Document Information

Product(s):  MicroStation

Version(s):  V8, V8i, CONNECT Edition

Original Author: Bentley Technical Support Group

Overview

Merging reference files into the master file when doing a "Save As" to another file format can be useful when the required end result is a single drawing file. It is also useful when saving to other formats that do not support all types of MicroStation reference attachments.

The options for merging the various types of reference attachments can be found under the Reference tab of the Save As Options.

Save As DWG/DXF Options dialog

References tab

The settings under this tab control how references are handled when you save a DGN file to other file formats, such as DWG/DXF. The DWG file format does not support all the reference attachments possible in MicroStation.

As a result, you must use the Save As DWG/DXF Options dialog box to define how the following types of references are merged into the model:

External Attachments

External attachments are separate files that can be attached to the main (default) design file as a reference. These attachments can be retained as separate attachments (and become AutoCAD XREFs), or be merged into the default model. Generally, it is better to retain these types of attachments as XREFs (the default). You can also choose to merge the default model and its attachments into a single file.

• Retain - Keeps the attachments to the output file. In AutoCAD, these attachments will be XREFs.
• Merge - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as individual elements.
• Merge to Cell - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as a single cell.
• Omit - Omits the attachment from the output file.

Self Attachments

Self-attachments are references to the main design file from within, such as in the case of reference views used to create sheet models. The DWG file format does not support self-attached references. They must be merged to be usable in AutoCAD.

• Merge - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as individual elements.
• Merge to Cell - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as a single cell.
• Omit - Omits the attachment from the output file.

Non-Default Models Attachments

The DWG file format only supports one design model. DGN files can have multiple design models. One of these models is defined as the default model. Attachments to non-default design models must be merged to display in AutoCAD.

• Merge - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as individual elements.
• Merge to Cell - Merges the attachment geometry into the output file as a single cell.
• Omit - Omits the attachment from the output file.

Masked Attachments

The DWG file format does not support clipping masks applied to references. Attachments with clipping masks must be merged, or the clipping mask will be removed in AutoCAD. When you use merging, the clipping masks are applied to the geometry as it is merged.

• Retain - Keeps the attachments to the output file. In AutoCAD, these attachments will be XREFs. The clipping mask will be removed.
• Merge - Merges the attachment geometry, including the clipping mask, into the output file as individual elements.
• Merge to Cell - Merges the attachment geometry, including the clipping mask, into the output file as a single cell.
• Omit - Omits the attachment from the output file.

Copy Levels During Merge

Describes how levels are handled when you merge references from the DGN file into a DWG/DXF file.

• If Not Found - Levels from the reference are merged into the output file only if they (or a level with the same name) do not exist in the active model.
• If Overrides Exist - Levels from the reference are merged into the output file if the level does not exist in the active model, or if the settings for the active model level are different than those of the attachment. Differences include overrides that have been applied to the attachment levels, or differences between the levels as defined in the active model and reference.
• Always - Levels from the reference are merged into the output file even if an identical level exists within the active model.

There are now two new settings added to the Reference tab of the Save As Options in V8.5:

Convert Reference Files

If on, all files attached as references are converted to DWG format when the file is saved.

If the master file is saved to a different directory, all references are also saved in that directory. If the master file is saved in the same directory, then each reference is saved in its original directory.

Allow Optimized Clip for Reference Merge

If on, maintains the surfaces and solids and shapes when they are clipped during the merge process. If off, the surfaces and solids are dropped to their boundary/wireframe elements.

See Also

MicroStation - Bentley Communities

External Links

Bentley LEARN Server

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