placing parametric cells and levels

Hi Luc,

    I cannot reproduce point 2 in your message. I have placed a parametric cell, made up of different solids using different levels, in a new DGN file with only the "default" level in it.

The result is that all levels used by the parametric cell have been created in the host file after its placement, as expected.

I have attached an example, try to place it in a new DGN file.

R,

Marco

DoubleDoorCabinet.dgn

Marco,

I placed the cabinet in the file attached.

The levels Doors, Cabinets and Handles are indeed created in the file.

But when I set the  level Doors off in level display the doors of the cabinet are still visible.

When i set the level Default off in level display the whole cabinet is invisible.

I tried both View Display and Global Display.

Can you reproduce this? Is it a bug or something in my file/configuration? Strange thing is also when I drop the cell the layers and attributes are correct... But I don't think it is a good idea to drop all my parametric cells:-)

Thanks for looking into this!

Luc Dierick

test 3D.dgn

Hi Luc / David,

can you consistently reproduce the active bylevel attributes of the host file not being associated to the parametric cell being placed? I can't reproduce it placing a parametric cell I made (same one I shared previously in this post) in a new dgn.

The parametric cell should take the bylevel colour of the active level, on which it is being placed. It may not show the correct color during placement but it should after accepting its position.

R,
Marco

Hi Luc,

this behaviour is not really a defect but it is a result of how "components" were originally thought to be in the design process. Could you please elaborate with a bit more detail how you would like this behaviour to change (it seems to me you are looking for consistency with non-parametric cells) and maybe add one or two use cases and examples of how it would improve your workflow?

Thanks,
Marco

Marco,

I really see no sense in putting whole the parametric cell on the active level...

1/ I look for consistency with 'normal' microstation cells indeed. I think a bit consistency in designing software is not a bad thing ...

2/ I am an architect. I hope once to make windows in microstation parametric cells. I have then window sills, the windows themselves, the opening indicators, the concrete beams above the windows ... all in one cell. In some views I don't want to see all this stuff. Especially the opening indicators are not needed in presentation views but they are necessary in line drawings. The easiest way to accomplish this is to put them on different levels.

I hope this helps... As said I cannot think about a sensefull advantage of putting the whole thing on one level!

Luc Dierick

Unknown said:

can you consistently reproduce the active bylevel attributes of the host file not being associated to the parametric cell being placed? I can't reproduce it placing a parametric cell I made (same one I shared previously in this post) in a new dgn.

Yes on reproducing, I've sent my files to support for many of the parametric issues I've run across. They have also been posted on in this forum. To date nothing has been resolved and I believe they are all open.    

In particular its ByLevel line weight.  Color has been working.  Seems to be somewhat cell specific.  Simple ones seem OK but more complex ones come in at weight 0.  If I pick the cell after placement and apply ByLevel weight it then displays correctly.

I also have to agree with Luc. I expected anything on default to go on active levels and everything else to go on the level it was created on. It makes more sense to allow components, especially if nested to be placed on specific levels.

I also have to agree with Luc. I expected anything on default to go on active levels and everything else to go on the level it was created on. It makes more sense to allow components, especially if nested to be placed on specific levels.