AutoCAD OD (Object Data) Values....can they be brought into Microstation.

Identify Your Platform

Please identify the version of MicroStation, or other product such as PowerDraft, that you are using: MicroStation CONNECT or MicroStation V8i.

Shape Files

Unknown said:

I have brought in objects from a database into a shapefile and then imported them into a dwg file

Why not cut out the middleman and open your shape file with MicroStation?

Identify Your Platform

Please identify the version of MicroStation, or other product such as PowerDraft, that you are using: MicroStation CONNECT or MicroStation V8i.

Shape Files

Unknown said:

I have brought in objects from a database into a shapefile and then imported them into a dwg file

Why not cut out the middleman and open your shape file with MicroStation?

I am running Microstation V8i (Select Series 3) - Version 08.11.09.459 and Bentley Map (Select Series 4) - Version 08.11.09.443.

Unfortunately I am doing the drawing for a different group within my organization and they require it to be done in AutoCAD. Unfortunately for me, the amount of data, specifically objects within the drawings, is massive. Roughly 1.2 million objects to be precise. Considering how much smoother Microstation runs, not to mention the improved functionality of the tools in Microstation over AutoCAD, it is just simpler to manipulate the data within Microstation. But in order to keep the object data, I have to leave the file as a .dwg since the moment I save the drawing as a .dgn the object data is lost. If there is a way to save the object data in Microstation so that it can be converted to a smoother processed dgn file and then converted back into an AutoCAD dwg for the group to handle, it would make my life immensely easier. I just can't seem to find a way, if at all possible, for me to do it.

That is an interesting scenario Gregory, one that not many of us have probably come across. Perhaps we could provide some suggestions if you posted a portion of the AutoCAD file for us to use?

- Bentley Map includes several Interoperability options that could help. A few that come to mind include Referencing, Importing, or - Join(ing) the Shapefile with the DGN file.
- You might also look at using the FME tools from Safe Software to convert the AutoCAD file to a DGN file. Bentley Map's direct tie-in to a licensed FME product exposes their hundreds of file formats to the MicroStation environment.
- Then there is the ArcGIS For AutoCAD product (free plugin) from ESRI that may be able to better incorporate the Object Data with your DWG file. Perhaps output from that scenario would better-suit incorporating the data with MicroStation?

These are just suggestions. Please post a portion of the file or provide some illustrations of how this Object Data is expressed and we'll take a look at it.