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?
You could probably produce a VB application that could be run outside of MicroStation but what you could also have a look at are other applications out there that may be able to perform the operation you are requesting.
RegardsAndrew BellTechnical SupportBentley Systems
Bentley already give you one in the demo workspaces search via windows explorer for refinfo.bas
I also have acquired a few vbas like this here is one I found don't remember where I got it ...but works very well straight to excel list...
RefstoExcel.mvba
Lorys
Started msnt work 1990 - Retired Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )
But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE update 16 (10.16.00.80)
MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.click link to PM me
Hi Lorys,
Unknown said:before ss3 there was away to do this see askinga
Yes and no. What was not defined yet and it's the reason I asked for in my previous post, if "without loading MicroStation" means without GUI or without starting the process. The solution you mentioned still works in the way the files are loaded into MicroStation, but it's done at a background.
Regards,
Jan
Bentley Accredited Developer: iTwin Platform - AssociateLabyrinth Technology | dev.notes() | cad.point
no matter what you use it will still run something in the background... the last method is the only fast way of doing what you asked...
You have to run something to read the data it may as well be mstn.. and using the method from askinga used to work very well..
personally I prefer the refinfo. bas method the challenge is to do entire folders using the batch processor and these macros...
Faster than anything and puts the paths...
Can you explain what you expected to be able to do or what you were trying to achieve.. I think your not telling us the full story...
Jon Summers said:Can you read an Excel workbook without opening Excel? No.
Do you mean to say that you can't open an XML file without an XML-reading browser? Because you can open it in a text editor. And you can open an Excel file (or any file) without Excel (or any source program) if the file is saved in an open or at least well documented format.
And exactly that is what the original poster is asking. Of course we do know the answer, but you're answering it in a dishonest, uncritical way.
Derek Schmidt said:Do you mean to say that you can't open an XML file without an XML-reading browser?
This post is at least six years old. Nobody, until you, mentioned XML.
Derek Schmidt said: that is what the original poster is asking
The OP asked about listing reference files without loading them into MicroStation. MicroStation's file format is not published. Your analogy with Excel doesn't work with MicroStation.
Derek Schmidt said:we do know the answer ...
So what is your answer to the OP's question?
Regards, Jon Summers LA Solutions
Jon Summers said:Nobody, until you, mentioned XML.
And until you, nobody had mentioned Excel in the context of reading the file, but here we are.
Jon Summers said:So what is your answer to the OP's question?
That you can't get a list of reference files from the file without opening it in MicroStation, as you concluded. It's just that the way you established your answer was a little dishonest.
Derek Schmidt said:the way you established your answer was a little dishonest
Jon Summers said:You have to open a file in order to read its contents
What part of that statement do you find dishonest?
Derek Schmidt said:You can't get a list of reference files from the file without opening it in MicroStation
Good answer — if a little late!
Jon Summers said:What part of that statement do you find dishonest?
Your original remarks at https://communities.bentley.com/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/102363/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/305179#305179 strongly implied the original poster was unreasonable to wonder if a file's reference list could be accessed by in any software other than the originating software package.
That's gaslighting as it undermines the perception of self-reasonableness, and gaslighting is dishonest.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that parts of files can be opened in any one of many software products, and it's not fair to tell someone that they're insane for asking, but that's what you did.
Jon Summers said:You can't get a list of reference files from the file without opening it in MicroStation Good answer — if a little late!
You can't get a list of reference files from the file without opening it in MicroStation
It's the correct answer, however it's arrived at.
But there is also DGN preview handler which works without Microstation. Also maybe DGN indexer could be useful.