How to control the folder for the "Browse" button in the WorkPage?

I've always used MS_DEF. Currently for CONNECT I have it set in my workset config. We have a separate workset for each project so I can have it open to the project specific folder. You could set it in the Client config and have it point to one specific client folder rather than project specific folders.

I'm sure there is another way to handle it, but I tend to stick with what works for me and is proven.

Hi mwlong
Thanks for your reply - unfortunately I can't see that MS_DEF helps controlling the folder (path) in which the Browse button will open (unless it's the first time you open a new WorkSet).

Best regards

Anders

Sorry, I did not see you replied to this. For me, I can open a file with a selected workset. When I click the Browse button Microstation Manager opens to my project folder. If I go to Close and select a different workset & click Browse again Microstation Manager opens to my newly selected project folder.

This is an example of how I use MS_DEF in my workset configs.

_USTN_WORKSETDGNS = //engdat1/projects/5819_PA_PennDOT2_EngEnvl/01_Kinzua_Creek_Bridge_Repl/300_CADD/

MS_DEF = $(_USTN_WORKSETDGNS)

MS_RFDIR = $(MS_DEF)

Sorry, I did not see you replied to this. For me, I can open a file with a selected workset. When I click the Browse button Microstation Manager opens to my project folder. If I go to Close and select a different workset & click Browse again Microstation Manager opens to my newly selected project folder.

This is an example of how I use MS_DEF in my workset configs.

_USTN_WORKSETDGNS = //engdat1/projects/5819_PA_PennDOT2_EngEnvl/01_Kinzua_Creek_Bridge_Repl/300_CADD/

MS_DEF = $(_USTN_WORKSETDGNS)

MS_RFDIR = $(MS_DEF)

Thanks for your new respond. As far as I can see (in my setup) the user preference file overrides the _USTN_WORKSETDGNS (or MS_DEF) variabel if I previously have opened a file in a WorkSet (the .upf remebers the last files and folders in the different WorkSets). So when I change the WorkSet the "Browse" button will always show the content of the last folder I have opened in the current WorkSet (not the folder defined in _USTN_WORKSETDGNS).
It's only if I opens a WorkSet for the first time it will look into the folder defined in _USTN_WORKSETDGNS ...until now I thaught this was "Works As Designed". It's also new to me that your setup always returns to the _USTN_WORKSETDGNS folder when you change WorkSet (and not the last folder stored in the .upf "under" the WorkSet).
Can you also confirm that when you start MicroStation, without opening a dgn fil, but first go to the Work Page (formerly MicroStation Manager) the Browse button will show you the content _USTN_WORKSETDGNS folder? ...in my setup it shows the latest used folder (in the current/chosen WorkSet) ...retrived from the .upf history.
I have tried to define _USTN_WORKSETDGNS in the personal.ucf just to check if the definition order makes any difference ...it doesn't (the .ucf is the last .cfg file being read). In my setup _USTN_WORKSETDGNS is defined in the msconfig.cfg (default) which is one of the first cfg's which MicroStation reads.
...I'm curios why your setup apparently works different ...but I'll guess it's hard to find the reason, but thanks again for your interest ;-)

Best regards

Anders

Anders W said:

In my setup _USTN_WORKSETDGNS is defined in the msconfig.cfg

This file is read early when you start Microstation. You would need to override this location in you workset configuration file (project configuration) which is read later. In msconfig.cfg (which you should not edit) you can only set one folder location & it make sense that Microstation would look to that folder when trying to open new files. My _USTN_WORKSETDGNS is set in my project configuration. For each project configuration I have _USTN_WORKSETDGNS defined to MS_DEF. MS_DEF is then set to my project folder location.

If all of your project worksets are in one central location you could set _USTN_WORKSETDGNS higher up and have it point to that location the set MS_DEF to = $(_USTN_WORKSETDGNS)<project specific folder>

It is tough to diagnose & provide a specific resolution since these configurations can be modified in so many different ways. 

Thanks 

IMHO I know a lot about the configuration and the different levels and order in which the variables are loaded (and I don't edit the system cfg's).
I have tried to define _USTN_WORKSETDGNS at different levels but it makes no difference. It's still the history of the .upf file that determines the last used folder etc. (unless I create a new WorkSet and opens it for the first time).
Some day I'll maybe try with a brand new configuration (from scratch) and see if this works different ...or I'll wait until Bentley moves the configuration to SQLite, maybe next year!

Thanks again for your interest and suggestions.

Best regards

Anders

Looking through other config variables because I seem to remember a variable that was set to default to the last used folder. I can't recall if there is one and what it is. I just found another one tied to _USTN_WORKSETDGNS. Do you have _USTN_WORKSETDGNSDIRNAME set?

_USTN_WORKSETDGNSDIRNAME - Base directory name for design files of WorkSet. At the time of creating new WorkSet, this name is appended to the WorkSet root directory path.

mwlong said:

I seem to remember a variable that was set to default to the last used folder.

That sounds very interesting. Please "dig in your memory" and if you recalls that variable, please let me know .
_USTN_WORKSETDGNSDIRNAME is set, and is set to the default value: "dgn" but it is only a directory name ...so I doesn't think this is it.

I also just tried to disconnect all my configuration so I'm running with a clean default setup (out of the box) ... it doesn't change anything: it's still the .upf history that decides which folder gets opened. So it confirms that you must have defined a special variable that forces MicroStation to ignore the .upf history.

Best regards
Anders