Does Open Bridge Designer let you down as much as me?

Honestly, I don't know if it's something I'm doing wrong but there are so many things that do not work.  I feel like I spend more time redoing tasks many different ways to get things to work.  Here are a few of the major ones:

  1. Superelevation.  I have some colleges building a superelevation corridor in SS4.  I am going into SS4 to get the CSV report and trying to import it into my OpenBridge Modeler file.  After it imports the editor dialog pops up and its completely blank:

I have even let open roads create the superelevation to see if I could at least get this dialog to open right and redo it with my CSV or even manually.  It just doesn't work so now I am using parametric constraints to do superelevation

2.  Is there any way to run through dynamic cross sections with OpenBridge elements and see temporary dimensions like you can you with OpenRoads dynamic cross sections?

3.  When working in the "imperial Standards" that come with the software, I have template libraries, levels, line styles, and some features.  However, when I am using the parametric models delivered with the software, I cannot assign features to those elements.  Is this in a dgnlib?  If it is my software cannot find it.  Because of this my entire bridge model ends up on the default level.

4.  It seems like you can only run a point control between specified supports instead of a station range.  Am I missing something or is that the only option?

I am using OpenBridge Modeler CONNECT Update 8.1 Update 8 - Version 10.08.01.78

Using this setup:

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  • Hi Dennis,

    Did you had a look at the tutorials that can be found here and here?

    1. The geometry created in V8i versions is not compatible with CE dgns because of the change in schemas. Your geometry needs to be created in ORD CE. Did you defined superelevation points to your deck template?

    2. OBM has the capability of all the drawing generations that ORD has and in plus, it has something specific for the bridge elements. You can find all the capabilities under Analysis and reporting tab.

    3. The parametric cells are seen as external cels in OBM due to Microstation platform. We are working on changing this behavior. For now, you can open the cel that contains the parametric object and assign for those objects directly the properties that you need (levels, element templates, etc.). The Default level is used to wrap around OBM objects so that when you click on a pier element, the entire pier is selected and not the single element (like a column for instance). If you turn off the Default level, you will notice that all the OBM objects are placed on the levels that are assigned to the feature definitions used for each component (pier, girder, deck, etc.). In this mode you will select only subcomponents (columns, piles, footing, etc.) and not the components itself. We are working on improving this behavior also.

    4. If I understood correctly, you are asking about controlling the variables for a deck. You can select for the reference, the supportlines, ratio by span, or stations.

    Answer Verified By: MarcosBeier 

Reply
  • Hi Dennis,

    Did you had a look at the tutorials that can be found here and here?

    1. The geometry created in V8i versions is not compatible with CE dgns because of the change in schemas. Your geometry needs to be created in ORD CE. Did you defined superelevation points to your deck template?

    2. OBM has the capability of all the drawing generations that ORD has and in plus, it has something specific for the bridge elements. You can find all the capabilities under Analysis and reporting tab.

    3. The parametric cells are seen as external cels in OBM due to Microstation platform. We are working on changing this behavior. For now, you can open the cel that contains the parametric object and assign for those objects directly the properties that you need (levels, element templates, etc.). The Default level is used to wrap around OBM objects so that when you click on a pier element, the entire pier is selected and not the single element (like a column for instance). If you turn off the Default level, you will notice that all the OBM objects are placed on the levels that are assigned to the feature definitions used for each component (pier, girder, deck, etc.). In this mode you will select only subcomponents (columns, piles, footing, etc.) and not the components itself. We are working on improving this behavior also.

    4. If I understood correctly, you are asking about controlling the variables for a deck. You can select for the reference, the supportlines, ratio by span, or stations.

    Answer Verified By: MarcosBeier 

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