standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Andreas Zieritz — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:18:50 GMT

Still we are just talking about client or server.

What I would like to have is a webbased approach (call it cloud). Configuration files on Google Apps anyone?

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Bear — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 07:19:13 GMT

Personally, with installed files to run the software I try and keep these all local and use _ustn_site to pick up my site cfg's and build.

Check out:

communities.bentley.com/.../161937.aspx

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

ChrisRev — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:51:07 GMT

Thanks Travis,

Is network traffic significant to warrant re-directing part of workspace back to local?

Secondly, is there anything to keep locally anyway (all the data in the ''System'' folder can equally be dealt with at ''Standards'' level right?)

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Eric Milberger — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:00:15 GMT

I just modify my standards files with all directories I'd like to use and any specific variables for my station.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Shawn Foster — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 03:41:57 GMT

We ended up using _USTN_BENTLEYROOT to point _USTN_SYSTEMROOT back to the hd vs. a System folder on the server, but it just shows the power of the cascading variables....either way works, see what works for you

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

T_Wollet — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 03:03:31 GMT

Either method is valid. I used to the redirect _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT when writing workspaces for clients, but then I found I was redirecting more things back to _USTN_INSTALLED_WORKSPACEROOT than what I wanted to redirect to the network location. That is when I started only redirecting the content to the network that I wanted to be managed there so I didn't have to redirect variables back locally.

ChrisRev- Take you pick.

-travis

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Andreas Zieritz — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:15:31 GMT

Defining _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT to a network location is in my opinion the best way to do a network configuration.

As Travis says, some files do not need to be loaded from the network, as they usually already exist locally.

To achieve that we do also make use of the _USTN_INSTALLED_WORKSPACEROOT system variable, where the place of the folder of your workspace is stored.

What we have done in our office is that we have defined a sitestandard.cfg file, which is stored in the standard folder of your network configuration.

Just make this entry in that configuration file, and Microstation will use your local system configuration folder, thus reducing the network traffic a bit.

_USTN_SYSTEMROOT = $(_USTN_INSTALLED_WORKSPACEROOT)system/

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

T_Wollet — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:54:54 GMT

ChrisRev:

That will work, but some people prefer to not redirect the entire workspace root out to the network, because they dont want to have the software look to the network for system level resources when they are never modified.

See this other thread for some additional information on which variables you can use to selectively redirect components of the workspace. http://communities.bentley.com/products/building/building_analysis___design/f/5917/t/63627.aspx

HTH,

Travis

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

ChrisRev — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:52:12 GMT

I know this thread seems old now, but checking if what I'm doing to network configure Bentley Architecture is a valid way...

I simply edit mslocal.cfg and change the value of _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT to my network location and all seems to work fine...

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Steve Cocchi — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:31:01 GMT

There are many ways for variables to be defined and redefined, but you may want to first check _USTN_USER in msconfig.cfg and _USTN_PROJECT in tflocal.cfg.

Alternately, you could run an msdebug by simply add "-debug" (without the quotes) at the end of your shortcut's target. The resulting text file (take note of its location after its created) will include all variables created and defined in each and every config file, and more importantly, it includes a Summary section about 2/3 the way down which will show the resulting value for all of those variables. "Resulting value" in this case could be a folder name(s), file name(s) or some other value.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

pal — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:55:04 GMT

Paul Wagner:

6. Run the shortcut, using this shortcut the program is now looking to the network for the workspace. To test the workspace, in the MicroStation Manager, set the User to TriForma and the Project to ArchProjectTemplateNcsUS:

7. Open the file 'empty.dgn' and go to the Workspace pull-down menu. Select 'About Workspace". In our example I can see that the User Configuration, the Project and the User Interface are utilizing the network workspace.

In the next post: Troubleshooting and Setting up Users and Projects

I am not getting the correct network paths on any of these categories...

they are pathed to another network folder

(made with assistance of my office IT manager, through a very long and frustrating process...which is why I am giving this process a shot, as it seems to be far simpler)

what config file(s) control(s) the paths to the user/project/interface drop-down menus?

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:50:54 GMT

David, we are not finished. Just got busy and hadn't had time to get back to it.

Look for something up soon, compiling some of this thread and more.

Thanks

Paul

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

David Edwards — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:36:26 GMT

Hey Paul - are we finished with this thread?

David William Edwards

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:15:16 GMT

Mark Harrington:

Great information here! Thanks, Paul. In order to try to keep down the server activity and open files, I used this:

_USTN_SYSTEMROOT = $(_USTN_INSTALLED_WORKSPACEROOT)system/

To point back to the system directory on the local drive, the content of which we NEVER modify, so might as well get them from C: as from a network drive. You might be using some .rsc and seed files from this location.

