[CONNECT] Missing bentley library utilities in CONNECT version.

One of reason for many users staying with v8i versions is lack of Bentley Library utilities like Areatool, Civtools as there are no similar funcionality in CONNECT edition.

Are there plans to migrate these utilities or add such functionality in Microstation/Powerdraft?

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  • Hi Andrew,

    There are currently no plans to recreate these free MDL tools for use in MicroStation CONNECT Edition

    In my opinion a correct formulation "Bentley do not want to create the tools for CE and try to convince users CE tools are better".

    In the past, it was also discussed several times whether Bentley can provide source codes as open source (when they have been treated useleses when there is no reason for migration), so community could try to migrate the code or rewrite it for CE, but these discussions have not any results.

    as many of the operations have already been included as basic functionality either in MicroStation or a Companion / Power product.

    Can you please provide simple 1:1 table with mapping what CE tool is replacement for what V8i library tools asked by Oto?

    I know some blogs exists that try to explain how to reach similar functionality and results using standard CE tools, but my feeling is (and I received similar information from my customers) that the tools are often more complicated (so there is a cost and time required for implementation) and they require more clicks and settings to reach some results that are often not the same as in V8i.

    I hope this information is of assistance.

    No, it's not. Bentley does the migration as complicated as possible.

    When so many users ask for CE versions of the tools and complains this lack of functionality breaks their workflow, Bentley's reaction is "There are new and better tools in CE" but not real help. It's not mentioned the new tools often require extra configuration, better understanding of dgnlib, and requires more mouse clicks from users and letting users to try to find all necessary information about such functionality like blogs or discussions, where old tools worked simply "load and use".

    When you told there is functionality avaialble, please provide to us "a mapping table" for the discussed tools what can be replaced by what tool and where (blog, wiki, docs) the migration process is described. Blogs desribing theoretically how new features work without a context of real data and engineering design workflow maybe interesting for CAD admins, but are useless for users who need to do their work and deliver outputs.

    With regards,

      Jan

  • Bentley's reaction is "There are new and better tools in CE" so we set the price for CONNECT versions(Opensite,Openroads) even higher but from user perspective there is no real advantage to justify migration. Mostly upgrade is done because of new DWG format support.

    Ok, I will collect list of workflows where areatool and civiltools is used now so we could see what is replacement in CONNECT.

  • Andrew,

    could please explain what tool works EXACTLY or ENHANCED as "Place Coordinate" tool? and no, the "Label Coordinate" is not what I'm looking for.
    thanks

    /pt

  • I guess I'll post my 2¢ worth: Cellutils.ma

    It plots a cell libraries contents to an array of 8 1/2 X 11 sheets. I keep an up to date version of this in the default model of every cell library and also periodically make PDF's of these so users can try and locate a cell without scrolling through dozens of libraries in different folders. The cell matrix tool in MicroStation is not as useful as the arrangement is not easily plottable. 


    Charles (Chuck) Rheault
    CADD Manager

    MDOT State Highway Administration
    Maryland DOT - State Highway Administration User Communities Page

    • MicroStation user since IGDS, InRoads user since TDP.
    • AutoCAD, Land Desktop and Civil 3D, off and on since 1996