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

Parents

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

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Andrew Bell
Technical Support
Bentley Systems
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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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