So far, I've avoided installing any of the CE versions though I am tempted to do so to see how it compares to V8i possible to replace it however, I have noticed from this forum that there many posts about problems with it so I'm beginning to wonder just how bad is it? Looking to hear opinions from those who use it each day.
Unknown said: stuartw I've created a door/frame group 2D0 and made it an 'item' You don't make anything an 'item'. You first define an Item Types schema (similar to a database schema or tag set defintion). Then you attach item data defined by that schema to your graphic element. In your case, you might define (or have your MicroStation support agent define) a door schema. Then attach item data from that door schema to your doors in a DGN model. Once you have one or more doors with item data attached, you can use MicroStation's built-in tools to create door reports and place tables.
stuartw I've created a door/frame group 2D0 and made it an 'item'
You don't make anything an 'item'. You first define an Item Types schema (similar to a database schema or tag set defintion). Then you attach item data defined by that schema to your graphic element.
In your case, you might define (or have your MicroStation support agent define) a door schema. Then attach item data from that door schema to your doors in a DGN model. Once you have one or more doors with item data attached, you can use MicroStation's built-in tools to create door reports and place tables.
Well Jon you are going to have to put that in English mate, as I haven't a clue what you have just said there! BTW the door did become an item and is listed in a door item list, or whatever you call it.
The schemas in the building sector are for the most part already defined by buildingSmart and IFC. For example: www.buildingsmart-tech.org/.../attribute-list It would be good not to re-invent the wheel and create something that would need to be translated later for interoperability. Items +Reports/Tables: this is one of the main features in MSCE. They pave the way for the user to move to Model Based Documentation. This is the kind of 'single source of truth' or 'data-centric' workflows that you hear about and are typically personified by R*vit in the AEC space. This means imbuing the 3d objects with the desired information first and extracting that information from the object for documentation / presentation purposes. The 3d model is your 'database' and the drawings are 'views' of that database. In the old days, a concrete beam would be modeled/drawn, and the modeler/draftsman would have to manually attach the annotation describing the grade of concrete on the sheet. Very error prone and slow. WIth MBD, the concrete grade (C30, C60 etc) would be attached as an attribute to the 3d beam object. The extracted 2d graphics would retain a link back to the 3d model, so that any annotation tool would be able to extract the correct info and capture it as annotation on a sheet. When the info changes, the annotation should be able to update automatically. This means that the data needs to be streamlined into 'schemas' so that everything is 'machine-readable' without having to know anything about the code that generates the objects; hence exchange formats like IFC.
Datacentric workflows also mean working more and more with information in table format. MSCE introduces more capable table manipulation tools. Anyone who has worked with R*vit will tell you how important these tools are when you have to bulk manipulate attribute information.
Bentley has had a lot of powerful Excel-like tools in its verticals. OpenPlant DataManager, WaterCAD Flextables, ABD's DGS Explorer, i-model translator etc etc. And Jon has Flexitable. It is good to see this filtering down to platform level.
In summary, you will need to move over sometime. What you need or not need to do now is irrelevant.
Unknown said: Items +Reports/Tables: this is one of the main features in MSCE. They pave the way for the user to move to Model Based Documentation
Well summarised!
Regards, Jon Summers LA Solutions
stuartw said:A lot of this assumes that you work in 3D
That's your assumption, not mine.