Hi MicroStation Experts,
I am using a MicroStation V8i SS4. Anybody know the key difference between the two variables: MS_MDLSPPS and MS_MDL?
In help document I saw the description:
From the description, seems there is overlap on the scopes of these two variables: both are list of search path(s) for MDL applications. I made the following statements seem logically correct, but feeling they are over complicated, and doubting there is some mistake. Can you check and correct me if I am wrong?
MDL dialog mean the dialog window invoked in MicroStation by selecting Utilities-->MDL Applications.
At the end, there is one thing that confuses me is: I don't know why MicroStation gives an option to display or hide .MA in MDL dialog? why not display them all?
Thank you!
Sui
Sui Huang said:If a pure MDL application (aka. .MA file) is required to be displayed in MDL dialog, then it needs to be placed in MS_MDLAPPS
Some applications are implemented in a DLL, not in a .MA). You want those to be visible also.
Sui Huang said:If I do not want a .MA show up in MDL dialog, then I place it in MS_MDL, and it will automatically loaded when MicroStation starts
No! There is another mechanism to load apps automatically. MS_MDL and MS_MDLAPPS tell MicroStation where to look to find apps; they don't instruct MicroStation to load those apps.
MS_MDL
MS_MDLAPPS
Sui Huang said:I don't know why MicroStation gives an option to display or hide .MA in MDL dialog? why not display them all?
Because there are hundreds of apps. To display them all would confuse the user. MicroStation has its own set of apps, which are loaded as needed; user doesn't need to see those.
The mechanism to load an app automatically is to specify it in configuration variable MS_DGNAPPS. An app must be designed to load automatically: not all apps are designed that way.
MS_DGNAPPS
Regards, Jon Summers LA Solutions
If I could just add to what Jon has laid out very well, when you type mdl Load in the keyin window the default location for possibly external mdl apps or mdl apps that dont need to run in the back ground until called, then this is the best place to put your 3rd party apps so you can easily find them...
otherwise create a customised menu or F keys to load them from your own custom folder but you must add the full file path and to be safe enclose in quotes or " " to be able to load them ie MDL L "c:\my mstn tools\excellent.ma"
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
Lorys said:create a customised menu or F keys to load them from your own custom folder but you must add the full file path and to be safe enclose in quotes or " " to be able to load them ie MDL L "c:\my mstn tools\excellent.ma"
Prefer to modify MS_MDLAPPS to include that folder. Then you need only type mdl load excellent, and user can see the app listed in the MDL dialog.
mdl load excellent
To add a folder to a path variable, use the append or prefix operator in one of your configuration files...
MS_MDLAPPS > C:/My Mstn tools/
Hi Jon and Lorys, thank you for your explaination. Now I understand the rationale of these to variables.
personally I dont like typing the "mdl L MDL_Name" every time I need a custom mdl or 3rd party mdl and if I use it often often then its an F key or custom menu or custom icon for me, for the odd time thenI keyin MDL L (enter) no name defined and then I browse thru the popup dialog to where my custom ones live and run it from there.....
If they are meant to be shared over the network then I have them pathed with the variable just as John suggested ....