Opening Civil 3D files in microstation - object enablers - install sequence and has anyone had any success?

I am working within a project where Civil3D is mostly being used.
However the structures team are using microstation and aecosim.
Civil 3D is 2015
Microstation SS3
Aecosim SS6

I have installed both civil 3d 2015 and 2016, and microstation.

I have also installed real dwg 2016 and the 2016 object enables from autodesk, yet i still do not get so see the Civil 3D elements.
I believe this is possible and wonder if anyone has accomplished this what their method of install was.

I am really trying to avoid multiple conversions when there shouldn't be any need its a terrible workflow.

All help appreciated.

Ben

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  • Did you install the 32-bit version of the Civil 3D object enabler?
    Even if you are running on a 64-bit operating system MicroStation V8i SS3 is running in 32-bit space and so you have to install the 32-bit version of the object enablers in order for MicroStation to work with them.

    Rod Wing
    Senior Systems Analyst

  • That may just be the missing bit of the puzzle, i will try and get that done asap and feed back. many thanks.
  • In Civil 3D, prior to Civil 3D 2013, every version was a new version of DWG where objects in one version were incompatible with any earlier version - even if you saved the file to an earlier version. As I understand it, even though new versions have been released, the Civil 3D objects are forward and backwards compatible to at least Civil 3D 2016. I am not sure if this is holding true for 2017.
    However, on the Bentlry side, each Real DWG version only works with the same version Object Enablers. So if your MicroStation is using Real DWG 2015, you must install the Civil 3D 2015 Object Enabler. In fact, any other version Object Enabler will report that it did not find a compatible software. However, since these various versions of DWG with Civil 3D objects are now forward and backwards compatible, it only matters that you find and install the appropriate OE that matches the Real DWG version.
    Be aware that some Object Enable features are not supported. A Terrain Element does not display differently when a view is rotated out of the top plane.
    On occasion, I have seen certain objects fail to display correctly. It might have been during a version upgrade. Also, if you open a DWG from a pre-2013 version and save it with the enablers working, those objects will get updated to the 2013+ version and will no longer be available in the earlier version of Civil 3D. I made the mistake of opening a 2008 Civil 3D file with the 2009 Real DWG and Civil 3D object Enablers. Needless to say, I had to scramble to upgrade all of our users from 2008 to 2009 so the data was still available to the others on the team.

    Charles (Chuck) Rheault
    CADD Manager

    MDOT State Highway Administration

    • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
    • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996
  • Thanks all.
    I think I have a procedure sorted.
    It would seem that you need to have microstation installed before Aecosim then install the correct version of Object Enablers for it to work.
    Don't try and install the most up to date versions of realdwg and the object enablers, comedy cul-de-sac..

    Any Bentley partners offer further insight as to why I need to install microstation as well as Aecosim?
  • Which version of RealDWG has your AECOSim installed for you? All it matters is RealDWG version vs C3D OE version. Say, if you have tried to install C3D 2014 x32 and only your MicroStation SS3, not your AECOSim, has RealDWG 2014 delivered, then you would have got what you have observed.

    When you tried to install C3D OE, its installer should have shown you a list of RealDWG "host applications" that it could support and had found on your computer. You would have picked those applications you wanted C3D OE to be installed. These host applications can be AutoCAD, TrueView, RealDWG delivered with MicroStation or AECOSim. Do you remember which product(s) you have selected?



  • this is the problem,
    with an install of AECOsim the OE's didn't find an install of realdwg, it could be to do with the package on sccm.
    the only way to resolve it was to install microstation then aecosim then the OE's
  • AECOSim installer should have shown a list of components that it would install on your computer, but if you use AECOSim SS6 I believe it installs RealDWG2016. If this is true, you have a choice of downloading and installing C3D 2016 x32 from Autodesk website, or downloading and installing RealDWG 2014 from Bentley's Fulfillment Center. If you choose the latter, you need to set config var MS_REALDWG_VERSION=2014 in AECOSim SS6 which will then attempt to load RealDWG 2014 instead of its default delivery of RealDWG 2016.



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  • AECOSim installer should have shown a list of components that it would install on your computer, but if you use AECOSim SS6 I believe it installs RealDWG2016. If this is true, you have a choice of downloading and installing C3D 2016 x32 from Autodesk website, or downloading and installing RealDWG 2014 from Bentley's Fulfillment Center. If you choose the latter, you need to set config var MS_REALDWG_VERSION=2014 in AECOSim SS6 which will then attempt to load RealDWG 2014 instead of its default delivery of RealDWG 2016.



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