How is this even possible. I am working on setting up tables for use on our projects. I have been experimenting with the various options to figure what works & what does not. Using CE 16.3 I was having an issue with the Import from File (Excel). In CE 16.3 I have a seed table created with the appropriate column headers and a title. Then I have several empty rows.
Using the Place Empty table the inserted table looks like this (seed table name is PointList). This seed table contains the correct formatting for the rows, columns & cells.
Placing another table and selecting From File I select the seed table. Then I select the Excel file, which only contains data that should populate the body of the table (no title or column headers).
When I place the table, the first row of data is inserted into the 3rd row of the table overwriting the Northing & Easting column headers.
There is no solution for this but, I did find a forum post describing this same issue.
Talking with a colleague earlier today, they mentioned that the table tool had some updates in CE 17 so I thought I would see if my table would work in there.
WOW! is about all I can say. Unless I am missing something, they broke this tool's limited functionality.
In CE 17 I selected the Place Table tool and selected From File once again. With this version you cannot even pick a table seed. You can only select a Table Style.
Table Style???? What's that? No surprise here, looking at the Help Documentation the only information provided is
The Ribbon tool group they reference does not contain this tool. You need to select a table that was already placed and formatted. Once you select an existing table in the file the Layout tab becomes visible and contains the Save Style tool.
So I placed my PointList tabled seed, selected it and used the Save Style tool. Going back to the Place Table tool & selecting From File the Style I saved (just named it Style1) is in the list of Table Styles. So I set that style, selected my Excel file and placed the table in my file. I had to chuckle in dismay when I saw the result
The table is placed on the correct level but, the color, weight & style are all 0. Notice there are no grid lines and the title row & column header rows are non-existent as well. Ok, select the the new table and check the properties dialog. Looking at the General section the Color Style & weight of the table are not set bylevel, even though the original table was set that way. Attempting to change those settings, only the color attribute changed.
For the Text Styles section the Default Text Color & Weight were set to From Table, even though the original table was set to use Color 0 & Weight 3. Trying to change those settings failed as well. Going to the Layout tab and trying to turn the Borders on fails as well.
Anyone else noticing these issues with Place Tables in CE 17?
mwlong said:I had to chuckle in dismay
The Table tools have always been dodgy. It's disappointing to read that their usefulness is worsening rather than improving.
What's puzzling is why, as others such as Ian Lapper have asked many times, Bentley Systems don't offer new or changed functionality or new or changed tools to the community for β-testing (beta-testing). Then stuff like your experience could be caught before it escapes into a released product.
Regards, Jon Summers LA Solutions
Jon Summers said:It's disappointing to read that their usefulness is worsening rather than improving.
It's just mindboggling!!!
Jon Summers said:Bentley Systems don't offer new or changed functionality or new or changed tools to the community for β-testing (beta-testing).
I agree. Just a simple test by Bentley's staff could have revealed this new issue. I realize the person writing the code probably has no working experience with the software but, having someone internally who knows the program should be testing at a minimum.
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Hi,
The yellow check & black dot in the icon for functionality means that its either limited access or general access which means its for testing and feedback to the team such that we can review the feed back and make improvements and fix issues. If the icon is not directly available in the product its probably a limited access feature. Users interested in the feature can request the token to test the functionality. This is what we have been doing for quite some time now.
Once that is removed from the icon it is a commercial release feature, i.e. ready for commercial use and not just for testing. From what I can see Table Styles are a limited access feature.
Was the feature aspect token requested for table styles so that the icon would appear and the functionality be tested ?
The team would welcome feedback to help improve the functionality or fix any issues which are found.
From my experience beta cycles take to long, where every piece of functionality has to be ready at the same time to form a beta release. Then everything has to be reviewed, improved tested again by the same time to make another beta or a release. This drags the cycle for a release. Feature aspects and the Limited Access, General Availability, Commercial Release stages allow different pieces of functionality to be tested and reviewed on independent timescales which dont delay releases.
HTH
Paul
Paul Chater said:Was the feature aspect token requested for table styles?
This post is the first time that I've seen table style. I can't see it in MicroStation help. Is table style a synonym for table seed?
I've commented in this Forum, years ago, on the misbehaviour of tables and the use of table seeds. Was Bug 659892 ever resolved?
Paul Chater said:The yellow check & black dot in the icon for functionality means that its either limited access or general access
Well aware of the Technology Preview aspect. That does not change the fact that the Place Table tool is now useless. The only part of the Place Table tool that is a Tech preview is the Sheet Style addition. With that addition the ability to select a Table Seed was removed from the From File import. Importing the data yields completely useless data because you cannot modify the data. One addition should not render a pre-existing tool useless.
Paul Chater said:From my experience beta cycles take to long
Everyone has been complaining about this for years!
Paul Chater said:Was the feature aspect token requested for table styles so that the icon would appear and the functionality be tested ?
No, I never saw anything that says "if you want to attempt to use this tool, make a request". I've never had to do that with other tech previews. The Help document makes no mention of it either.
Even if I do need to request some sort of token to access the new functionality the other aspects of the tool should not be dependent on that token.
Paul Chater said:The team would welcome feedback to help improve the functionality or fix any issues which are found
In how many years???? Many user reported bugs are not addressed for a long time, if ever!
Jon Summers said:The Table tools have always been dodgy
I agree that the tool is lacking but, I actually had workflows that made it very useful. Now the tool is basically useless. How many years until they address this one?