Is the there a way of getting a list of reference files that are attached to a given design file without loading the deign files in MicroStation?

As Jon and Jan mention, to properly interpret contents of a DGN file, you MUST open it -- there is no alternative. There are two interpretations of "opening" or "loading" DGN files... one is in a MicroStation graphics session, where you view/create/edit through its user interface. The other is through "non-graphics" mode, where you can access information in a DGN file from a command line IF (and only if) the application you use to interface with the DGN file was written to handle this (i.e. NOT enter "systemGraphics"). Not many applications have been developed to do the latter, mainly because it would be extremely challenging to account for various operations that rely on MicroStation's input queue.

That said, your question infers that you want to open the file to get reference information, but not enter graphics to do that. If that is what you are looking for, you can, in fact, do this using the technique identified in this wiki article. You can run that straight from a command line (in a DOS Command Shell) using the syntax:

ustation -waref "<DGNfile>"

where ustation.exe either has to be in your PATH or in the current folder and <DGNfile> is the file that contains references. The " double quotes are there for a reason, as those are definitely necessary if you include a path specification for the DGNfile that has spaces in it.

The result will be a dialog that looks like this:

and you can do what the rest of the article mentions to get that into a text file (or not).

Unknown said:

As Jon and Jan mention, to properly interpret contents of a DGN file, you MUST open it -- there is no alternative. There are two interpretations of "opening" or "loading" DGN files... one is in a MicroStation graphics session, where you view/create/edit through its user interface. The other is through "non-graphics" mode, where you can access information in a DGN file from a command line IF (and only if) the application you use to interface with the DGN file was written to handle this (i.e. NOT enter "systemGraphics"). Not many applications have been developed to do the latter, mainly because it would be extremely challenging to account for various operations that rely on MicroStation's input queue.

That said, your question infers that you want to open the file to get reference information, but not enter graphics to do that. If that is what you are looking for, you can, in fact, do this using the technique identified in this wiki article. You can run that straight from a command line (in a DOS Command Shell) using the syntax:

ustation -waref "<DGNfile>"

where ustation.exe either has to be in your PATH or in the current folder and <DGNfile> is the file that contains references. The " double quotes are there for a reason, as those are definitely necessary if you include a path specification for the DGNfile that has spaces in it.

The result will be a dialog that looks like this:

and you can do what the rest of the article mentions to get that into a text file (or not).

Isnt that what I already told him?

Don't I rate a mention?... I'm cut to the quick Phil... :) just kidding ... well mostly...

Unknown said:

As Jon and Jan mention, to properly interpret contents of a DGN file, you MUST open it -- there is no alternative. There are two interpretations of "opening" or "loading" DGN files... one is in a MicroStation graphics session, where you view/create/edit through its user interface. The other is through "non-graphics" mode, where you can access information in a DGN file from a command line IF (and only if) the application you use to interface with the DGN file was written to handle this (i.e. NOT enter "systemGraphics"). Not many applications have been developed to do the latter, mainly because it would be extremely challenging to account for various operations that rely on MicroStation's input queue.

That said, your question infers that you want to open the file to get reference information, but not enter graphics to do that. If that is what you are looking for, you can, in fact, do this using the technique identified in this wiki article. You can run that straight from a command line (in a DOS Command Shell) using the syntax:

ustation -waref "<DGNfile>"

where ustation.exe either has to be in your PATH or in the current folder and <DGNfile> is the file that contains references. The " double quotes are there for a reason, as those are definitely necessary if you include a path specification for the DGNfile that has spaces in it.

The result will be a dialog that looks like this:

and you can do what the rest of the article mentions to get that into a text file (or not).

Isnt that what I already told him?

Don't I rate a mention?... I'm cut to the quick Phil... :) just kidding ... well mostly...

Unknown said:

Isnt that what I already told him?

Actually, it is not. You inferred that it did not work in the current release of MicroStation. It does, which is one of the main reasons why I wrote out what I did (I also added detail that did not exist previously).

ok but you mention Jan and  Jon  but why not Lorys, I'm feeling excluded .. and the askinga article  where I found the tip by rudy wells  says it doesn't work with select 3  at the time...

copied from article ( you updated it) but didn't confirm if the numerical options work or don't work...

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This tip uses the -wa command line switch which specifies an MDL application to start when MicroStation is initialized.  In this case, the MDL is ref  which is delivered in the .../mdlsys/asneeded/ folder.

Update:  Testing on MicroStation V8i SELECTseries 3 indicates that the numerical options have been removed, but listing references still works -- see this forum post for more information and details regarding this.   

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so I expected them to go find the article and try it  ... you just saved them the trouble of going there...and yes you added more detail.. well done!

boy its hard to get credit for  suggesting stuff here... :)

Kidding ?

Still love me?

Hi Lorys,

a bit more personal comment than I write usually:

Unknown said:

ok but you mention Jan and  Jon  but why not Lorys

Unknown said:

boy its hard to get credit for  suggesting stuff here...

It's up to you to decide what are your personal reasons/objectives to write your posts: If it is to be credited publicly, so posting many answers (sometimes seems at all costs), or to help people and solve their problems (which often require time to install the version, to verify what seems to be possible solution and also to refrain from answering sometimes)?

If the second option is true, I see no reason for your reaction, which losts the direction to solve the original problem. If your aim is to help, why are you so sensitive about crediting? Reality is not always as we want it should be (in this particular case I agree broadly with Phil), maybe not even fair, but it's the same for everybody and I am sure nobody jeudge you in other way than anybody else.

Unknown said:

so I expected them to go find the article and try it

You probably hit an important thing: This approach maybe save your time, but doesn't offer easy solution for a reader, just another level "what to do / study / test". What would be seriously valuable, because it seems you know the mentioned article, to extract the most imporant information, which will probably require less time and provide bigger benefit.

With regards,

  Jan

To briefly add some more to this... one of the strengths of a community system like this is to get information that provides solutions to the forefront. In this particular instance, there are links in a forum thread that asks a question to a wiki article that provides an answer and a link in the wiki article that provides a solution back to a forum thread that provides more detail about a specific for-instance. Some might say "Why not keep everything self-contained in one "piece" of content (i.e. the wiki article). There is merit to that, but the fact is that having that sort of "cross-reference" increases the possibility of information discoverability -- not to the point of duplication, but to the point of seeing specific "real-world use" of one particular solution.

I didn't really mean I was really upset .. ok I shouldn't joke around here  it should have been a private message to Phil I couldn't resist having a littler shot at Phil

We aussies just cant resist this kind of thing... :)  see all the previous smilies ? 

BTW he really is very nice and very helpful....

.. but Phil you still haven't  confirmed the point in the  asking re the numerical option seems to have been removed ... it either is or it isn't and if your going to edit the article you should  confirm or deny the note  put there or remove the note  right?