Overview

MicroStation V8, V8i & CONNECT Edition reads and writes both the MicroStation DGN file format and the AutoCAD DWG or DXF file formats.

Workmodes

MicroStation V8, V8i & CONNECT Edition supports the following workmodes:

In the default DGN Capacity ("DGN") mode, full MicroStation V8 functionality is enabled.

In DWG Restriction ("DWG") mode, certain functionality is disabled by default in order to restrict MicroStation to create only information that can be stored in DWG format.

V7 Workmode allows for the direct editing of V7 files. The purpose of this workmode is for an easy transition from V7 to V8. We do not recommend working in this workmode for an extended period of time.

The workmode is specified by the configuration variable MS_WORKMODE. Default it is set to DGN work mode.

If you need to work with a DGN file in DWG Work Mode then set MS_WORKMODE=DWG.

However, when you open a DWG file, DWG mode is automatically enabled regardless of the MS_WORKMODE value.

While DWG mode is enabled, an icon is displayed in the status bar. The icon depicts a white crosshair on a blue background.

To set the workmode: (V8i)

1. From the Workspace > Configuration > Operations > Work Mode > click Edit.
   
   
   
   
2. Type in the desired Work Mode DWG or DGN in the New Value window and click OK
   
   
   
   
3. From the dialog box's File menu, choose Save.
4. Click OK. Exit and restart MicroStation.

In MicroStation CONNECT Edition you will find the Configuration Variable here:

File > Settings > Configuration > Configuration Variables > Operations > MS_WORKMODE

DWG Work Mode

When working in the DWG Workmode certain MicroStation functionality is disabled so that the file will be compatible with the DWG format.

3D modeling

3D elements can be placed only as ACIS bodies. The Parasolid modeling engine is disabled.

Annotating with flags

The tools in the Annotate toolbox, which are used to place and edit flags, are disabled.

Area patterning AutoCAD pre-defined hatching replaces area patterning. The Pattern field in the Pattern Area setting window is a combo box, which, by default, lists the patterns in the DWG pattern file "areapat.pat". This file contains a DWG pattern definition for each pattern cell in the supplied cell library, "areapat.cel".
To select a different DWG pattern file, key in its full file specification - path and filename - in Pattern File or click the adjacent magnifying glass icon to browse the file system.

Cells Only shared cells are allowed. When library cells are used, they are placed as shared cells only. New cells must be created as DGN or CEL files. You cannot create a new cell as a DWG file.

Colors

The DWG color palette is the only color table loaded; no other color tables can be loaded. The menu item Settings > Color Table is disabled. An exception to this is that you can still change the color palette by importing raster files. If you choose to use the color palette of the raster file - that is, you turn off Current Color Palette - the color palette changes.

Complex elements

Spline curves cannot be selected as part of a complex chain or complex shape.

Design History

Design history is disabled.

Dimension-driven design

Dimension-driven design tools are disabled.

Dimensioning

The following dimensioning settings and capabilities are not supported:

• custom prefixes and suffixes
• dimension line level
• dimensioning at an arbitrary position
• terminator-specific symbology
• terminator character symbol
• first and joint terminator types for consecutive dimensions
• unit formats and free labeling (only x'-x" is allowed when master units are inches)
• unit separation at thousandth and millionth
• secondary dimension-specific leading/trailing zeros
• alternate labeling
• arc symbol above text displayed at an angle
• arc-length format for angular dimension
• cell terminator-specific width and height
• underline text
• curve for ball and chain text alignment

In addition, all dimensions must be placed using a dimension style. The seed DWG file, "seed.dwg", contains a "Standard" style. When you open a DGN file that does not contain or refer to any dimension styles, MicroStation V8 copies the Standard style is copied to the DGN file.

Element class

The Active Class is set to Primary and cannot be changed.

Grid orientation

The grid is aligned with a Top view such that it extends along the X and Y axes from the global origin. To rotate the grid about its Z-axis, key in ACTIVE GRIDANGLE <rotation_angle> or define and rotate an ACS.

Importing raster images

Intergraph raster images; Sun raster, procedural application files, Geo-referenced TIFF files, and Img files cannot be imported.

Line styles

Line styles 1-7 are disabled and only custom line styles are allowed.

Managing raster files

Raster Manager does not support the following capabilities:

• Assigning logical names and descriptions to attached images.
• reference agent
• attaching of Viecon.Publisher images
• display of attached images on a per view basis
• Scaling images non-proportionally.
• mask clipping
• image tint control
• image display gamma control (this setting is fixed at 1.0)
• image plot gamma control (this setting is fixed at 1.0)
• image-specific printing
• attaching images in formats other than BMP, CALS-I, JFIF/JPEG, PCX, PNG, RLC, TARGA, and TIFF
• image transparency control (disabled for binary, RGB, and COT images only - settings are fixed)
• image background color control (disabled for binary images only)
• image inversion control (disabled for binary images only - Invert is on)

Models

In a DWG file you can only have 1 design model per file but can have multiple sheet models.

References

The active model cannot be self-referenced. A reference cannot be clipped by mask.

Saved Views

The following are disabled for Saved Views:

• creating a saved view for sheet models
• applying a saved view to sheet models
• deleting a saved view from sheet models
• editing properties of a saved view for sheet models

Tags

Tag elements can be attached only to shared cells.

Text fonts

Any text font is used. However, if the text fonts delivered with MicroStation in "font.rsc> (English only) are used, you must convert them to AutoCAD fonts.

View Groups

Creating, deleting and modifying properties of view groups are disabled.

View window background color

The Black Background - White preference in the View Options category of the Preferences dialog box (Workspace > Preferences...) is disabled. To set the display for models and layouts of DWG files, use the DWG Options dialog box just before opening a DWG or DXF file.

DWG files do not support unshared MicroStation cells.

Setting up and using V7 workmode

When operating MicroStation V8 in V7 workmode, it is necessary to manually save changes to the open DGN file by choosing File > Save. The following capabilities are disabled in V7 workmode:

• view group creation
• level creation
• model creation
• 3D references in 2D design files
• reference associations
• references to models created in V8 DGN files
• references to models created in DWG files

To enable V7 workmode

1. From the Workspace menu, choose Configuration.
2. In the View/Modify All Configuration Variables list box, select MS_OPENV7. (see figure 2)
3. Click Edit.
4. In the New Value field, type 3.
5. Click OK to return to the Configuration dialog box.
6. From the File menu of the Configuration dialog box, choose Save.
7. To close the Configuration dialog box, click OK.
8. Exit and restart MicroStation.

Figure 2

MS_OPENV7 Options