Marc Thomas

Batch Process Utility Use for straightforward repetitive operations. The MicroStation Batch Process Utility enables you to select groups or folders of files then run a series of key-in commands on them. The commands are stored in a simple text file as…

AECOsim Building Designer’s DataGroup enables the creation, manipulation and reporting of business data associated with DGN graphic objects of various kinds, generally building elements or components. The DataGroups Scheduling tools can produce sophisticated…

We provide the ability within CONNECT Edition applications to create new WorkSpaces:  and WorkSets:   For many users these are useful tools; however in organizations where there are strict procedures about project creation, where projects are often created…

Series Index - Setting Up in the Real World This article is an update of the earlier Setting Up in the Real World – GeoReferencing piece with a slightly simplified workflow to create the transformed GCS and using different example data. Background…

In CONNECT Edition Display Rules have been added as an additional option for Display Styles. Display Rules are a platform feature that are available in MicroStation and all other CONNECT Edition applications based on MicroStation's core. This simplified…

The DGNWS file, full name DGN WorkSet file, is very important. It contains WorkSet properties, custom properties, WorkSet sheet index, and the WorkSet Link Set. Each of these, other than the sheet index, involves some initial data input. As a project proceeds…

The following tips are valid for V8i applications, the variables mentioned have not changed in CONNECT Edition. From MicroStation help: When MicroStation opens a DGN file, it searches for DGN files that contain attached references as follows: If the…

You may come across references to this term in our discussions and documentation. Power Platform is the MicroStation core application that underlies the CONNECT Edition products that are based on MicroStation. In the V8i world we delivered many discipline…

An out of the box installation of a CONNECT Edition application is largely centered on folders in Windows' default ProgramData folder. This has to be done so the application can be successfully installed in a fully functioning state. However, live operational…

As discussed in Part 3, Standards can be applied at all configuration levels. As delivered Standards content is configured: At the Organization level by: C:\ProgramData\Bentley\MicroStation CONNECT Edition\Configuration\Organization\standards.cfg At the…

This article is based in the MicroStation CONNECT Edition installation process. The process for other applications is similar but will generally have some additional steps to cover application specific requirements, AECOsim Building Designer (ABD) datasets…

The process in Part 1 created the functional structure of the Organization with the first WorkSpace and WorkSet and the essential configuration files needed for it to operate. It did not create any of the resources that contain and deliver the Organization…

Standards can be configured by files at all configuration levels. Organization The Standards.cfg is the primary configuration file for setting organization wide standards. This is the organization baseline for: locations and names of shared resources; configurable…

When you create a Deployment Image for MicroStation CONNECT Edition or AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT Edition, the configuration stage of the installation enables the location of the Custom Configuration to be selected in the same way as a manual installation…

Two updates coming your way at the moment are an incremental update to the CONNECTION Client (0.00.08.18), note a terminology change, the Personal Portal is now known as the CONNECTION Center to tie in with the way the services available are developing…

The CONNECT Edition Configuration variables dialog is considerably more user friendly than its V8i predecessor, offering more space, column sorting and other improvements. However, one apparent limitation is that any changes made are saved to the current…

The Commercial Release of AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT Edition is now available for download from Bentley's Software Downloads page. Links to further information are available in this article.

The basic techniques for using the Ribbon are similar to those in Microsoft Office and other Ribbon based user interfaces. Here are a few tips that apply to all Power Platform products: Changing Ribbon Workflow At the top right of the Ribbon we have added…

One of the features of the V8i interface, loved by those that discovered and ran with it, was Position Mapping. The ability to drive the UI with simple alpha numeric sequences led to me receiving support calls from some users referring to tools by their…

While AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT Edition's well known primary objectives are migration to 64-bit and the Ribbon interface there will be new/enhanced features, 'Place by Element' for instance: (Please visit the site to view this video…

In the Creator's Update Microsoft have expanded the use of the word 'app' to cover any application in their current terminology. This means that with default settings installing a Bentley application may throw up this dialog: Just turn it…

For a long time we have been able to edit MicroStation cells by right-clicking and picking 'Open for Editing'. Editing other resources can involve repetitive navigation to locations in the Project/WorkSet or Workspace/Configuration. We have a couple of…

Bentley CONNECT Advisor has been superseded by functionality in the CONNERCTION Client.

Updated April 2017:

In some situations a series of VBA errors can occur when starting AECOsim Building Designer. Two possible causes are:

1. Misconfiguration of a project, in which case the Message Center should contain error messages listing incorrect…

The new Configuration Dialog makes life a lot easier. It can be resized, no more scrolling through a long list that only shows 6 lines at a time! Always use the search bar to find the right variable. Note that as well as the actual variable name, the…