CE: New Approach for Text Substitution

I just started testing this method out but it seems to be working great so I thought I would share.

I am using the Excel Lookup table to populate various Text Fields for all my Sheet models. In a separate model, I place a cell with an Item Type definition attached to it. Then place Text Fields that are linked to the Cell. The Text Fields correspond to my border sheet information. I copy the Cell & linked Text Fields to all my sheets. Then by selecting the Properties of the Cell, I change the text fields from a default Heading to the Sheet Number corresponding to my file in the Excel Lookup table.

I found the background information from the Forum site postings by Snehal Deshpande:

(Technology Preview) Expression to Derive Data from Lookup Tables

General Access Technology preview in MicroStation Update 12

https://communities.bentley.com/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/176214/connect-u12-technology-preview-expression-to-derive-data-from-lookup-tables

https://docs.bentley.com/LiveContent/web/MicroStation%20Help-v14/en/LookUp.html

The key for me to get this to work was the development of the “Pick List”. I listed 500 sheets in this pick list. If I had one suggestion, it would be to have a Move Up & Move Down button on the Values side of the Pick List Manager. Make it a bit more robust.

I made a cell with the Item Type attached to it.

Here are my Item Type definitions.

Here is a before and after example of the Text Fields that reflect choosing the proper Sheet file from the pulldown.

Pulldown set to Headings                                       Pulldown set to Sheet-001

  

Here is a snapshot of the Properties dialog of the selected Cell showing the Expression values of the Item Type. This is where I change the pulldown from Headings to Sheet-001.

  

Pulldown selections

Here is a snapshot of the Excel file lookup table. Note that the pink colored cells should never change since they are utilized by the Lookup expression. The orange row of headings can change and the columns of data under the headings can be changed for each sheet.

This could even be utilized as a Sheet Index by making a heading for Sheet Total and Sheet Name/Number.

Here are the variables that I used:

# File that contains the Item Type and Pick List for Text Substitution method

MS_DGNLIBLIST > $(_USTN_ORGANIZATION)dgnlib/TextSubstitution/TextSubstitution_CE.dgnlib

# Project Directory to locate Text Substitution Excel file

ITEMTYPE_EXCELLOOKUP = $(_USTN_WORKSETDGNS)Shared/Support/TextSubstitution_CE.xlsm

 

I apologize for this lengthy posting. My goal was to share this process or possibly start a discussion to see if anyone else is using the lookup table as a text substitution method.

Using MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 12 - Version 10.12.00.40

Karl Todt

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