Logical Names in References

Can someone explain the benefits of using logical names for reference files if you ARE NOT going to use logical names to post process your plots?  This is the only benefit to using logical names that I could find and was curious if anyone uses them for any other purpose.

Thanks!

Parents
  • Hi Marc,

    How about the following:
    - when you have the same file attached more than once (different views/blow-ups of details etc), the only way to be able to identify them is by using (meaningful) logical names.
    - when you are not using the Reference Manager dialog, but instead are using key-ins/macros to manipulate reference files, the use of short logical names will make it so much easier to identify which reference file the manipulation should be applied to.

    hth

    Henk

  • I use them all the time. I use them for the reasons Henk states and I also use them so I have a clue what that particular attachment is used for KP (KeyPlan), Sect1, B1 (Base file), T# (Topo file) C# (Contour), U# Utility and more. Many times the filenames don't tell you what or why you attached that file. I can also use the logical names to filter files. It is not unusual to have between 30 and 60 (or more) reference attachments.

    I Hope This Helps Someone Reading This!  (Intergraph>PseudoStation>MicroStation user since 1980's)

Reply
  • I use them all the time. I use them for the reasons Henk states and I also use them so I have a clue what that particular attachment is used for KP (KeyPlan), Sect1, B1 (Base file), T# (Topo file) C# (Contour), U# Utility and more. Many times the filenames don't tell you what or why you attached that file. I can also use the logical names to filter files. It is not unusual to have between 30 and 60 (or more) reference attachments.

    I Hope This Helps Someone Reading This!  (Intergraph>PseudoStation>MicroStation user since 1980's)

Children
  • In shared network or drawing  office where  others may use your  files  it makes good sense to document your  use of ref files, especially  for things that  need updating and issuing to clients  regularly  by any  member  of your  team or company ...

    Its just good drafting practice to document everything and  using logical names makes it very easy..

    You may also forget  how a drawing was / is  constructed as  you  might only  have certain levels on  out of a whole  lot of other  levels...  say a  cadastral file might  have  council  or municipal boundaries in it  as well as loads of other data but you might only  want the  municipal boundaries and their names so if you turn off all the other  levels

    hence your ref file name  is X:\mapdata\cadastral zone 55.dgn

    but your logical name is Municipal_Boundary this makes it easy  for others to analyse you drawing too... 12 months  from now you  might  forget how you built some  complex drawing  with 10 or 20 ref files  and  5 or more levels used  and nesting too!

    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