor dialog box (Element > Text Styles) is used to manage text styles. The Place Text and Change Text Attributes tools each have a Text Style option menu for choosing the text style to apply. If the active text style is set to (none), the active text attributes are applied.


Text Styles dialog box

Text display

Text in MicroStation V8 supports masking and overline. Text masking “blanks” a polygon around the text with the same color as the background. When you place text with text masking enabled, all vector and raster information behind the text is masked, eliminating any interference with existing geometry/image information — making the text much more readable. This is an efficient scheme that doesn't “break up” any existing geometry and is scalable.

To enable masking, turn on Background Color in the Advanced tab of the Text Styles dialog box (Element > Text Styles).

See also:
Display Text Attributes

Text attributes

Bold and italicized text can be placed using TrueType fonts in MicroStation V8.

Quick Text Edit

Editing text in MicroStation V8 is easier.

When using the Edit Text tool, selecting a text element automatically opens the Word Processor Text Editor window with the selected text highlighted. After making changes to the text, a data point accepts the changes. Each subsequent text element you select in the model automatically replaces the last one in the Word Processor Text Editor window.

If the Text Editor Style preference is set to Dialog Box, you must turn on Quick Edit in the Edit Text settings window to cause the tool to operate in the manner described above.
In the Text Editor window — a right-click menu contains the items Copy, Cut, Paste, and Select All.

Spell checking preferences

You can fine-tune your Spell Checker settings using the controls in the Spelling category in the Preferences dialog box (Workspace menu > Preferences).

In this category, you can set Spell Checker to ignore domain names, words with numbers, words of mixed cases, and so on. You can also specify the default language. MicroStation V8 recognizes the difference between American English and British English.

See also:
Spelling preferences

Dimensioning

MicroStation V8 has several dimensioning enhancements. You can:

Set up “alternate” dimensions based on criteria that you define — providing the ability, for example, to dimension in sub-units below a certain value and in master units greater than or equal to that value. This setting, Alternate Label, is in the Units category of the Dimension Settings dialog box (Element > Dimensions).
Modify the location of a dimension value to something other than horizontal along the dimension line. This capability is called dimensioning with leader or “ball and chain”. You can define the manner, if any, in which the dimension text visually identifies the dimension with which it is associated. You can also choose that the dimension text not identify the dimension with which it is associated. These settings are in the Dimension With Leader category of the Dimension Settings dialog box (Element > Dimensions).
Dimension styles are the primary means by which dimensioning settings are defined and applied in MicroStation V8. A dimension style is a saved set of dimensioning settings. You can define dimension styles and apply them to dimension elements during placement.

The Dimension Settings dialog box (Element > Dimensions) is used to manage dimension styles. The dimensioning tools in the Dimension tool box each have an option menu for choosing the dimension style to apply. If the active dimension style is set to (none), the active dimensioning settings are applied.
Store dimension styles in either the DGN file or in an external library. This allows more automated management of dimension layout with reduced user impact.

Dimension Settings dialog box

Engineering Links

Two tools are added to the Engineering Links tool box:

Edit Engineering Tags — used to edit an Internet tag that is attached to an element.
Delete Engineering Link — used to remove an attached Internet tag from an element.

Printing enhancements

MicroStation V8 has enhancements to printing that provide expanded capabilities and better visual feedback. The Print dialog box has been redesigned and pen tables and the batch printing utility have been enhanced.

Print dialog box

The Print dialog box is redesigned and incorporates the following enhancements:

You can specify monochrome, gray-scale, or RGB output using controls in the dialog box.
Choosing File > Edit Printer Driver opens the selected printer driver for editing outside MicroStation V8. The text editor in which the printer driver is opened is specified by the configuration variable MS_PLTFILE_EDITOR; the default is "notepad.exe" (Windows Notepad). If MS_PLTFILE_EDITOR is set to HIDE_MENU_ITEM, this menu item is omitted from the File menu.
Choosing File > Reload Printer Driver causes MicroStation V8 to reread the selected printer driver. This is useful when the printer driver has just been modified.
There are two print preview options — in the dialog box and in a separate resizable preview window, which is opened from MicroStation V8's main menu bar — File > Print Preview.
Clicking the magnifying glass icon in the Print Size/Scale section of the full-size dialog box opens the Scale Assistant dialog box, which enables you to define the scale criteria either as design-to-paper or paper-to-design — for example, 1/4 inch to 1 foot.

Print dialog box, fully expanded to show all settings.

See also:
Print dialog box

Pen tables

Pen tables are enhanced. You can:

import color and line weight changes from AutoCAD CTB and STB files,
specify output line weights in different units,
specify output fill color and fill pattern, the latter only with Windows and RIP printer drivers,
specify output color and fill color in RGB,
set a screening value for output color and fill color,
ensure that dashed lines are not printed with gaps at vertices,
specify line caps as rounded, square, or flat (Windows and RIP printer drivers only),
specify line joins as beveled, mitred, or flat (Windows and RIP printer drivers only).

See also:
Pen Tables

Batch printing

Batch printing is enhanced as follows:

In the Batch Print dialog box (File > Batch Print), double-clicking a printing specification in the Specifications Controlling Printing list box opens a dialog box for selecting that specification.
In the Batch Print dialog box, right-clicking a printing specification in the Specifications Controlling Printing list box opens a contextual menu containing the same items as the dialog box's Specifications menu.
The configuration variable MS_BATCHPRINT_LOGFILE specifies the path and filename of the batch printing log file.

See also:
Batch printing

Raster image processor

MicroStation V8 can use a raster image processor (RIP) to drive the printing process. This is particularly useful for printing DGN files with large raster files attached.

To use this capability, select a RIP printer driver file delivered with MicroStation V8 in the "Workspace\system\plotdrv" directory.

For gray-scale output, select "ripwin32_gray8.plt".
For color output, select "ripwin32_rgb24.plt".

When using a RIP printer driver file, you can assign a transparency value (1-100%) to polygons in the pen table; a fill pattern; rounded, square, or flat line caps; and beveled, mitred, or flat line joins.

A progress indicator is displayed while the RIP is running.

See also:
Customizing print drivers

Utilities

A pair of utilities in MicroStation V8 make it easy for you to keep your data “clean” and package it for use in other environments.

Create Package wizard

MicroStation V8 includes the Create Package wizard (Utilities > Packager), which enables you to create project archives.

DGN file cleanup

The Design File Cleanup dialog box (Utilities > Data Cleanup) is used to easily clean up instances of the following in the open DGN file:

Duplicate elements — where two elements of the same type have the same location and geometry
Overlapping elements — where two elements partially overlap one another
Gaps — where an endpoint of one element is unacceptably far from another element


Perspective view displaying the grid with Orientation set to Top