Annotating and displaying centerlines for OpenPlant Modeler piping in OpenBuildings Designer

Problem

Using OpenBuildings Designer, I would like to annotate an OpenPlant Modeler piping model that is referenced into my building file and display the pipe centerlines as well.  Is this possible?

Solution

Yes, it is possible to do both, but you will need access to an installation of OpenPlant Modeler.   In addition, it is recommended that you publish an i.dgn from OpenPlant Modeler so that its business data is available to OpenBuildings Designer.

The following steps outline the files and changes needed to annotate piping and to display pipe centerlines in a promoted view.  If you substitute the OpenBuildings Designer folders with another Power Platform product or even MicroStation, you can use the same steps in that other application to place annotation and to promote pipe centerlines.

Place piping annotation by using Text Favorites or Place Label:

With OpenPlant Modeler CONNECT and OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT already installed:

• Copy Bentley.OpenPlant.ECAnnotation.dll from C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenPlant CONNECT Edition\OpenPlantModeler\Assembles\ to C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT Edition\OpenBuildings Designer\Mdlapps\.

• Copy ECAnnotation.cel from C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenPlant CONNECT Edition\Configuration\WorkSpaces\OpenPlantExample\WorkSets\Metric\Standards\OpenPlant\Modeler\Cell to OpenBuildings Designer to the \Cell folder at either the Dataset, Organization, Workspace or Workset level:

1. C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\Datasets\Dataset_Name\Cell\
2. C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\Organization\Cell\
3. C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\WorkSpaces\Building_Examples\Standards\Cell\
4. C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\WorkSpaces\Building_Examples\worksets\BuildingTemplate_Name\Standards\Cell

• Update the following configuration variables in an applicable *.cfg file. These variables should point to the ECAnnotatation cell library that you’ve copied above. To help simplify the process, you can add these variables to a new text file and save it as C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT Edition\OpenBuildings Designer\config\appl\opm.cfg.

MS_CELLLIST > [Path, 1, 2, 3 or 4 above]\ECAnnotation.cel
For example, using path 3 (Workspaces) above:
MS_CELLLIST > C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\ WorkSpaces\Building_Examples\Standards\Cell\ ECAnnotation.cel

MS_DGNLIBLIST > [Path, 1, 2, 3 or 4  above]\ECAnnotation.cel
For example, using path 3 (Workspaces) above:
MS_DGNLIBLIST > C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\ WorkSpaces\Building_Examples\Standards\Cell\ ECAnnotation.cel

• Launch OpenBuildings Designer and open a .dgn file.
• Attach the OpenPlant Modeler i.dgn file as a reference attachment.
• Key In: mdl load Bentley.OpenPlant.ECAnnotation

• OpenPlant Modeler EC Annotation will now be available using the Place Text tool with the Favorites option named “Sample”. Check that the Association lock is enabled, and if necessary, uncheck and recheck the box:

Or when using the Place Label by selecting the PIPELINE_TAG cell from the ECAnnotation.cel library.

• NOTE: If you would prefer to use native *.dgn files in place of *.i.dgn files, you will also need to copy all 33 OpenPlant Modeler schemas from C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenPlant CONNECT Edition\ECSchemas\ to C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT Edition\OpenBuildings Designer\ECSchemas\. This is necessary in order for the native OpenPlant Modeler EC schema properties to be available to OpenBuildings Designer.

Promoting OpenPlant piping centerlines:

With OpenPlant Modeler CONNECT and OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT already installed:

Copy OPMCLProjectionHelper.dll and mdlExtension.dll from C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenPlant CONNECT Edition\OpenPlantModeler\ to C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT Edition\OpenBuildings Designer\Mdlapps\.

• Update the following configuration variables in the applicable *.cfg file. To help simplify the process, you can add these variables to a new text file and save it as C:\Program Files\Bentley\OpenBuildings Designer CONNECT Edition\OpenBuildings Designer\config\appl\opm.cfg (as mentioned in the section above).

_USTN_FIRSTDGNFILE       <  OPMCLProjectionHelper
MS_VIEWATTRIBUTES_PLUGINASSEMBLIES       <  OPMCLProjectionHelper

• Launch OpenBuildings Designer and open a .dgn file.
• Attach the OpenPlant Modeler i.dgn file as a reference attachment.
• In a 3D model, either apply the applicable Drawing via the mini-toolbar or use View Attributes to Promote the view.

• In View Attributes you should now see an OpenPlant Modeler panel with a Promote button. When promoted, the OpenPlant Modeler piping and fittings should now display centerlines in that promoted view.  You can now use the Centerlines toggle to control their display. 

• Navigating to the drawing model, open the Reference Presentation dialog and you should now see an OpenPlant Modeler panel with a Centerline toggle as you did in the promoted view above. You can use this toggle to turn centerlines on and off.