Very good. I like it.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:14:15 GMT

tcfonts:

Thanks for your help...

Just a minor point - but Number 3 on your post of 06-21 reads:

3. Make another edit to the network atflocal.cfg file to include the newly created tflocal.cfg file. In our example I am editing the line that states: %include tflocal.cfg to state this: %include $(_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK)tflocal.cfg.

Shouldn't it read:

3. Make another edit to the network atflocal.cfg file to include the newly created tflocal.cfg file. In our example I am editing the line that states: %include tflocal.cfg to state this: %include $(_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK)Workspace/tflocal.cfg.

to match what is shown in the file screen cap?

David William Edwards

That is correct!! Thanks, I will edit the original post to fix that error. As I mentioned in one of the notes, be careful as one typo can cause it not to work...

Thanks

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Mark Harrington — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:52:13 GMT

Great information here! Thanks, Paul. In order to try to keep down the server activity and open files, I used this:

_USTN_SYSTEMROOT = $(_USTN_INSTALLED_WORKSPACEROOT)system/

To point back to the system directory on the local drive, the content of which we NEVER modify, so might as well get them from C: as from a network drive. You might be using some .rsc and seed files from this location.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

David Edwards — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:59:23 GMT

Thanks for your help...

Just a minor point - but Number 3 on your post of 06-21 reads:

3. Make another edit to the network atflocal.cfg file to include the newly created tflocal.cfg file. In our example I am editing the line that states: %include tflocal.cfg to state this: %include $(_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK)tflocal.cfg.

Shouldn't it read:

to match what is shown in the file screen cap?

David William Edwards

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:02:32 GMT

The next steps to doing a relatively simple networked set-up.

1. Edit the newly created network tflocal.cfg file to define _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT. In our example I am adding this line to tflocal.cfg: _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT = $(_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK)Workspace/

2. In our example the newly created network tflocal.cfg file now reads like this:

3. On your workstation, copy the Bentley Architecture V8i shortcut and rename it. In our example I an renaming the copied shortcut to "My Bentley Architecture V8i".

4. Right click on the new shortcut and go to properties.

5. Edit the 'Target:' so the command line switch points to our newly created atflocal.cfg. In our example the target line reads like this: "C:\Program Files\Bentley\MicroStation V8i\MicroStation\ustation.exe" -wc"E:\BIM\Workspace\atflocal.cfg"

Note: The quotes should be there. Basically this is a command line switch. You must be careful and look out for typos...

6. Run the shortcut, using this shortcut the program is now looking to the network for the workspace. To test the workspace, in the MicroStation Manager, set the User to TriForma and the Project to ArchProjectTemplateNcsUS:

7. Open the file 'empty.dgn' and go to the Workspace pull-down menu. Select 'About Workspace". In our example I can see that the User Configuration, the Project and the User Interface are utilizing the network workspace.

In the next post: Troubleshooting and Setting up Users and Projects

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Eric Milberger — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:20:10 GMT

Here are a couple easy tricks to make that happen.

First create a standards file located in (C:\ProgramData\Bentley\workSpace\Standards)
make sure it is your own with a name lower in alpha order (Z_standards.cfg)

Add all your variables in this text file and "lock them
MS_SYMBRSRC=$(M2_Dir)resource\*.rsc
%lock MS_SYMBRSRC

Use a variable such as this
M2_Dir=z:\M2Dataset/
%lock M2_Dir

Z: is a detwork drive. It can be located on a local HD or a networked drive.

The beauty is you can map this drive on any computer to the desired location. And if thigns change you only have to remap the drive.

I do the same with my project directory also
M2_ProjectDir= z:/
%lock M2_ProjectDir

And this could be a Y: directory or any thing you wish

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Thex1138 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:45:32 GMT

There are also two options for pointing the root '_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT' variable to a remote server location...

Via Windows Environment Variable

At the Command Line using the - '-WS<configuration variable>

Either of these would let the appearance of network integration appear 'seemless'.

A third option might be to 'hard code' 3 variables:_USTN_PROJECTSROOT, _USTN_USER and _USTN_USERINTROOT which all utilize the '_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT' variable prior to reading the Config System.

This hard coding can be done by creating a custom cfg file after which you place in the Local Config 'System' folder with the file name preceeded with an underscore '_' so that this file is read first... i.e. before all other configr files are read. Sounds a little unorthodox at first but still works...

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:12:35 GMT

The next steps to doing a relatively simple networked set-up.

