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I'm interested in working in the AutoCAD or MicroStation integrated mode of my Bentley Hydraulics and Hydrology product, but I'm either using an incompatible version or for some other reason I'm not able to integrate them. Are there any alternatives?
Working in AutoCAD or MicroStation integrated mode allows you to access AutoCAD tools and work in a familiar AutoCAD interface, among other benefits. However, the Standalone version of Bentley's Hydraulics and Hydrology products includes some CAD functionality that you may not be aware of, that can help in some of the situations you may be interested in.
One of the benefits of working in AutoCAD or MicroStation integrated mode is to see your model along with any other CAD linework (referenced in drawings for example). However, the Standalone platform can display CAD files as a background layer. This allows you to see the linework and trace over it as you lay out elements, if you desire. To do this, open the Standalone version, start a new model or open an existing model, then navigate to View > background Layers (it's typically open by default, in the lower-left corner.) Click on the New button and choose File, then select your DXF file. In the DXF Properties window that appears, choose the unit, transparency, color, etc and click OK. You should now see your CAD file as a background in the plan view of the drawing. If you do not see it, click View > Zoom > Zoom Extents.
Some considerations:
1) Currently only the DXF format is supported. If you have a different format such as DWG, you will need to first save a copy to DXF format in your CAD application.
2) some text and line types are not supported as background layers, such as MTEXT and arcs. See more here on MTEXT:
http://communities.bentley.com/products/hydraulics___hydrology/w/hydraulics_and_hydrology__wiki/text-is-not-displaying-in-my-dxf-background-file-in-watercad-standalone.aspx
3) If you encounter an error when inserting your background layer in Standalone, try saving it down to an earlier DXF format in AutoCAD, or see the below Support Solution:
http://communities.bentley.com/products/hydraulics___hydrology/w/hydraulics_and_hydrology__wiki/7608.the-specified-module-could-not-be-found-exception-from-hresult-0x8007007e.aspx
Using a CAD file background as a guide to trace your water elements can be helpful, but existing linework can also be automatically imported and converted into hydraulic elements using the Modelbuilder tool. This is useful if your elements (Pipes, conduits, junctions, etc) already exist in your CAD file and you simply want to create a hydraulic model.To do this, you will need to first save your drawing in the DXF format, then go to Tools > Modelbuilder. For more on using Modelbuilder to import a CAD file, see the below Support Solution:
http://communities.bentley.com/products/hydraulics___hydrology/w/hydraulics_and_hydrology__wiki/3070.aspx
One of the other benefits of CAD applications such as AutoCAD and MicroStation are the printing/plotting capabilities. In the Standalone version of our Hydraulic and Hydrology products, you can