Bentley Communities
Bentley Communities
  • Site
  • User
  • Site
  • Search
  • User
MicroStation
  • Product Communities
MicroStation
MicroStation Wiki Troubleshooting User Preferences Issues
    • Sign In

    • -MicroStation Wiki
      • +Learning Tips
      • -MicroStation
        • +3D Printing - MicroStation
        • +Animation - MicroStation
        • +Archive / Backup - MicroStation
        • +Base Geometry - MicroStation
        • +Batch Processing - MicroStation
        • +CONNECT Advisor - MicroStation
        • CONNECT Integration - MicroStation
        • +CONNECTION Client
        • +Cells - MicroStation
        • +Change Tracking - MicroStation
        • -Configuration - MicroStation
          • +DGN Settings - Configuration - MicroStation
          • +General - Configuration - MicroStation
          • -User Preferences - Configuration - MicroStation
            • Application crashes when selecting the element information icon
            • Auto Focus Tool Settings
            • Color Preferences
            • Create a Seed user Preference File (SPF) that does not contain file history
            • Create and configure CONNECT Seed user preference files (UPF XML)
            • Cross Hairs will disappear when placing first point of Dimension
            • Custom linestyle not visible zoomed out
            • Custom task menus not displaying
            • Disable Remapping Colors for Reference
            • Distribute standard user preferences
            • ESC Key Closing Tool
            • How to display the V8i style Tasks dialog in MicroStation CONNECT Edition through Update 12
            • How to enable multiple Application Windows in MicroStation CONNECT Edition?
            • How to enable Position Mapping shortcuts in MicroStation CONNECT Edition?
            • How to Enable Scroll Bars on the View Window?
            • How to enable v8i keyboard shortcuts in CONNECT Edition
            • How to open a Combo Task Navigation box in MicroStation CONNECT Edition?
            • How To Reset Keyboard Shortcuts to Factory Default
            • How to setup the workspace so that when when a user logs on any PC their preferences are available.
            • Import saved views only showing "type".
            • In a dual screen environment dialog boxes in app window 2 can sometimes get stuck
            • List of Useful Keyboard Shortcuts
            • MicroStation closes without displaying an error
            • Rectangle displays around active weight and style dialog
            • Toggle CONNECT Edition Language
            • Troubleshooting User Preferences Issues
            • Using The AutoSave Features In MicroStation V8 [CS]
          • +Workmodes - Configuration - MicroStation
          • +WorkSet - Configuration - MicroStation
          • +Workspaces - Configuration - MicroStation
        • +Coordinate Systems - MicroStation
        • +Curves - MicroStation
        • +Custom Linestyles - MicroStation
        • +DGN - MicroStation
        • +DWG - MicroStation
        • +Database - MicroStation
        • +Detailing Symbols - MicroStation
        • +Dimensions - MicroStation
        • +Documentation & Help - MicroStation
        • +Drawing Aids - MicroStation
        • +Exception - MicroStation
        • +FAQ - MicroStation
        • +Feature Based Solids Modeling - MicroStation
        • +File Access - MicroStation
        • +GUI - MicroStation
        • +General - MicroStation
        • +Graphics Display - MicroStation
        • +Groups - MicroStation
        • +Hardware / Input Devices - MicroStation
        • +Import/Export - MicroStation
        • +Installation - MicroStation
        • +Interchange - MicroStation
        • +Interference - MicroStation
        • +Internationalization - MicroStation
        • +Levels - MicroStation
        • +Licensing - MicroStation
        • +Manipulation - MicroStation
        • +Markup / Redline - MicroStation
        • +Measure - MicroStation
        • +Mesh - MicroStation
        • +Models - MicroStation
        • +Multi-Lines - MicroStation
        • +OLE - MicroStation
        • +Other - MicroStation
        • +Parametrics - MicroStation
        • +Patterning - MicroStation
        • +Point Cloud - MicroStation
        • +Printing - MicroStation
        • +Programming - MicroStation
        • +Project Navigation - MicroStation
        • +Properties - MicroStation
        • +RSS Feeds - MicroStation
        • +Reference - MicroStation
        • +Security - MicroStation
        • +Selection - MicroStation
        • +Settings - MicroStation
        • +Sheet Composition - MicroStation
        • +Solids - MicroStation
        • +Standards - MicroStation
        • +Surfaces - MicroStation
        • +Tables - MicroStation
        • +Text - MicroStation
        • +UI Customization - MicroStation
        • +Units - MicroStation
        • +View - MicroStation
        • +Visualization - MicroStation
        • Welcome Page - MicroStation
        • +Accreditation - MicroStation
        • +i.Models - MicroStation
        • +ProjectWise Integration
        • +Raster - MicroStation
    • +Administration Wiki
    • +Annotations Wiki
    • +Bentley View Wiki
    • +MicroStation PowerDraft
    • +Programming Wiki
    • +Visualization Wiki

     
     Questions about this article, topic, or product? Click here. 

