[CONNECT (ORD)] Using _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION to Retain Local Workspaces/Worksets and Provide Network Custom Workspace/Workset

There appears to be some type of internal management within MicroStation/ORD of the _USTN_CONFIGURATION, _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION, and _USTN_USER_CONFIGURATION variables that is a bit mysterious. The file C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenRoads Designer CE\Configuration\ConfigurationSetup.cfg will sometimes change for whatever reason.

I've had good success defining _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION in a configuration file that gets loaded earlier in the SYSTEM level, prior to the loading of ConfigurationSetup.cfg. I define the variable and then lock it (%lock _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION) so that it does not get updated by any subsequent configuration file.

The path defined by the _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION should contain your custom Organization, Organization-Civil, and Workspaces folders. When set up in this manner the _USTN_ORGANIZATION, CIVIL_ORGANIZATION_STANDARDS, and USTN_WORKSPACES_ROOT folders will be directed to these custom locations.

caddcop,

I have experienced the same issues and like you am very well versed in config file processing in the previous versions.  I agree with your post 100%.

To make this even more complex, the general CAD product (MicroStation & PowerDraft) configurations are a little different than the some of the other "design" product (like OpenRoads) configurations.  In a recent correspondence with support in getting the two products to utilize the same config environment, I was informed that ORD is more of a "standalone" application with its workspace environment not intended to be used by the general CAD apps.  I found that a hard pill to swallow since not all plans production is a 3D model (at this point) and consists of other deliverables besides plans, profiles and sections.  The features and functionality of ORD isn't needed for these deliverable types and by user creating or working in these files.  To add additional complexity to the configuration, the clients who provide an ORD environment (DOT's in our case) have configured their environments a little differently than others.  Some provide their environments in Org-Civil while others as a WorkSpace.  

In the end, I ended up just trying to keep the configuration folder as close to the Bentley "delivered" format, adding the Organization-Civil folder, defining _USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION in ConfigurationSetup.cfg, defining MY_CIVIL_ORGANIZATION_ROOT  in WorkSpaceSetup.cfg.  Both the CAD products and ORD seem to be reading the corporate and client specific standards, with the CAD products ignoring the ORD specific variables, I guess....???

I did redefine _USTN_WORKSETSROOT and _USTN_WORKSETDGNS in the project specific workset config. Right or wrong, it seems to work.

IMO Connect config seems more like a complex science project, I'm learning it and trying to understand it, but more complex than previous versions nonetheless.

I did find that some locations needed me to use the MY_,,, variables as it is very difficult to know where other variable are used or defined. I have ignored some warnings in cfg files in the past but since this workspace seems more amicable to multiple base workspace standards, and the MY_... variables are the doorway to that result.