1. Copy the files, atflocal.cfg and tflocal.cfg, from your local folders to the newly created network workspace location. In our example they are copied from C:\Program Files\Bentley\MicroStation V8i\Triforma\config\ to e:\BIM\Workspace\

Note: The local folder location depends on where V8i is installed, in our example MicroStation V8i is installed to C:\Program Files\Bentley\MicroStation V8i\

2. The network workspace folder now contains these folders and files:

2. Edit the newly created atflocal.cfg file and add a line defining your network workspace location. In our example I am adding this:

_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK = e:/BIM/

Note: This variable can be named whatever you want it to be, just something that makes sense to you. We are simply creating a variable to use downstream. If you are running other building apps, copy the specific '.cfg' file and make the same edit, e.g., stflocal.cfg for Bently Structural. Naming a variable with an underbar character as the first character makes it a 'hidden' variable.

3. Make another edit to the network atflocal.cfg file to include the newly created tflocal.cfg file. In our example I am editing the line that states: %include tflocal.cfg to state this: %include $(_MY_COMPANY_NETWORK)Workspace/tflocal.cfg.

4. In our example the newly created network atflocal.cfg file now reads like this:

In the next post: Edit the Network tflocal.cfg File and Create a New Shortcut for Bentley Architecture.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Bear — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:47:47 GMT

Perfectly put Shawn, I think that is part of the prob with trying to tie down a standard delivered build.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Shawn Foster — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:18:31 GMT

It's really not that complicated.

One of the hallmarks of Bentley technology is that it's very open, so you can do WHATEVER you want to do to match your workflow. You're not bound.

By having so many different ways to do things, you're bound to get many different answers or versions of answers from many different voices.

As Brian Yeo mentioned, we had sessions last year at the Kansas City Conference (MCMC User Group) and I will see about posting some of the relevant sessions here on the Communities Website. I also have many sessions I have done in the past on configurations, which I will be happy to share.

If you or anyone reading this is interested in learning more about this or other topics, I would suggest you register for this year's MCMC 2009 Summer Conference. Building a Workspace is one of the many valuable sessions taking place at this great conference. Check our community out (search on MCMC) or go to http://communities.bentley.com/UserGroups/GroupDetail.aspx?GroupID=35

(BTW, just because we are based in KC doesn't mean we don't want all comers...we have folks coming in from all over the world this year, and you are most welcome!)

Meantime, i would suggest the following (above whatever anyone else is posting):

1) Understand the importance of _USTN_WORKSPACE. It drives the whole system and can point you anywhere you want to go...and if used properly, you can basically "cascade" your entire system by changing one variable....that is, if everything is based on a relationship between variables, then changing one at the top can change a user from looking at the workstation to the server in one swoop.

2) Understand the important of _TF_WORKSPACE for the BIM Tools.

3) Spend a little time undestanding what the Dataset is (a subset of "TriForma/Bentley BIM resources within the Workspace), and what the Workspace is (a superset of all resources, including MicroStation AND Application resources)

4) Check your Help file for a little tool called -DEBUG. This will allow you to generate a text file of all the variables being loaded without actually launching the program, and you can backtrack the variables that way.

5) Don't get frustrated! You do have a lot of help, you're not dumb, and these tools really aren't too hard to pick up...they are just so darn open, you can honestly do whatever you want to do, you may just need to map it out first.

Thanks,

Shawn

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

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Paul Wagner — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:25:05 GMT

Thomas Voghera:

Paul

can't use the wiki for this?

--
regards / Thomas V

Good idea, once done, I will compile the steps from the posts here and create a wiki for it.

Re: standard config files located on a server, what should I look for?

Thomas Voghera — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:07:28 GMT

I recognizee that feeling ;-) And English nott beeing my mother tongue ads up. It took me long to remember the difference between standard and system folders, and user and projects. upf ucf pcf. And if user is loaded last, does it fail or prevail?

The bits and peices here are not complicated, but there are many similar names and terms that repeats in differeent levels that Bentley could do a better job in documenting and explaining. Exvis where are point cells used in linestyles stored?

I started to draw a "map" in a dgn-file and printed it large. It helped me a bit understanding how "D:\Microstation v8090488-XP64\MicroStation\ustation.exe" -wc"D:\Microstation v8090488-XP64\TriForma\config\atflocal.cfg" evolved to two appwindows.

--
regards / Thomas V

<tcfonts> wrote in message news:62703@communities.bentley.com...
I'm just having a hard time believing it's this complicated - I feel dumber and dumber each passing day.

http://communities.bentley.com/Products/Building/Building_Analysis___Design/f/5917/t/26367.aspx#62703