Working off a networked Workspace for one specific client (we do outsourcing), our current setup is through the mslocal.cfg pointing to the shared workspace.
However in future each new Client is highly likely to have their own Workspace with own standards and Datasets etc.
Editing the mslocal.cfg for each Client Workspace does not seem very practical although for the moment I cannot find any other way....Any suggestions out there?
We do it by setting the Windows variable _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT to the networked workspace.
This is the only thing which is done on the client, the rest is configured on the server.
No need to do anything when a new Microstation is installed on the client either.
I mean i want each user to have the choice of workspace - choose between 4 or 5 diferent workspaces typically...
What do you mean by "Windows" variable anyway?
I'll try again.
Personally, don't edit any of the delivered cfg files installed with MicroStation. Instead, I would use a custom cfg file that you can copy into the config/appl directory of the apps/s your using. One easy way to do this is to use a batch file as a start-up instead of short-cuts. I've just written a blog on this at:
communities.bentley.com/.../batch-over-short-cut-part-1.aspx
You could easily have a cfg file for each client and set/lock the variables in the same cfg leaving ucf files for other user based requirements. I'll have some more on this over the next week.
Your main site is set by:
_USTN_SITE
More on how to do this on my other blogs:
communities.bentley.com/.../default.aspx
Your different datasets can be set in the pcf file by the variables mentioned in my post in your other thread of client cfg files you can build into your own custom build. This is how I do mine, no pcf files required.
Thanks Bear, appreciate that but honestly way way too complex for me.
Besides I do need to boot the application in a fully separate workspace for each client, a lot ''cleaner'' since there are just so many items that are specific to each.
So in the end multiple mslocals , multiple workspaces and multiple shortcuts do the job. Simple and pretty much bullet-proof.
To put it in perspective, I am talking say about half a dozen Clients max. outsourcing to us for BIM Bentley work on their projects. Above that number, might become cumbersome... Hopefully we will have that problem further down the track ;-)
As we can see there are many ways to set up client specific, company specific, dataset specific configurations.
A lot of what I see CAD/BIM managers doing is setting up shortcuts for each specific workspace, each shortcut points to a specfic configuration file, which defines the workspace location, thus using the client standards. Project configuration files can define the datasets, user configuration files can define user specific things like, for example, each user having their own function key menu.
Mslocal.cfg is not changed in this method. The users need the shortcuts added to their machines, that is all I need to do to "touch" their machines.
To do this the "-wc" command line argument is used. Here's an example of what a shortcut looks like in Configuration Explorer's Shortcut Creator tool:
Here is a list of command line arguments available for Bentley DGN based applications (from the Configuration Explorer help):
Argument
Result
-Debug
Writes the configuration variables and their settings to a debugging variable definition file, and exits.
-Help
OR
-?
Displays the entire list of command line arguments for ustation.exe.
-I<parameters>
Passes parameters to MS_INITAPPS, which is a list of initial startup MDL applications.
-M<model_name>
Specifies the model to open at startup.
-O
Does not open any references.
-QP<password>
Specifies a password for a protected file.
-R
Opens the DGN file in read-only mode.
-RestoreDefaults
Restores the default settings, and exits.
-RestoreDefaultsQuiet
Restores the default settings, and exits with no output.
-S<startup_file>
Writes text to the command queue, in the startup file, after startup.
-WA<mdl_application>
Specifies an MDL application to initialize at startup. (This is the same as MS_INITAPPS.)
-WC<path_to_configuration_file>
Specifies the configuration file to use at startup, and the path to that file. Example: -wcC:\Program Files\Bentley\MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries)\MicroStation\config\MyConfig.cfg
-WD<database>
Specifies the database configuration.
-WI<interface>
Specifies the interface configuration.
-WP<project>
Specifies the project configuration.
-WS<configuration_variable>
Specifies a configuration variable to be defined.
Example: -wsMS_SECURITY_LEVEL=HIGH
-WU<user>
Specifies the user configuration.
-WR<path>
Specifies the path to the workspace's root (_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT).
Example: -wrC:\Bentley\Workspace\
Good stuff Paul, thanks for that.
Chris, hope this screenshot makes it clear, even if it is from a norwegian Windows 7 system.
Edit Control Panel - System - Advanced - Environmental Variables - System Variable - New - USTN_WORKSPACEROOT
Thanks for the screenshot Andreas, understand. Interesting way to do, first time I come across that one.
I added the _USTN_WORKSPACE variable as mentioned above, and added my adjusted .cfg file
But i still get this message. is there any other varibales to change to get my network workspace configured?!
Thanks in advance
It seems that you have defined the variable not correctly. I assume that you didn't add a slash at the end of the definition.
_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT=D:\Microstation\Workspace\
I solved all problems except the below msg appear whenever I select a new project UPF
That is looking for the value established by MS_DEF. It appears that currently it is set to $(_USTN_PROJECT)$(_USTN_PROJECTNAME)dgn/. If you want the default directory to be the root of the project (in this case D:\Microstation\Workspace\projects\DPCT\ then simply add the following line to one of your configuration files and make sure that MS_DEF isn't set somewhere already in your DPCT.pcf file:
MS_DEF = $(_USTN_PROJECT)$(_USTN_PROJECTNAME)
-Travis