How MicroStation defines Background Color for a New Model?

Background color for existing models can be set from different settings.

  1. Workspace > Preferences > View Options - These is a user preference and will be stored with MicroStation
  2. Settings > Design File > Views > Background - This can be used to display an image in the background. This is file specific and will be applicable for all types of models in that file.
  3. Settings > Color Table - Background color can be set in the lower right corner box, denoted by B.

 

 

                 But how does MicroStation define the background color of a new model? The following rules are used.

  • While creating a new model, MicroStation will verify if the active file has another model of same type. If yes, its background color will be used for the new model. For example, if a drawing model exists in the file, then its background color will be used in the new drawing model.
  • If the active file doesn't have a model of the same type, then background color for Drawing and Sheet are taken from the color value set in the configuration variable MS_DEFAULTDRAWINGRGB and MS_DEFAULTSHEETRGB respectively. These configuration variables should be set with an RGB triplet separated by commas like putting (255,0,0) will create Red background. Changing these configuration variables to new color, doesn't change background color of the existing Drawing or Sheet models. For new Design model, it is defined by current color table's background color value (Settings > Color Table). Default Color Table has Design model background color as Black (RGB 0, 0, 0), Drawing model color as Gray (RGB 192,192,208) and Sheet model color as White (RGB 255,255,255).

Therefore, note that a new model created using a seed model will not inherit the seed model's background color.

 

 

 More blogs are coming up so be there.