How are default WorkSet Properties modified

The answer to your first question is that the properties are stored in the worksets DGNws file. You can open the DGNws file and edit any of the properties, they are stored on the file header. Any changes will be written to files opened with that workset active.

You can have a workset template or a DGNws seed for creating new workset. There are configuration variables to set this up and you can create a base workset to work as a template if you want. A workset template is more detailed than a DGNws seed, the workset template also contains the dgnws but also folders and other files can be included.  There are several TR's on this concept so tread where you want with caution.

Regarding Sheet indexing note that the Workset custom properties and sheet indexing properties and custom properties are somewhat different. Text fields, reporting, etc. can use either. One set is stored on the model (sheet models inparticular) the other is stored on the file.

HTH

The answer to your first question is that the properties are stored in the worksets DGNws file. You can open the DGNws file and edit any of the properties, they are stored on the file header. Any changes will be written to files opened with that workset active.

You can have a workset template or a DGNws seed for creating new workset. There are configuration variables to set this up and you can create a base workset to work as a template if you want. A workset template is more detailed than a DGNws seed, the workset template also contains the dgnws but also folders and other files can be included.  There are several TR's on this concept so tread where you want with caution.

Regarding Sheet indexing note that the Workset custom properties and sheet indexing properties and custom properties are somewhat different. Text fields, reporting, etc. can use either. One set is stored on the model (sheet models inparticular) the other is stored on the file.

HTH

How do I change the default properties on the file header?  When I go to the Edit WorkSet area I can change the default "Description" variable and the variables I added.  The other default variables are not available here.

Then when I go to the File Properties of a DGN in the WorkSet I can see both the "default" properties and the ones I could edit in the above screen.  How can these circled attributes be edited?

When I used this DGNWS as a seed (either on the use template option on the create workset dialog OR in the configuration variables) my added workset variables do not come across.

I fared better using the Sheet Index variables.  I added three subfolders to the Sheet Index, each with their own sheet numbering rules, plus I added some Sheet Index variables.  These all came over when using the DGNWS as a seed.  However they came across as a group with the seed DGNWS name.  A second empty group with the active DGNWS name was also included.  This seems rather awkward; I'd rather have the seed group renamed to the new DGNWS name - I think I saw another thread about that.

One other oddity is that the Sheet Index variables do not show up in the Manage Sheet Index dialog.  They can be seen and modified in the Properties tab, but not in the dialog.

SCC.dgnws

For my application I think I'd rather use the workset properties than the Sheet Index properties since, as you point out, they are more universally available.  But at the moment the Sheet Index variables seem to work better.

ORD-2018 Release 2 Update 4 - Version 10.04.00.48

Open the DGNws file and you can edit those properties. They are then pushed on to all files opened in that workset. You can not edit the values from any file other than the dgnws.

I think those variables are used with ProjectWise CONNECTED projects.

Stephen Chapman said:

One other oddity is that the Sheet Index variables do not show up in the Manage Sheet Index dialog.  They can be seen and modified in the Properties tab, but not in the dialog.

They only show up once a sheet has been added to the Index. Sheet Index properties are more robust as they can be edited from any file. The Sheet index tools actually open the DGNws in the background to allow this.  Those Workset properties don't really have a UI other than the properties dialog.

Let me know if I need to explain more.

Thanks!  It did not occur to me open the DGNWS in MicroStation.  That answers my primary question. 

It appears that added variables in a DGNWS seed do not travel to new DGNWS files - but that is something for another day.

Steve

Depends on what you exactly mean but I may have a TR on that.

John Frampton - you just blew my mind!

I never would have thought you could open a .DGNWS file in MicroStation like a dgn or a dgnlib file.

Thank you for the great tip.