This article focuses on the migration of project and customized dataset content.
The principles of migrating a V8i Workspace to a CONNECT Edition Configuration is covered by training course BIM Management 301: Installation and Upgrade Guide, we recommend viewing this training and downloading the course workbook prior to embarking on a migration process. We have also published a playlist of YouTube videos covering the same material: BIM Management 301: Installation and Upgrade Guide - YouTube, this article includes links to some of these videos.
A key recommendation is that any CONNECT Edition Configuration should be in a separate folder structure to any existing V8i Workspace; their folder structures and configuration files are significantly different. Using a separate location allows any new Configuration to be tested without affecting an active production Workspace.
The migration of delivered dataset content from SS6 to CONNECT Edition is relatively straightforward as the dataset changes have been minimised for most datasets. Please note the exception to this: due to major changes in British standards the V8i UK/GB dataset is not directly compatible with the CONNECT versions. Please see CONNECT Edition - British Dataset migration for full details.
Decide where the CONNECT Edition configuration will be located, this must be in a separate location to the active V8i Workspace, even if only in a different root folder on a network share.
Decide whether structural elements will be upgraded from the legacy building tools to work with the ProStructures functionality available from OpenBuildings Designer Update 7 onwards. This is a one way upgrade that offers additional capability, for an overview of this capability please see this playlist: OpenBuildings Designer: Next Generation of Structural Elements - YouTube.Regardless of this decision there are a number of ProStructures folders and files that must be present in the Custom Configuration for the application to run successfully. (A standard installation of OpenBuildings Designer Update 7 or later will include these.)
Identify custom dataset content used in V8i, this could be cell libraries, DGNLIBs, XML files, etc. Ideally this content will be in separate folders and files from Bentley's example dataset, however it may well be mixed in alongside delivered content. This will depend on how the V8i Workspace was organised.
Decide how the example dataset(s) will be used. There are two main options:
Use as is accepting that some of the example content will not suit your situation. This means that when a new dataset is released it can simply replace the existing version without affecting any customisations.
Take ownership of the example dataset, modifying it as needed. This requires both a different approach when a new dataset is released and an organised approach to the creation and storage of custom content. Custom content should always be contained in clearly identified files to enable any changed files from Bentley to be added/replaced/deleted. Changes introduced by new versions are listed in the dataset delta document and must be implemented manually.
Decide where the dataset(s) will be located. There are two options:
In the Custom Configuration (recommended). This is suitable for either of the options 1 or 2 above.
On the local machine. This only applies if the delivered dataset is used unchanged, option 1 above, unless some external process is available to synchronize any customizations to the local copy.
These are discussed in more detail in Dataset Strategies - Local or Network.
Please note that the default location for the datasets folder in a custom configuration changed after Update 7, this is discussed in Configuring the Datasets Root Folder Location. From Update 8 onwards the default location will be the Datasets folder in the Custom Configuration.
Plan the implementation of access control via Windows File/Folder permissions to Organization, WorkSpace and WorkSet levels, the purpose of which is to ensure that only the responsible people are able to modify shared content:
For initial design and testing of a new configuration we recommend using a local folder. Once the following steps including testing and validation are be completed locally the entire Custom Configuration can be copied to a network location for further testing.
To create a complete example configuration install OpenBuildings Designer in the normal manner, specifying the Custom Configuration path on your local machine that will be used initially. Doing this via the installer is described in Part 1 - Installing OpenBuildings Designer to a Network Location - YouTube.
The location of a custom configuration is stored in ConfigurationSetup.cfg on each machine. This is the only file that needs to be modified to redirect a machine to a custom configuration. The configured location does not have to be available when OpenBuildings Designer is installed, the path will be ignored unless WorkSpace CFG files are present.
If OpenBuildings Designer is already installed ConfigurationSetup.cfg can be updated as described in CONNECT Edition - Configuration Tips : Should I edit ConfigurationSetup.cfg?
Creating the required folder structure is outlined in Part 2 - Setting Up the Dataset and Organization Folders - YouTube.
Shown below is a typical example where the Datasets are located in the Custom Configuration under ...\OBD_Resources\Datasets\; one WorkSpace named ActiveProjects_365 is contained in the WorkSpaces folder.
Datasets:
Unless configured otherwise the Catalog User Interface will treat the active Dataset as the Organization level
Organization level custom content may be stored here depending on the decision discussed above about use of delivered datasets.
Organization:
Unless configured otherwise the Organization subfolders contain shared platform or ProStructures content directed to by Standards.cfg and some ProStructures CFG files. Any content here will be available to all users unless configured otherwise.
There are no other OpenBuildings specific folders.
WorkSpaces:
The Catalog Editor will recognize the WorkSpaces folder as the WorkSpaces level.
