Can FDOT CONNECT work with other configs?

In beginning to look into how to build our ORD and MS CONNECT workspace (now Configuration), I was excited to see how Bentley has revised their level structure to try and be more direct on what each level is intended for.  Being a consultant external to FDOT, we struggled to make the SS4 workspace work with ours and our other clients.  I am a bit disappointed to see that the new FDOT CONNECT workspace/configuration does not appear to be provided to external parties in a manner where we can just add this in as a workspace (as it appeared Bentley had intended), instead FDOT is using the organization and workspace levels, and by how I am digesting the installation instructions, it appears that things are configured for FDOT to be the only resources configured.  How have others made the FDOT CONNECT configuration play nice with external parties organization and other client workspaces?

Being that we are just starting to work with the CONNECT generation products, I am trying to build my configuration best to suite the FDOT CONNECT config with the least amount of modification to get things to work, but at the same time, have the flexibility to have additional workspaces available for our other clients.  The FDOT config is by far the most involved and complex over all of our other client provided configs/workspaces.

For server installs, it would not be desired to install MicoStation/ORD at the time of providing the FDOT client either.  For example if a user had ORD previously installed for other client work, I would not want to uninstall/reinstall ORD to configure it to the FDOT CONNECT server when he/she is transitioned to FDOT work. 

I may be missing something, but the install documentation seems specific for internal installations.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you.

Parents
  • In my limited experience thus far, you can successfully have more than one workspace available to end-users via the definition of the _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION variable. Installing the FDOTConnect configuration to a centralized server location with additional workspaces and pathing the variable should make it available in the backstage drop-down during file open. Similarly, if using a laptop/local deployment, you'll want to place all of the workspaces in a common location, with FDOTConnect being installed in that same directory. You will need to do a bit of minor tweaking to the FDOTConnect (and possibly other clients') workspaces to make this work. 

    Eddie Giese, PE
    Production Manager | Senior Roadway Engineer | Associate
    Licensed in FL & PA
    ACEC FDOTConnect Instructor on behalf of FDOT

    Patel, Greene & Associates, LLC
    PowerGEOPAK V8i SS10 (08.11.09.918)
    OpenRoads Designer 2022 R3 (10.12.2.4)
    ProjectWise Explorer CE 10.0.3.453

    OpenRoads Conceptstation CONNECT Edition (10.0.16.84)
    LumenRT Pro CONNECT Edition (16.17.60.73)

    premier-scholar-badge road-designer-badge

Reply
  • In my limited experience thus far, you can successfully have more than one workspace available to end-users via the definition of the _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION variable. Installing the FDOTConnect configuration to a centralized server location with additional workspaces and pathing the variable should make it available in the backstage drop-down during file open. Similarly, if using a laptop/local deployment, you'll want to place all of the workspaces in a common location, with FDOTConnect being installed in that same directory. You will need to do a bit of minor tweaking to the FDOTConnect (and possibly other clients') workspaces to make this work. 

    Eddie Giese, PE
    Production Manager | Senior Roadway Engineer | Associate
    Licensed in FL & PA
    ACEC FDOTConnect Instructor on behalf of FDOT

    Patel, Greene & Associates, LLC
    PowerGEOPAK V8i SS10 (08.11.09.918)
    OpenRoads Designer 2022 R3 (10.12.2.4)
    ProjectWise Explorer CE 10.0.3.453

    OpenRoads Conceptstation CONNECT Edition (10.0.16.84)
    LumenRT Pro CONNECT Edition (16.17.60.73)

    premier-scholar-badge road-designer-badge

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