    Troubleshooting User Preferences Issues

      Product: MicroStation
      Version: V8, XM, V8i, CONNECT
      Environment: N\A
      Area: Configuration
      Subarea: User Preferences

    Some tips for troubleshooting User Preferences issues

    Background

    MicroStation stores users settings by using both variables, which are defined and stored in configuration files, and "user preferences", stored in the "User Preference File" (.upf file).

    For each individual (MicroStation) User MicroStation generates a "User Configuration File" (or UCF file), which contains the user's specific variables, and a matching "User Preference File", which stores user specific application settings, such as those accessible via the "Workspace->Preferences" dialog).

    One of the most common ways of defining user specific variable is by using the "Workspace - Configuration". This will create the variables in the UCF file for the active user only.

    Troubleshooting Tips

    In some cases a user may experience issue with MicroStation not keeping the last saved / used preferences, showing a corrupt application layout, tool dialogs outside of the visible area of the screen, etc.

    These behaviours may by caused by issue with MicroStation's handling of user preferences.

    Here below are some of the most common issues and tips for troubleshooting and resolve them.

    MicroStation will not keep the last saved User Preferences (i.e. Tools layout or other preferences).

    1. MicroStation may not have been installed with the required Administrator privileges and/or user may not have full access to the User Preferences and Temp folder.

    Please look at the this article for specific tips for this case: Troubleshooting Installation and Activation Issues in High Security Environments

    2. Some variables force MicroStation to generate a new User Preference File at every startup.

    From the "Workspace->Configuration" dialog, define the variable "MS_ALWAYS_CREATE_UPF" as "1". 

    When the variable MS_ALWAYS_CREATE_UPF = 1 is defined, MicroStation will create a new UPF file every time it is started up, thus deleting the previously saved settings.

    If this variable is defined together with the MS_USERPREFSEED, then the UPF file defined in it will be used as a seed every time MicroStation is started up.

    3. Issues with user interface and preferences started occurring immediately or shortly after an update.

    MicroStation does not support using UPF files from older version. Although this may not immediately cause problems or show misbehaviour, using older versions' UPFs in new version will cause problems and lead to potential data loss.

    When a version of MicroStation is upgraded, the User Preferences must be setup from scratch using the delivered UPF file, such as "untitled.upf" as a starting point,  or by creating a brand new  User in MicroStation Manager.

    Important

    It is possible to incur in these kind of issues when an upgrade did not complete successfully or an upgrade/installation was not carried out with the required administrator privileges.

    It is therefore recommended to:

    1. Always delete the old MicroStation "User Preferences" and "Temp" folders before attempting a product upgrade. See How To Reset User Preferences and Delete MicroStation‘s Temporary Files for help on how to find your user preference and temp folder (in this case apply "delete" instead of "move" or "copy").

    2. Always install / upgrade MicroStation starting the setup process with "Administrator" privileges. Look at this articles for help on this topic: How To Install MicroStation As Administrator

    See Also

    How To Reset User Preferences and Delete MicroStation‘s Temporary Files

    Troubleshooting Installation and Activation Issues in High Security Environments

    How To Install MicroStation As Administrator

    How to Start MicroStation "As Administrator"

    The User Preference File [UPF]

    Other language sources


    Deutsch


      Original Author: Marco Salino
    • Variables
    • MicroStation
    • Settings
    • how to
    • Preferences
    • SELECTsupport
    • Configuration
    • Share
    • History
    • More
    • Cancel
    • Marco Salino Created by Marco Salino
    • When: Fri, May 2 2014 10:10 AM
    • Nelson Hobdell Last revision by Bentley Colleague Nelson Hobdell
    • When: Mon, Dec 19 2022 10:51 AM
    • Revisions: 13
    • Comments: 0
    Recommended
    Related
    Communities
    • Home
    • Getting Started
    • Community Central
    • Products
    • Support
    • Secure File Upload
    • Feedback
    Support and Services
    • Home
    • Product Support
    • Downloads
    • Subscription Services Portal
    Training and Learning
    • Home
    • About Bentley Institute
    • My Learning History
    • Reference Books
    Social Media
    •    LinkedIn
    •    Facebook
    •    Twitter
    •    YouTube
    •    RSS Feed
    •    Email

    © 2023 Bentley Systems, Incorporated  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy |  Terms of Use  |  Cookies