Any content here will be available only to users of the active WorkSpace.
The default WorkSet location will be in the WorkSets folder within the Custom Configuration. Live project data should always be separated from back office shared resources so WorkSet folders will need to be in the appropriate project data location. This is covered by Part 5 - Moving WorkSets to a Separate Drive - YouTube, the essential part of which is editing the _USTN_WORKSETROOT path in all WorkSpace CFG files. In this example that file is ActiveProjects_365.cfg and it needs to contain a line defining _USTN_WORKSETROOT as pointing to the project data location, for example P:\ActiveProjects\OBD_AU_Demo\, e.g.:
For testing:
_USTN_WORKSETROOT = C:/ActiveProjects/$(_USTN_WORKSETNAME)/
For production:
_USTN_WORKSETROOT = P:/ActiveProjects/$(_USTN_WORKSETNAME)/
Create a new WorkSet by copying the appropriate regional WorkSet example, for example BuildingTemplate_AU:
Both must be renamed with the new project name, folder and CFG file names must match since this is what links them together.
For testing we recommend that a completely new project structure is used (during the initial testing this could also be on a local drive).
Once the example WorkSet has been copied, but before adding any V8i content or making site specific changes to folder structures, test the new Custom Configuration. Review any messages displayed in the Message Center or elsewhere in the UI taking appropriate action to rectify them.
At this stage also run the Dataset Validator to ascertain the current state of the dataset. It will be easier to fix any errors before custom content is added. (File > Dataset Tools > Validate. Help: DataGroup System Validator)
An error free report at this point will confirm that the DataGroup Catalog is valid prior to the addition of custom content.
Check against dataset delta documents to see if any of the custom V8i files are now obsolete. For instance, since V8i curtain walls are superseded by a completely new CONNECT Edition tool, earlier content will not work with this new tool.
Add V8i files in the appropriate locations at Organization, WorkSpace or WorkSet levels.
Run the Dataset Validator again and fix any errors.
Test that the content is available in the UI, i.e. in the Catalog Editor and in the building and building systems element placement tools.
This step is put at the end of the process so a baseline is established before any site specific changes to folder structures and files names are made. This narrows down the scope of any troubleshooting that may be necessary; when CFG file are being edited even simple typos can cause errors.
For example, in the example WorkSet CFG the default folder for design files is called 'Designs':
This is defined by the lines:
If the folder location is correct, but the name 'Designs' does not comply with project standards it can be renamed. The name 'Designs' in the _USTN_WORKSETDGNS statement must then be changed to match the new folder name. (This has to be done by text editing since we do not have a UI for such changes.)
New features in CONNECT Edition may benefit from customized content so this may be an appropriate point to add such content.
Existing DGN files and other WorkSet specific content should be copied into the appropriate folders in the CONNECT Edition WorkSet.
Any model files that contain building elements (these are typically all of the 3D model files in a project) must be synchronised with the new dataset using the Schema Upgrade Utility. This can be done to all files in one go as explained in Schema Upgrade Utility:
The utility should also be run on any existing BB_Floormaster.dgnlib. This may be successful, however as there have been significant changes to the internal structure of BB_Floormaster.dgnlib since V8i we cannot guarantee that BB_Floormaster.dgnlib content will be entirely valid. It may be necessary to recreate the floor and Grid Systems content.
2D files, generally drawing and sheets, do not contain building elements so do not need to be upgraded.
To use the Verify Parts utility the WorkSet will need to contain some DGN files (File > Utilities > Part Utilities > Verify Parts. Help: Verify Part and Family)
If models contain Catalog Items or Parts that are not present in the new dataset, the DataGroup Transformation Utility can be used to missing custom properties to delivered properties, and the Part utilities can be used to verify and where necessary remap parts to elements (help: DataGroup Transformation Utility):
If significant differences between V8i and CONNECT are apparent a mapping file can be built to apply to subsequent project to WorkSet migrations. This is a time saver when it comes to migrating multiple projects.
The new Configuration and WorkSets can be copied to network locations for sharing and further testing once local setup and testing reaches a satisfactory status.
To use these locations two files will need to be edited:
Edit the line:
_USTN_CUSTOM_CONFIGURATION = <path>
as described in CONNECT Edition - Configuration Tips : Should I edit ConfigurationSetup.cfg?
Edit the value of _USTN_WORKSETROOT from the local path to match the network path e.g.:
All other files will be exactly as they were locally, this should be a simple duplication.
Copying the Custom Configuration is straightforward, it should be in a new entirely separate share/folder to the V8i Workspace.
WorkSet content can be more complex as real-world project folder structures are generally used by multiple applications and user groups. How migrated WorkSet content is inserted into existing project structures is a matter of judgement in each situation. Some guidelines to follow are: