Hi, I want to be able to edit title block data in sheet files without having to open the files. I have tried CONNECTs new "Sheet index" feature and it does exactly what I'm looking for. But...with sheet index only simple string items can be set to be properties of sheet models. For things like title, date, scale,... this is fine. But what about revisions? I have about 12 lines in each sheet. Each line consists of following properties: Index (a,b,c,....) Date Drawn by Description Checked by This is like 12x5=60 additional string properties for each sheet? hm...would be a mess, no? On the other hand I've tried Item types: Defined a custom Revision Item type. Defined Item with array property of Revision type Attached Revision Item to model and added entries to array....nice user experience with Property Editor. But...with Items I don't know how to edit them WITHOUT opening the model. Or administrate my sheets. So, I'm looking for combination of Sheet index and "advanced" custom item types. Maybe this is possible with tables or reports or blah? Or do I have to write a custom tool for this? Hopefully not! How do you handle this? Any ideas? For advice or inspiration I would be very thankful. Maybe there is just some feature I do not know of... Regards, Stephan

Sheet Index / Items

Hi,

I want to be able to edit title block data in sheet files without having to open the files.
I have tried CONNECTs new "Sheet index" feature and it does exactly what I'm looking for.

But...with sheet index only simple string items can be set to be properties of sheet models.
For things like title, date, scale,... this is fine. But what about revisions?

I have about 12 lines in each sheet. Each line consists of following properties:

Index (a,b,c,....)
Date
Drawn by
Description
Checked by

This is like 12x5=60 additional string properties for each sheet? hm...would be a mess, no?

On the other hand I've tried Item types:

Defined a custom Revision Item type.
Defined Item with array property of Revision type
Attached Revision Item to model and added entries to array....nice user experience with Property Editor.

But...with Items I don't know how to edit them WITHOUT opening the model. Or administrate my sheets.

So, I'm looking for combination of Sheet index and "advanced" custom item types.
Maybe this is possible with tables or reports or blah?
Or do I have to write a custom tool for this? Hopefully not!

How do you handle this?
Any ideas?

For advice or inspiration I would be very thankful. Maybe there is just some feature I do not know of...

Regards,
Stephan

0 Offline Andrew Bell Tue, Jan 19 2016 6:14 PM
As you have most likely found the new Sheet Index in MicroStation CONNECT Edition are quite useful in creating a numbering system in your projects for the Design and Sheet Models you create. This does not produce Title Blocks with text relating to what you have listed here. Text Fields do provide a method of placing annotations for Title Block details that come from the information stored in the Elements, Models or File properties. The following Wiki article gives some basic information on hos this information could be used.

communities.bentley.com/.../12506.text-fields-auto-updating-annotations

The following details in the Help Documenation for MicroStation CONNECT Edition might also be helpful here.

file:///C:/ProgramData/Bentley/Documentation/MicroStation/10.0.0/en/htm/GUID-AE647EEE-6773-4390-A93D-EFD7F8AB6FDC.html?q=sheet index

Regards
Andrew Bell
Technical Support
Bentley Systems
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0 Offline Stephan L. Wed, Jan 20 2016 6:30 AM in reply to Andrew Bell

Thank you for your answer.

I know about auto updating text fields. That's why I wanted to use the sheet index to administrate title block data.
I can define custom properties per sheet in the sheet index. These properties will be used with text fields. This way I will be able to change title block data without having to open each file for editing text elements.

My question was more about how to use sheet index with more complex data like revisions table...

But okay, maybe it wasn't intended for that kind of use.
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0 Offline Andrew Bell Wed, Jan 20 2016 5:33 PM in reply to Stephan L.
Something else you could consider for changes made in your design files is Design History. It keeps track of changes to the design elements, who made those changes and when they were performed. The following Wiki article may be of interest.

communities.bentley.com/.../2932.working-with-design-history-in-microstation-v8-cs

Regards
Andrew Bell
Technical Support
Bentley Systems
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0 Offline David Trejo-Rodriguez Mon, Jan 25 2016 1:55 PM
Have you considered Custom Properties for WorkSets. From the Workpage you can edit those custom properties without opening each file.

These custom properties can be used in fields and are found under file properties.
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0 Offline Stephan L. Wed, Jan 27 2016 2:58 AM in reply to David Trejo-Rodriguez

Yes, the WorkSet would be another place where I could edit properties. Like the custom sheet properties inside the sheet index. These are both valid solutions for simple data like title, date of creation, scale, sheet size....and I would use them for that kind of data.

But my Problem is about the "Revision table".....

ID DATE DESCRIPTION CREATED BY CHECKED BY

a 12.12.2012 New door SL CFG

b 24.12.2012 New window EF CFG

c 01.01.2013 Edited door SL CFG

d 12.14.2014 Edited window SL CFG

I dont want to create a property for EACH table cell. With items I can model my data a little better but (as stated in previous posts) I don't know about a way to edit them without opening the file....
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ID	DATE	DESCRIPTION	CREATED BY	CHECKED BY
a	12.12.2012	New door	SL	CFG
b	24.12.2012	New window	EF	CFG
c	01.01.2013	Edited door	SL	CFG
d	12.14.2014	Edited window	SL	CFG