Connecting PAZ files with Bentley Architecture

 Is there a documentation/wiki on how to connect paz files with BA? I tried the XM way but no success. I must have missed something now. Please let me know.

Thanks,

Rabi

Parents
  • Rabi:  check the documentation in Bentley Architecture and look for "Establish Datagroup Systms Catalogs - Tutorial"

     

    Basically, you need to know what Catalog Type your PAZ file is (door, window, or a custom made one), and add a Catalog Item to that Catalog Type.  Once you add the Item, you can then associate the proper Datagrop Definition file to the Catalog type (if it's a new Catalog) OR if it's an existing, fill out the information needed.  

    For example, if you are adding a Door, then the ArchDoor.xsd file is already connected to the Door Type, so all you need to fill out is the type of parametric file (PAZ in this case versus BXF) and the name (without extension) of the PAZ file.   Your PAZ file (for a door) should be in your dataset\frame\door folder (or wherever your ATFDIR_DOOR variable is pointing).  If it's a custom catalog, you'll most likely need to put it in your dataset\cell folder (or wherever your ATFDIR_CELL variable is pointing)

     

    If you or anyone else is wanting to learn more about Datagroups, Catalog types and other Bentley BIM topics, you can attend the Mid Continent MicroStation Community Summer 2009 Conference, August 25-26 in the Kansas City area.  Check the MCMC Community here for more information.  The group has a dedicated BIM tract covering multiple topics like Datagroups.

    HTH,

    Shawn

    follow MCMC on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tmcmcmc

    Thanks,

    Shawn

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  • Thanks Shawn for such an elaborative explaination. I did find the tutorial and its a good resource.

    It seems like my issue is little different here. We have our configuration setup such that, the DG_PATH and other related DATAGRROUP SYSTEM variables point to folders in the following fashion.

    $(_USTN_PROJECTDATA)datagroupsystem/$(DISCIPLINE)/

    Here the $(DISCIPLINE) is determined by the application itself, such as if Architecture is running then DISCIPLINE is ARCH.

    Now when Datagroup Catalog editor runs, it doens't look into the above defined path. It only looks into the path defined by $(TF_DIR)datagroupsystem in tflocal.cfg triforma.cfg and validates everything to be true. Even though the user defined parametric cells works fine with our setup, the datagroup catalog editor misses to list the user defined types. Now that is a problem.

    Seems like Parametric Cell Studio Catalog Editor doesn't process the cfg's the way MicroStation does.

    I hope I explained it better this time.

    Thanks,

    Rabi

  • From within the MicroStation as well as from stand alone catalog editor.
  • I'm going to suggest you contact support, because it sounds like your DG_PATHs are not loading properly in the Catalog editor.  Ours load fine because I re-wrote the configuration for our company to ensure that the DGs are loaded at the PCF level, so when the Catalog editor loads, you can load it internally or externally with the PCF file.

    Thanks,

    Shawn

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  • I haven't done this type of thing in a looong time, but what Shawn describes sounds about right.  When starting the Catalog Editor outside of MicroStation, you are by default prompted to select a project, since that defines which set of data to load.

     



  • Hi Steve,

    Yes Catalog editor prompts to let us choose the projects. It means the pcf's are being read. But somewhere the DG_PATH is limited to point to the location defined by triforma.cfg (sorry I said tflocal. cfg earlier).  When I validate the data, it only shows the paths which triforma.cfg defines. It seems its not reading the prepended or appended paths for datagroup catalog editor from our custom cfg's.

     Let me explain it little more. When I use Catalog editor, it lets me create files for user defined parametric cells. But it does so in the datagroup folders. But the actual program (Bentley Architecture) doesn't want to read it from that location because it is looking files in datagroup/$(DISCIPLINE) folder. So when I move the catalog files into the later folder, it works.

    I can file a ticket to Bentley if you want to look into our cfg's and pcf's. Please let me know.

    Sincerely,

    Rabi

  • You may want to post a DEBUG file and see how you are loading MicroStation.

    Out of the box, when you pick the TriForma UCF, it's loading everything along with the PCF, which includes those paths.

     If you are using Custom UCF's and Custom PCF's that are possibly NOT loading the DG_PATH  to your Discipline folder when you select a UCF or a PCF from the Catalog Editor, that could be it.

    If you are setting $(DISCIPLINE) in your PCF, you may want to consider a Catalog-Editor.UCF that you use on all projects, and then you should be able pick the proper folder when you select your new Catalog Type file....

    Personally, I don't like launching Catalog Editor from inside of the tools, I like launching it from my Start Menu, so I can work on different catalogs while in side MIcroStation.

     

    my two cents,

     

    Shawn

    Thanks,

    Shawn

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Reply
  • You may want to post a DEBUG file and see how you are loading MicroStation.

    Out of the box, when you pick the TriForma UCF, it's loading everything along with the PCF, which includes those paths.

     If you are using Custom UCF's and Custom PCF's that are possibly NOT loading the DG_PATH  to your Discipline folder when you select a UCF or a PCF from the Catalog Editor, that could be it.

    If you are setting $(DISCIPLINE) in your PCF, you may want to consider a Catalog-Editor.UCF that you use on all projects, and then you should be able pick the proper folder when you select your new Catalog Type file....

    Personally, I don't like launching Catalog Editor from inside of the tools, I like launching it from my Start Menu, so I can work on different catalogs while in side MIcroStation.

     

    my two cents,

     

    Shawn

    Thanks,

    Shawn

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