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Link element properties from objects to Excel

We need more interoperability from element data to Excel.
I've seen in the past people linking element information throught VBA to Excel. Can we have this more simplify and more direct. Less click less error less time to transport element information to Excel.
Now we have tables that we can use to insert text fields, and to export to Excel. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.
We need to use filters, formulas and to configure tables to send to the next guy that need to access the information and for now that's a lot of things we can't do in tables inside MS.

Bentley contenders already do this for at least 9 years and have a lot of interoperability between Autocad and Excel. Only now we have tables but that's only the start.

If you want to see the problem described more in detail please follow the link:

http://communities.bentley.com/products/microstation/f/273/t/116020

What I would like to see is a mean to send Element Information of any kind automatically to Excel so anytime the element changes the value in Excel stay updated:
Length, area, volume, coordinates, level, etc, everything that is available in Element information.
And of course, Item Type would be a great addon - link to Excel with a push of a button.

Regards

Jose Pinho

  • Hi José, we have now implemented import/export of item type data to excel, item types expressions. Could you please give me a list of specific functionalities you would like to add to tables, item types, etc?

  • Hi José, have you had a chance to check out the recently introduced Item Types-Excel import/export functionality? Although it is our first implementation of this feature, I think it will help with your workflow and I would like to hear your feedback!

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    I presented a large scale project that utilised Item Types and Display Rules, my client was very impressed, amongst other things he asked about how easy it is to update the values and also adding additional data sets, he was not very happy about the amount of manual data input in this project by different parts of the team and all the error checking that goes along with it.

    To be quite honest it was not a very pleasant exercise for the guys that handled the data input, to that end I will not be suggesting to my client about doing this type of project again until we have some import / export capability using Excel.

    Regards

    Ken

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    The latest version of Microstation is more data centric with Parametric Modelling, Items and Display Rules to name a few, as such we need IMPORT and EXPORT to and from Excel to take advantage of  data sets large and small that live in or outside Microstation.

    We live in an era of 'big data' and data exchange, as it stands, Microstation it is pretty poor in this department for the ordinary user, unless you have better than average programming skills.

    I agree with your idea for change and hope that this one moves up the queue quickly.

    Regards

    Ken

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