New Microstation User, multiple Text styles Template setup

Good Day MicroHeads, I am a 10yr AutoCAD user starting a new position with a company that has my head scratching. We work on government jobs that require DGN submissions, the prelim is done in C3D and the design part is done in Microstation. My issue is that we don't have any templates setup. I know with C3D annotation text and dimensioning is useful, but in Microstation it is not being used. I would like to Setup a more defined template for my workflow with multiple text styles for different scales, does this not seem logical to any of you?

  • Does it sound logical? Sure does. I like using text & dimension styles. They are easy to setup and allow for consistency!

    Before creating these you need to decide whether you will be utilizing drawing scales within each file or annotation scale.

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  • Going forward, Correct my if I am wrong, annotation scales do not seem feasible as each model contains multiple scale details. So therefore I will be creating 3 text styles for each scale( normal txt , large txt and title txt). Plus a dimension style for each scale. 1:20,1:50,1:75,1:100,1:500,1:1000,1:5000,1:250000. So 8 scales x (3 text styles + 1 dim style) = 32 styles in total. If there is a better way to do it other than the 32 style creation please comment.

  • Using Annotation Scale; The scale is picked per the scale you are plotting the whole sheet out at. It is a Model Property. Not the scale of each referenced detail. You create 1 Text Style for each Text Size (or variation (i.e. different Font etc.)). If set to use Annotation Scale, the Annotation Scale factor would multiply the set size to the size/scale setting for that sheet/Model. The Dimension Style can use & follow the Text Style assigned to the Dimension Style. You only have to create a Text Style for each size of text you are placing in the file.

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

  • That's how we operated back when our office was primarily AutoCAD based. When we first started with Microstation we used cells for arrowheads on notes and dimensions. We also used regular lines to draw the leader. It was painful to move notes around because you had to move the note, adjust the leader lines & then more often than not, you had to rotate the arrowhead. Using the Place Note tool with dimension styles and text styles really alleviates the hassle. It prevents misalignments of the arrowhead to the leader & keeps the arrowhead size consistent.

    Annotation scale sounds great at first. I have co-workers who insist that Annotation Scale should be used. In civil work I just do not feel it is feasible. These people don't understand the impact of the process. There needs to be a lot of forethought for the text justification. Placing the text in a good for one location at a certain scale will be detrimental in another scale. The justification can cause the scaled text to move further from the element or overlap the element if not placed correctly. The you will be chasing text around in every file.

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    Answer Verified By: jwilk 

  • I have used annotation scales with details of varying sizes and it works out fine. you would define three text styles, and annotation scale would take care of the rest.
    Differently scaled details can be handled in a couple of different ways. I prefer to use multiple design models - one for each required scale. All my 1:20 details go into one model, all my 1:50 details go into a different model, then both models are referenced (at the proper scale, respectively) into a 1:1 sheet border.
    A different way to handle this issue is to use a single design model, and just change annotation scale when needed. The most important thing to do/remember about this method is to UNcheck "Propogate Annotation Scale" in the Model Properties. That way I can draw a 1:20 detail, move over, change my annotation scale to 1:50 and start drawing that detail, with text and dimensions adapting accordingly. When ready to assemble my sheets, I just reference the details into my border in just the same way as I would do it for multiple models.

    Annotation scale and style are absolutely the way to go for me! I only need a handful of text styles and dimension styles, and every scale detail I need will look the same on paper - without a lot of effort, thought or operator error.

    MaryB

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    Answer Verified By: jwilk