How to add a existing cell into cell library

MS V8i SS5

Hello All,

I have a cell (sourcecell) in a dgn file, the cell has some tag inside. I'd like to use the cell in other files. But I don't know how to add the cell into a cell library. I have tried:

1. Attach the dgn file as cell library or open the cel library file, copy the cell by Ctrl+C/V, in this way, the original cell (sourcecell) will be a nested cell in the new cell.

2. Drop the cell, all the attached tags will gone, cannot create a new cell same as the original cell.

Does anyone know how to add a exsiting cell with tags into cell library, so it can be reused? Otherwise it almost impossible to use existing cells without the cell library. Thanks a lot!

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  • Unknown said:

    MS V8i SS5

    Hello All,

    I have a cell (sourcecell) in a dgn file, the cell has some tag inside. I'd like to use the cell in other files. But I don't know how to add the cell into a cell library. I have tried:

    1. Attach the dgn file as cell library or open the cel library file, copy the cell by Ctrl+C/V, in this way, the original cell (sourcecell) will be a nested cell in the new cell.

    2. Drop the cell, all the attached tags will gone, cannot create a new cell same as the original cell.

    Does anyone know how to add a exsiting cell with tags into cell library, so it can be reused? Otherwise it almost impossible to use existing cells without the cell library. Thanks a lot!

    in your  file that has the  tagged cell, 

    Go to Element >tags > define

    find the tag set  in the diaog , 

    File >export>create tag library

    copy the  cell and drop it  fence file the  copy out

    open the  files our copy 

    ref attach the  orginal file near  the new dropped cell so we can match text and levels and  where the tags  go

    now from the The menu Elements > tags >define  choose import from library now we have the tags defined use the attach tags tool in tags

    now you as  you can see the original cell from the ref and you can match properties you can now  move the tags around to suit the  right places and  font style and als text settings  levels etc...I would ensure they are all made visible first move around  style etc then turn off those you want  off by default..

    Detach the ref  now place fence around your dropped and tagged elements and from the  cell tool add an origin ( old school method)  make sure cell lib you want to use is attached and  use the  create cell button  and your tagged cell should now work... and not   nested but tags work..

    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 

    Answer Verified By: Changsong Ling 

  • In case anyone runs across this on google.  If all you need is to reuse a cell with many embedded tags in other dgns, one low tech way of doing that is copying the cell with Ctrl+C, not the microstation copy, but actually Ctrl+C.

    Then open the file where you need the cell and Ctrl+V paste it inside.  You can then use the scale command to scale the cell up or down and all the tags work just fine.

    In my case, all I needed was a low tech way to re-use a fairly complex border cell with all sorts of tags and whiz bang stuff embedded in it that was somehow not in the cell library.  I assumed, incorrectly, that Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, would somehow not work because I assumed the cell was somehow tied to the parent dgn.  My assumption was wrong.

    It's as easy as copy, paste, and then scale.  Of course, for an in depth, long term solution the above from Lorys is the way to go.

    Which begs the question...if the cell can be ctrl+c'ed, ctrl+v'ed, why the heck can't we ctrl+v it into a cell library?  Someone answered this too from Bentley, and it is a cogent answer, but Bentley basically says no, we don't want to do that, because we want to provide a perfect, one size fits all, method of moving a cell from a dgn into a library and there are issues with that.  It is what it is.  Again, if you want the low tech method to re-use a cell with no library, the above worked for me.

  • It might work manually, but I'd like to re-use the cell by automatic way by codes, so I have to add the cell into cell library. 

  • hey John Ola ok what happens if you open cell lib and create new model name it name of cell and paste cell from clipboard.. nested cell maybe but tags  would stay... 

    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 

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