New in MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 14 – (Technology Preview) iTwin Synchronizer

MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 14 introduces iTwin Synchronizer as Technology Preview. iTwin Synchronizer enables you to synchronize or push your design changes from a DGN to an iModel in the iModelHub. These changes in the iModel are available for your team members, reviewers and project stake holders for viewing, analyzing and validating.

To share files associated with a project with team members and stake holders, you only need to push your changes in the design file to an iModel using iTwin Synchronizer and then share a link to the iModel with them. The team members you share this link with will be able to view, examine and analyze the data stored in the iModel. In the iModelHub, design changes are recorded chronologically, making it easy to track what changes were synchronized, by whom and when.

Advantages of Synchronizing Data:

  • You can continuously maintain a live digital twin of your asset(s) throughout its lifecycle.
  • You can view design data and properties in a web browser, without the need to install any desktop application.
  • You can review design changes and compare any versions to see the differences.
  • You can conduct continuous design reviews to identify and rectify issues while the project is in progress.
  • You can take advantage of several upcoming iTwin Services that operate on design data and provide useful insights, including cost considerations, about the progress of the project.

Note: You must have the iTwin Synchronizer desktop application installed on your system to be able to use iTwin Synchronizer in MicroStation. Click here to download iTwin Synchronizer desktop application.

iTwin Synchronizer in MicroStation leverages the iTwin Synchronizer desktop application which is a cloud-based design collaboration tool and supports design tools from Bentley, as well as Autodesk and others.

Here is how it works:

  1. Your project administrator registers a project, adds team members, and assigns roles.
  2. You as a Team member will need to download iTwin Synchronizer and Bridges to your desktop computer. Project models and the timeline of changes will then be available for viewing on the iModelHub.

In MicroStation, you can access this tool from the ribbon:

Drawing/Modeling > Utilties > iModelHub

When you select iTwin Synchrinizer in the ribbon, the iTwin Synchronizer desktop application opens. Here you will see the ProjectWise project your DGN is associated with in the Projects drop down and you will see any Synchronizations that have been created for this project. You can select a Synchronization you want to push your changes to. You must be added to the project by your project admin to be able to synchronize data.

Here’s some information on RBAC permissions that are required for you to:

  • Create a new Synchronization:
    Product Settings > Manage Settings
  • Publish a DGN to iModelHub:
    iModelHub > Modify iModel

  • Publish Reality data to ProjectWise ContextShare:
    ProjectWise ContextShare > Create

  • Create an iModel on the iModelHub:
    iModelHub > Create iModel

(These roles and permissions can be managed by your project admin. You can read more on RBAC roles here.)

You can access more information on the iTwin Synchronizer desktop application in product help.

Stay tuned for more blog posts that will discuss this tool in detail like prerequisites, workflows and best practices associated with its use.

Please share your feedback or ask any questions about the iTwin Synchronizer in the iTwin Synchronizer forum.