I noticed that if I placed a configuration variable in both the UCF and the PCF, then the UCF was "cancelling" the PCF. In both files, I was using the ">" sign to append the definition.
For example, I had MS_MACRO defined in both, using the ">". The result from the UCF showed up during checking, but not the PCF. If I commented out the UCF definition, then the PCF result would show up during checking.
Has anyone run into this before?
User-level configuration variable settings take precedence over all other level settings.
Edit: A bit more information from the V8i help file.
Project-level configuration variables are the fifth to be processed (after user-level configuration variables). They are usually set by a site or project manager to facilitate using the application in workgroups. Settings made at this level can be overridden by settings at the user level.
User-level configuration variables are the fourth to be processed. The user configuration file determines which project configuration file is processed. User-level configuration variable settings take precedence over all other level settings.
I see what you're saying. Yes, that's how it's supposed to work. Are you certain that MS_MACRO was not undefined or redefined in some other file?
Try running Microstation with the Debug switch so you can track the value of MS_MACRO as Microstation loads.
If you don't know how to do that, update the Target in a Microstation shortcut to include " -debugfileopen = #" after the path to ustation.exe, make sure there is a space between the last " and -debug. Once the text file is open search for "MS_MACRO" and look at its value as Microstation loads different configuration files. You could also use Configuration Explorer.