DWG Interoperability with MicroStation V8i SS3

Transcription

1 DWG Interoperability with MicroStation V8i SS3 Arizona Bentley BASH Sept 13 th 2013 Presenter: Sam Hendrick

2 Topics: AutoCAD format DGN vs. DWG Differences DWG-DGN workflows Autodesk RealDWG 2013 Variables to help Conversion considerations Demo time!

3 AutoCAD format MicroStation works directly on DWG files (DWG Workmode) A Conversion is still necessary (behind the scenes) Differences: Commands Terminology PDF/Excel files will be on

4 What s compatible and not? MicroStation supports all DWG entity types and objects from AutoCAD 2006 and earlier. The following AutoCAD entities and objects introduced in AutoCAD versions 2007 thru 2010 are supported as read-only: annotative objects multi-leaders layer viewport overrides column mtext visual styles Underlays geometric constraints

5 What gets convert to what? Cells Classes Colors Design Models Enter Data Fields Fonts Levels Line Styles Line Weights DGN element References: Attachments to Non-Default Models References: Masked Attachment References: Self-Attached References: Standard External Attachments Sheet Models Tags Blocks DWG objects after DGN to DWG conversion Elements in construction, pattern, or linear patterned class elements can be saved to a layer or can be invisible entities. Automatically converted to use AutoCAD's fixed color table. To explicitly control how each color in the DGN file will appear in the DWG file, use the Remap capability. The default design model is saved to model space. Non-default design models can be saved to additional DWG files or drawing layouts (paper space). Enter Data Fields that are not attached to cells are converted to text. Enter Data Fields in cells are converted to attribute labels. The labels are assigned default names that cannot be modified. TrueType and *.SHX fonts are supported by both programs. MicroStation fonts can be converted to AutoCAD fonts when the file is saved to DWG. To explicitly control how each font will appear in the DWG file, use the Remap capability. Layers. Symbology (color, line style, line weight) ByLevel settings are converted to BYLAYER settings. To define how levels are converted to layers, use either the Save As DWG/DXF dialog or the Remap capability. Line styles are saved to linetypes. For line styles that are not compatible with AutoCAD, use the Drop UnSupported LineStyles to Components option on the Save As DWG/DXF Options dialog. To explicitly control how each line style in the DGN file will appear in the DWG file, use the Remap capability. Automatically converted to AutoCAD lineweights. To explicitly control how line weights in the DGN file are converted to lineweights in the DWG file, use the Remap capability. If non-default models are saved to separate DWG files, then references to these non-default models are saved to XREF inserts that reference the DWG files. If non-default models are saved to paper space or ignored, then the references must be merged to the output file to be included in the DWG output. To be included in the DWG file, clipping masks applied to references must be merged to the DWG output file. To be included in DWG file, self-attached references must be merged to the DWG output file. To be included in the DWG file, standard external attachments can be merged into the DWG output file or become XREFs. Drawing Layouts (paper space) Attributes

6 Possible workflows

7 Method 1 One way trip to DGN

8 Method 2 Round Trip with DGN Conversion To share design data, you may want to round-trip your data by opening a DWG file, converting it to a DGN file, then saving it back to a DWG file. However, every time that you save the file to a different format, the entire file is rewritten, not just the changes that were made to the design. If the file contains product-specific information such as AutoCAD proxy objects, this information will be lost. For this reason, round-tripping is not recommended.

9 Method 3 Round Trip with NO DGN Conversion To retain AutoCAD proxy objects, you can open the DWG file, modify it using DWG workmode, then save it as a DWG file

10 Method 4 DWG to DWG one way If the deliverable is to be a DWG file, then just work in DWG Workmode and avoid saving it as a DGN if possible.

11 Which Seed Files are Used and When?

12 Seed Files make the difference! MicroStation to AutoCAD AutoCAD to MicroStation Get the AutoCAD template file from AutoCAD User and point MS to it. Use your companies Seed file here.

13 Autodesk RealDWG 2013 What is RealDWG? RealDWG is a developer toolkit library that allows C++ and.net developers to read and write AutoCAD software DWG and DXF files. The RealDWG toolkit helps developers share design data with confidence using the native DWG file format. RealDWG Support Chart (Version ) RealDWG version MSV8i (SELECTseries 1) MSV8i (SELECTseries 2) MSV8i (SELECTseries 3) RealDWG 2009 Yes Yes Yes RealDWG 2010 Yes Yes No RealDWG 2012 No No Yes RealDWG 2013 No No Yes RealDWG 2014 No No Yes Switching between versions of RealDWG. There is a Variable! Not defined, you need to create it (see MS help RealDWG Support ) MS_REALDWG_VERSION

14 Object Enablers? Object Enablers are: Autodesk offers free downloadable enablers that you can use to access, display, and manipulate object data in applications different from their native environment. This provides essential data accessibility for design teams who create or receive files using Autodesk software. The following object enablers can be used with products that have them enabled: AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP Object Enabler AutoCAD Civil 2013 Object Enabler AutoCAD Structural Detailing Object Enabler Autodesk Fabrication CADmep 2013 Object Enabler

15 Variables to the rescue! There are a lot of Variables you can use to control how MicroStation works with DWG files. Excel file will be posted on the Website

16 Living with AutoCAD and my favorite VAR s MS_BLOCKLIST Variable Description Defines the list of DWG and DXF files available for insertion as MicroStation cells. MS_DWGAUTOSAVE Determines the frequency, in seconds, of the auto save timer for DWG and DXF files. For example, if set to 300 (the default), an auto-save occurs approximately 5 minutes after the first change to the design. If set to zero, no auto save is done while the file is open. The file is automatically saved on exit or when switching to a different file. MS_DWGAUTOSAVE_NODIALOG MS_DWG_BACKUP MS_DWGFONTPATH If set, auto-save occurs automatically, without displaying the default auto-save dialog. Defines the directory for the DWG backup (.bak) files. If not set, the backup files are placed in the same directory as the DWG file. Defines the path to AutoCAD *.SHX fonts if AutoCAD is not installed on the system. MS_DWG_PGPFILE Points to a PGP file that contains shortcuts, or aliases, for AutoCAD commands. MS_DWG_COMMANDPREFIX MS_DWGSEED MS_TRANSEED Defines a character or string of characters that can be used as a shortcut to the AutoCAD key-in commands. Defines the DWG seed file used when opening DWG files. Default seed file used for DWG, MS_TRANSEED_OVERRIDE Determines whether a user can modify the DGN Seed File setting on the DWG Open Options dialog. When the variable is not set or set to 0, the first time that the dialog opens, the default DGN Seed File is set by the MS_TRANSEED configuration variable. The user can choose a different seed file. When the variable is set to 1, the user can only use the DGN seed file identified by MS_TRANSEED. The user cannot choose a different seed file. When the variable is set to 2, the default DGN seed file is set by MS_TRANSEED at the beginning of each MicroStation session. The user can choose a different seed file during the session. MS_WORKMODE Defines the workmode as either DGN or DWG.

17 Locate AutoCAD Data on server

18 Conversion considerations Converting one file at a time

19 Conversion considerations Converting many files at once? Batch Convert!

20 Converting many files at once?

21 Let s talk about Remapping!

22 Let s still talk about Remapping!

23 Demo time! Save as DWG File Open DWG File