Item Typed elements from Excel: bulk import?

What is the exact version no. (e.g. v10.x.y.z) of MicroStation that you are using? Use key-in VERSION to see the version no. in the MicroStation Message Center, or Help→About MicroStation in the backstage.

See this blog that shows you how to obtain MicroStation's version number.

Jeff Martin said:

I have a spread sheet with x,y,z and some attributes.  I would like to add a graphic for each row at the specified x,y,z

The Import Coordinates tool is used to import coordinates from an ASCII text file and place them as points, text, or cells.

There is no option to import from Excel; you must write a CSV file from your Excel worksheet.

Jeff Martin said:

I don't know how to read a column and assign it to the graphic's Item

There is a tool to Import Item Type Instances: The item type instances get imported from Excel files.

Thanks, Jon.  v10.10.21.04.

Example input:

X, Y, Z, trackable info 1, trackable info 2, trackable info 3.

This seems like a two step input and they're unrelated.

1. I can get cells at x, y, z.
2. Import Item Type Instances assigns the info via an Element ID. 

(here's the Export Instance file format (I don't see a discussion of the required Import file format, so i assume this is my only option):

ElementID, trackable info 1, etc.

I think my understand of how it should work and how it actually works are very different.

Here's how I think it should work:

Define an Item Type Definition that can store the source data fields that I want to store.

Import the source file mapping source columns to x,y,z positions and to the Item Types.  Pretty much like every Text Import Wizard or Data Mapper anywhere, but instead of a destination spreadsheet row, a graphic is created and the information populated.

It seems that there is a two step process: creating dumb graphics and somehow mapping data rows to the correct graphic.

Thanks for your reply.  I guess I'll see if going farther down the video rabbit hole will clarify my understanding.

OpenRoads has a couple technologies (ModelBuilder (from OpenFlows), but that isn't working for me right now, and Survey Fieldbook Import, but I'm trying to avoid that because it's about five layers deep).   Seems like they're overthinking it.  Maybe I can do it with Tags (kidding).  They're looking at the ModelBuilder issue for me now.  As a trainer, I always said "you should have a VBA Programmer on speed dial".   I don't have you on speed dial, yet, but I'm glad you're here.  

wouldnt flexitable be able  do this Jon

Jeff Martin said:

I always said "you should have a VBA Programmer on speed dial"

Here's a first shot at answering your request: Point Feature Loader.

This is unsupported freeware.  As with any VBA project, the source code is included.

Thanks, Jon.  Okay, I'm going to practice what I've been preaching: I'll start the process of getting you on our speed dial.  Thanks!

Lorys said:

Wouldn't FlexiTable be able do this?

Thanks for your confidence, Lorys!

FlexiTable V8i could not do this because Item Types don't exist in that generation of MicroStation.

I can see how FlexiTable CONNECT Edition might be easily extended to populate a DGN model with elements tagged with Item data.  I haven't been overwhelmed with requests for that functionality.

Lorys said:

Wouldn't FlexiTable be able do this?

Thanks for your confidence, Lorys!

FlexiTable V8i could not do this because Item Types don't exist in that generation of MicroStation.

I can see how FlexiTable CONNECT Edition might be easily extended to populate a DGN model with elements tagged with Item data.  I haven't been overwhelmed with requests for that functionality.

ok New track this is how  we used to do it  in good old XM days .. thats how long ago I needed to do bulk import from survey  where  they only had point cells and I want to replace them with our company  style real cells at readable scale no good having a bollard in the middle of my  road design  that nobody can see from the survey file represented as a tiny dot or point cell.

Like you already alluded to  if in the csv file  you were to define a cell name in the C column for each graphic needed then the  xyz import could use  xyzC where c is the cell name.

and  provided the cell library was active contained the named cell(s) it would place those  cells at the coordinates in one run of the mdl and CSV file.. but if you want  it to have  specific  Business meta data like used in Items .. you would need to do as Jon suggests.. if there are only few differences between the items  you could create specific cells that have different names and  add information to these .... well that how I would do a one off job  that I already had cells for and  not have to build items.. but it is pretty old school way of getting a result and  not easy to do reports like you can with Items.

Maybe  via a GIS package  you can add those item attributes via a table and  export out as shape file and  then import back into microstation and the special  attributes would be  retained...

Jeff could you  paste a picture of what you actually want stuff to look like  graphically at least..  and  how often do you need to do this is it  a one  off or  once in a long while or regular occurance

Not sure, but you also could try Import Points?

3) Ability to automatically create Item Types from the input data

In any case the source code is included...

Hi Lorys,

I don't care what it looks like.  Any cell would do.  I was able to get OpenRoads Utilities User Data Extensions to build the data structure that I wanted and ModelBuilder to import the data properly.  For Civil, there is a lot of talk about Item Types but not a peep about how to do Bulk Import of data to them.  It just seems odd that such a core functionality is not mentioned.   The emphasis is common data being applied to all elements with a particular Item Type, and any varying info to be typed in manually (ack!).  It's as if Bentley has a different technology they prefer us to use.  I would mind knowing what that is.  Kinda wish they'd read the Communities.  Jon's macro seems to fit the bill.

that looks perfect.  thanks for the link!