Adding Spatial Data to Existing Records

I can not think of any way out of the box to do this. You may need some customization. Basically:

1. Select the record from the table.

2. Select the existing graphic.

3. Create feature instance from both.

4. Set the change tracker to modified feature instead of new feature.

4. Post the changes.

If the Spatial system is Oracle, then you could use the DGN2SDO tool to place the geometry into the spatial database. You would still have to link the geometry , now in the spatial db to the business attributes.

As Jerry correctly comments, there is currently no out-of-the-box way to accomplish using standard Bentley Map functionality. This workflow can however be accomplished with some customization that makes use of the Bentley Map API. The basic approach is as follows:

1. Using the Bentley Geospatial Administrator add a graphical source connection and register feature classes.
2. In custom code, define query criteria that includes all required business properties but excludes the geometry property.
3. Perform the spatial query of feature instances from the registered graphical source connection. Please note the resulting XFM feature instances will not have a graphical representation but will be queried into the design file.
4. Using custom code perform an XFM locate operation to search for the non-graphic feature instances.
5. Set the geometry property of the feature and/or sub-features to the appropriate MicroStation elements.
6. Write the updated XFM feature instances back to the design file.
7. Perform a "Post" command using the Bentley Map Interoperability application.

If interested in learning more, please let me know and we can discuss additional details offline.

doesnt the promote feature  do this to a dgn element so its now  feature ?

Jeff,

My apologies for being a little quiet. Thanks for the pointers, I was hoping it may be a case of writing a custom SQL 'update' query on the feature 'create' operation of the XFM feature, but it looks like it may be a little more involved than that. 

Am I correct in thinking there is no way to do this via an sql update with the geometry with an xfm create command is issued? 

pseudo:

UPDATE cadastre SET GeomCol = <created_xfm_element> WHERE lot_id = <some_xfm_property>;

I'm yet to get my hands dirty with the BM api, but it looks like this may be an opportunity to have a look at it. The steps you've detailed make sense.

The way I envision it working is into a listbox dump all the non-graphic feature instances for the user to select one. With a row selected, and an element selected a button pressed would associate the geometry to the record, and hopefully a post operation will post the record(s) with the amended graphical feature.

many thanks,

Jim

edit: Any chance of getting this functionality included in the product. I would have thought that this would be useful to most organisations that are maintaining a spatial database. Either as a way to initially create geometry, or to update/replace geometry. The only real piece missing from the software is the ability to 'browse' the data-source by non-graphical means (view, fence, etc). I would have thought that the actual query in the background is probably returning the records without geometry anyway.