What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

dominic SEAH — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:04:33 GMT

Yes, very confusing.

But I hope you are right.

Otherwise, 2023 looks quite modest in scope.

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Jan Šlegr — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:15:36 GMT

[quote userid="297179" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023/772034"]Yea, good to see support for the .bim format.[/quote]

If I understand it correctly (maybe I am wrong), it is not BIM format, but BIM file ... confusing naming :-(

Because "Attach BIM" is paired with "Attach iTwin", I guess it's local static snapshot of iTwin data. There is no difference in content or precision, only it is static and cannot be updated.

Snapshot can be created e.g. from .dgn using iTwin snapshot tool, but technically any application, because on iTwin.js API, is able to create this format (even without connection to iModel Hub / cloud services).

[quote userid="297179" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023/772034"] But, it is a 'foreign' format which I understand is based on meshes.[/quote]

Not in his case.

[quote userid="297179" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023/772034"]Maybe one way dual saving to a local iModel would allow Mstn to switch between BREP and solids to meshes when needed in a more transparent and useful way?[/quote]

When local briefcase is created, it is created using geometry, supported by iTwin.

With regards,

Jan

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

dominic SEAH — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:26:20 GMT

Yea, good to see support for the .bim format. But, it is a 'foreign' format which I understand is based on meshes. Less precision.

OTOH, game engines and cloud-based apps seem to love meshes. Next gen BIM apps seem to be all cloud and mesh based which allows some very large models.

Maybe one way dual saving to a local iModel would allow Mstn to switch between BREP and solids to meshes when needed in a more transparent and useful way?

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Jan Šlegr — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:50:18 GMT

[quote userid="297179" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023/772019"]Looks like the 'Phase 2' iTwin engine or local iModels have not been included... yet?[/quote]

At least BIM (local static file) file now can be referenced, which is tiny, but appreciated (at least by me ;-), step towards integration MicroStation with iTwin / iModel world.

Regards,

Jan

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

dominic SEAH — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:44:49 GMT

Hi Jan,

Nice run down on the changes. Looks like the 'Phase 2' iTwin engine or local iModels have not been included... yet?

"Phase 2 of our journey involves improving our existing desktop products using the same iTwin engine. Users of our MicroStation and engineering design and analysis applications will next gain new features that can make their projects more efficient, more connected, and the results more valuable. We can do that by augmenting, not replacing, their existing tools, workflows, file formats, and deliverables. The iTwin engine will run on the same desktop ‘in process’ with the design applications, synchronizing a local iModel and connecting to cloud services when and as necessary.”

Maybe this will be tied into the next version after ProjectWise 2023 rolls out?

Curious to see how this would work.

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Jan Šlegr — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 02:43:54 GMT

[quote userid="246578" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023"]When the version naming of Microstation changed from CONNECT to 2023, what does it means to the future?[/quote]

I think it does not mean anything, just naming:

DGN V8 format remains the same.
GUI remains the same.
PowerPlatform technology, at least what I see without SDK, is nearly the same (the same MSVC runtime, minor NET update from Framework 4.6.2 to 4.8)
QuickVision engine nearly the same (only minor update from 5.12.16 to 5.12.18, still based on DirectX 11)

First personal impressions is it look a bit faster, so probably some internal optimizations and enhancements implemented.

[quote userid="334014" url="~/products/microstation/f/microstation-forum/247133/what-is-the-road-map-after-microstation-2023/771690"]Hopefully they also simplify that - a simple OpenRoads Designer 2023 and then 2023.1, 2023.2 is all we need.[/quote]

I agree. The naming of civil products is confusing marketing chaos on drugs, nothing else. Impossible for normal user to understand what products are the same (minor updates based on the same civil schemas) and what product upgrade requires standards and DGN updates.

Regards,

Jan

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Kevin van Haaren — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 11:34:47 GMT

Yeah, that's my hope too. So much simpler.

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Mark Shamoun — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:00:42 GMT

Hopefully they also simplify that - a simple OpenRoads Designer 2023 and then 2023.1, 2023.2 is all we need. Hopefully Microstation does that type of minor version branding as well.

We get a lot of confused users every update...

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Carl Myhill — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 08:57:02 GMT

Information on versioning can be found on the Bentley Lifecycle Policy

RE: What is the road map after Microstation 2023?

Kevin van Haaren — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 01:05:30 GMT

I believe they are switching to year based versioning like autodesk has, so next year would be Microstation 2024. While it doesn't mean much for MicroStation for the verticals standardizing will be welcome. Currently we have:

OpenRoads Designer CONNECT Edition Update 12
OpenRoads Designer CONNECT Edition 2022 Release 3
10.12.01.59

and those are all the same product (and despite the 2022 date, was released in 2023). Getting rid of 4 words in one name and 5 in the other will be huge reduction in confusion. And having the first number of the numerical version match the year is great too.