CR - Custom Line Styles Editor

see this thread: http://communities.bentley.com/Communities/Other_Communities/MicroStation_V8i__SELECTseries_1__Early_Access_Program/f/63797/t/34430.aspx

danien:

1/ Custom line styles - this interface is unintuitive and a nightmare to use.It hasnt been updadted in years and you can only load rsc files to edit the linestyles. Even though the linestyles are now (or should be) stored in dgnlib's.

Even though the linestyles are now (or should be) stored in dgnlibs. I would like the ability to DRAW a custom LineStyle within a dgnlib similar to the way a Linear Pattern can be created by DRAWING the cell to be applied as a Linear Pattern. This currently works but does not provide all the functionality as Custom LineStyles.

Filed CR

Service Ticket number 8000611923
Change Request number 240515

TIA - Roy

p.s. Users please follow John's recommendations when starting a thread which is a CR

John Frampton:
I propose;

  1. Start a post in the appropriate forum
    1. Title it with "CR - (subject)", (this makes it searchable and easily identified)
    2. one topic per post
  2. The community iterates on the idea
  3. Orginal poster forumlates the idea after a time period
  4. A CR is filed with Bentley
  5. CR # and description is added to the thread by the orginal poster
    1. Others may then contact Bentley support to be added to the CR#

 

Parents
  • John Cannon:

    Ray,

     Bravo for the CR!  I was moving toward a similar idea, i.e. creating line styles just like cells, 1 per model in a "line style lib" file.

    BTW, I don't know what it means to store custom linestyles in a .dgnlib.  I use a .dgnlib to  format mu UI and some basic settings, and to customize tools.  Is storing the linestyles any different than using the config variable to specify default .rsc files?  The Help file doesn't discuss how custom linestyles and .dgnlibs are related.

    John

    John,

    Currently there is no relation between LineStyles and dgnlibs with reguard to editing LineStyles they are currently containers of defined LineStyles (That is part of the CR). I believe it is Bentley's direction to generally move the management of many resources to dgnlibs. This would replace the need for rsc files for Custom LineStyles.

    Thanks - Roy

  • Just an FYI to all regarding this topic;

    Using the import method below you can import RSC stored line style definitions to a DGN or a DGNlib.  This will make delivering the RSC file to a comsumer of the DGN file not  required.  If a line style definition is stored in a DGNlib the MS_SYMBRSC variable no longer needs to point to the location of the RSC file (except to find the RSC based fonts), or the line style definition RSC file can be remove from the location defined by variable.  The DGNlib based line style definitions will be read by the MS_DGNLIBLIST variable.  When a line style definition is used from a DGNlib it's definition is written in the DGN file that used it.  Compress can be used to remove unused line styles.  You currently can not edit line style definitions that are stored in a DGN or DGNlib file.

    Line Style Editor dialog

    Used to define and modify line styles definition stored in a line style library (RSC). Opens when Line Style > Edit is chosen from the Element menu. Line style definitions can be stored in DGN or DGNlib files or in line style libraries. The dialog lets you open and define or modify line styles in only one line style library (RSC) at a time. If a line style library (RSC) is open, its file specification displays in the title bar.

    File > Import > MicroStation Resource File (RSC)
    Used to import custom line styles that were stored in a "RSC" files to your active DGN or DGNlib file. Choosing this menu item opens the "Open Line Style Library" dialog which is used to open the RSC file from which to import. The controls are analogous to those in the "Open" dialog.  When a "RSC" file is opened, the "Select Linestyles to Import" dialog opens, which is used to select the custom line styles to import. In the list box, entries for custom line styles with the same names as those in the open DGN file appear in red.  If selected these duplicate definitions will be over written upon import.

    "Compress Options" dialog
    Used to purge empty and unused data resources from the open DGN file as well as deleted elements. Opens when File > Compress > Options is chosen.  Alternativly you can use the key-in "delete unused linestyles"

    I hope this helps people understand what is currently available as far as DGN/DGNlib stored line style definitions.

    later,
    ~john.

Reply Children
  • In my SR I referenced the address of this thread to allow the continued group discussion. I think it would be best if the thread remained open for others to add their input as to how they think the feature should be implemented. I think the hashing of ideas (here) is what can help make a function which performs appropriately with regard  to the majority of users. This feature may take some time to appear in the product. Threads such as these (CR-threads) can provide that the direct requests of the users can be read by the various program developers.

    Thanks - Roy
  • Roy,

    Do you want feedback in this thread to be about issues with the existing Editor i.e. work flow or on new fuctionality i.e Cells etc.  I think it would be best if these threads stay somewhat focused.

    Regards,

    DavidG

  • David,

    I agrre that the thread needs to remain focused on recommendations pertaining to development of a new Custom LineStyles Editor and how it may be organized to provide a more GUI interface. Also it would be appropriate to discuss method of deployment and managment within dgnlibs.

    I will start off the discussion. I feel the editor needs to feel more like the process of creating linear patterns in that the pattern may be drawn like a cell. I am including these quotes from the previously reference thread , which I think explains very well a good approach.

    Thanks - Roy

    danien:
     
    The main problem at present is that you can store the linestyles you create in a dgnlib and therefore have them available in your linestyle list, however to edit them you need to go back to a RSC file and load that into your linestyle editor.

    A step further would be to deal with them in a similar manner to cells, ie one linestyle per model, easily editable at any time.

    comments/ support please

    D.

    danien:

    I agree with eeyanc that it is not straight forward to apply the 'cell' style interface to linestyle.  Where a cell is a single instance of a model placed at a data point, a linestyle has all sorts of other attributes.

    However I think that it is feasible (from a lay perspective, dont ask me whether it can be coded or not) to have specific cells in the linestyle model which are placed to indicate start of line, corner instance, end of line etc. to indicate to microstation where the points are.  these cells are not drawn as part of the line, but are there as an indicator to the program.  A bit like the 'origin' tool/ marker for a cell in times gone by.

    I would think there would need to be a 'start' indicator, a 'repeat' indicator. and an 'end' indicator, plus a few more im sure.

    Or instead of indicator cells maybe it is handled by different models with similar names i.e. styleone-start, styleone-repeat, styleone-end etc. a bit like the annotation cels are handled.

    Is this workable from a programming point of view?  no idea.

    D.

    cadzu:
    If Bentley goes toward a line style dgnlib I hope they still reacte the same as a rsc file. As far as I know, embeded Linestyles won't allow you to shift them.

  • Roy,

    Short term it think something that works within the confines of the current data structure would be useful to keep things moving.  On the CELL approach my thinking is associative patterning for linear elements if it is possible in current frame work. I have a CR in on that now.

    That would, for all practical purposes, be a cell based line style. For that I would like to see adding associative pattern to the linear patterning dialog.  Also provide accessibility to the Pattern Cell for editing via a model from within the DGN.


    Long term (V9?) linear patterning gets incorporate into Line Styles as a "simple" line style.

    Other enhancements would include replace the current symbol method with a cell and of course an overhaul of the whole interface.

    DavidG