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Bentley System's first product was PseudoStation, which allowed users of Intergraph's VAX systems to use low-cost graphics terminals to view and modify the designs on their Intergraph IGDS (Interactive Graphics Design System) installations. This greatly expanded access to such designs, which could otherwise be accessed only through very expensive special purpose workstations. PseudoStation was originated by Keith A. Bentley while he was working at E.I. duPont in 1983. Keith persuaded duPont to allow him to commercialize the software in exchange for a site license to the resulting improvements.
Keith, in conjunction with his brother, Barry J. Bentley, founded Bentley Systems in 1984. They successfully introduced the commercial version of PseudoStation in 1985. Their PseudoStation experience convinced them that there was a ready market for a stand-alone personal computer-based CAD system compatible with the Intergraph CAD file format. At the time, the IBM AT personal computer, based on Intel's 80286 microprocessor, was just becoming available, and their tests showed that it had enough processing power, disk speed, and graphics capability to do the job. MicroStation Version 1, which allowed users to download files directly from their VAX system to their PC and view and plot them (a very primitive Bentley View), was introduced to the market in 1986.
The first MicroStation that wrote to design files was introduced early in 1987. It was able to place most graphic primitives and cells, and had simple modification capabilites. From the start, "dynamics" were available - showing the element in its intermediate state during placement and editing. That doesn't sound very exciting today, but for users of terminals attached to minicomputer-based systems (like IGDS) it was a breakthrough in productivity.
MicroStation Mac, v3.4, released late 1989 was significant as it paved the way for Motif in PC and UNIX versions in 1990. This actually came out on CLIX before DOS.
First version with MDL and Motif GUI. True associative dimensioning, shared cells, online help, design options, named levels, ACS, various fence modes, reference clipping and masking, surface construction, rendering enhancements, and plot preview. "Nexus" update post-release included the first DWG translator. Nexus also included Windows Connection to run on Windows 3.1 -- not NT, UI customization, and Flythrough Producer.
Actually the very first "product" Bentley ever marketed and sold themselves, Bentley CSP (Comprehensive Support Program) was originally known as "MicroStation CSP". Most of the CSP watches have long since stopped running.
Photo realistic rendering. Binary raster support (continuous tone raster was added in MicroStation Review V5). Custom Linestyles, Dimension Driven Design, Settings Manager, DDE, 2D booleans, font resource files, mass properties and centroid calculations, constraints. V5 for Intel NT first version to be a native Windows NT application... demoed at Bill Gates' introduction for Windows NT in Baltimore.
Preceded by the introduction of MicroStation PowerDraft in late 1994. Introduction of AccuDraw and SmartLine in MicroStation. MicroStation BASIC, dockable toolboxes (resizeable and tool tips), consolidated dialogs, better customization tools, non-modal plotting, reprioritize and modify references attachments, new view controls, Raster Manager, solar study, cell selector, a new hidden line removal, archiver, drawing composition, improved key-in browser, operational user preferences, keyframe animation, movie generation/playback, rendering surface smoothing, import level symbology, level usage, dockable dialogs, view grouping, 32-bit Windows application, two application windows on Windows. MicroStation Review becomes "PowerScope". "People Behind MicroStation" campaign.
Rolled Image Manager and MicroStation MasterPiece into MicroStation. Last multi-platform release, included 13 different platform versions. Introduced colored icons. Engineering Links, original digital signatures through Archive, LiveLinks (OLE Client & Server), Enhanced Precision, tabbed dialogs, combo boxes, QuickVision, PowerSelector.
Solids modeling (SmartSolid/SmartSurface), Java in MicroStation, JMDL, QuickVisionGL, concurrent licensing via SELECTserver, SGML-based Help system, reorganized directory structure, dimensioning enhancements. Introduction of MicroStation Engineering Configurations. "EEM Access" program.
Spell checker, ProjectBank client, Windows 2000 support.
Read/write DWG without translation, unlimited levels, DGN/cell size, Design History, File Properties, AccuSnap, multiple design and sheet models per DGN, Packager, PopSet, MrSID, unlimited Undo, compressed files, standard definition working units, particle tracing, VBA, text and dimension styles, TrueScale, unlimited references, 3D in 2D, HTML Help, workmodes, remapping.
Digital signatures, file protection, named groups, quicksets, displaysets. MicroStation Extensions (ECs) free-for-all.
Print to PDF, 3D in PDF, export to U3D, ADT objects, 2004/2005/2006 DWG, Feature Modeling, multisnaps, Standards Compliance
Structured Workflows, New DirectX-based display subsystem, Structured Content, Updated GUI. Windows Vista support with v8.9.3. Windows Vista certification with v8.9.4. Microsoft SharePoint, AutoCAD 2007/2008 DWG support.
This was also the first MicroStation version to deliver the MicroStation GenerativeComponents Extension as a value to SELECT subscribers at no charge.
MicroStation V8i introduced a significant set of new technology and enhanced toolsets including conceptual and 3D design tools, Dynamic Views, Geospatial coordinate system support, Integrated Print Organizer, Display Styles, Detailing Symbol styles, Print Styles, AutoCAD 2009 DWG support, Import Rhino 3DM format, and Export OBJ format. This was also the release that premiered the Luxology Rendering preview (to be included in the next release).
Interoperability support, geo-coordination, enhanced dynamic views, enhanced design modeling, new rendering engine, design review.
Highlights of MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries 2) include:
Integrated Point Cloud support
Citrix Ready Verification
Support for ProjectWise Clash Resolution*
Support for ProjectWise Schedule Simulation*
*Requires ProjectWise Visa
Visualization usability and animation enhancements
Autodesk ® RealDWG 2010 libraries
Autodesk ® FBX File Support
All of the above assume the following:
New capabilities in MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries 3) include:
Immersive Interaction
Trusted Deliverables
Performance Simulation
Comprehensive Breadth and Depth
For a complete overview of MicroStation V8i please see: http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/microstation
Bentley Application Build Numbering Process