cell not updating

Hi,

I'm having some trouble with GC and the microstation cells (.cel). I've used the Cell node to place some cells arrays in a model. After that I've changed the original cell in the cell library, but when I go back to the GC model, there is no update of the cells. It still uses the old geometry from the original cell. In this file I can place the cell using the typical MS commands and the geometry is correct (updated). I've replayed and rebuild all the transactions already, I've exited and re-opened the file, still nothing.. Any ideas?

I'm using GC extension with ABD SS6 U1

  • Hi Pedro,

    Without having your concrete case at hand I venture the guess that what might be causing this is that most likely the default option in GC to place cells as shared cells is at work here. Once a cell is placed as shared cell in a design file its definition is stored in the design file, too, and it will be referenced from there whenever a cell with that name is placed (again) in the design file. If the cell is modified in its library, the shared cells will continue to reference the local definition. This is default Bentley cell behavior and seems to work as designed even if in your case this default is getting in your way.

    As a remedy in GC, edit the cell node and set the property "AsSharedCell" to false (uncheck the check box). Then you should see the updated cell as it is being read from the library. Using shared cells is important when many copies of the same cell are referenced. Shared cells are much more efficient in memory usage and display time (since it does not need to read each placed cell's definition, even if it is essentially the same).

    If you want to keep the GC cell as a shared cell, you may need to replace a placed "old" version cell with the new definition from the cell library using standard MicroStation Cell tools because there is no GC-specific tool that can clean up the shared cell definitions in the DGN file.

    Regards,

    Volker

       

    Answer Verified By: Pedro Serra 

  • This problem is caused by shared cells. My recommendation is don't use them, that's in GC or MS.
  • Nothing in evidence is found not using shared cells for years. They have pros and cons like normal cells and there might some lack ( open TR).

    But to update cells regardless of their type from new library (*.cel)  version is to UPDATE them with the standard Microstation REPLACE CELL command and a proper knowledge of the wide complexity in Microstation in cell design and usage.

    Regards

    Frank

    since 1985: GIS, CAD, Engineering (Civil)  Senior Consultant : [Autodesk Civil 3D , Esri ArcGIS, VertiGIS: in previous days : Bentley MS V4 - V8i, GeoGraphics, Bentley Map V8i, InRoads,  HHK Geograf, IBr DAVID] :  Dev: [C, C++, .NET, Java, SQL, FORTRAN, UML]
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  • Shared cells was the issue, thanks. By the way, I'm having some troubles understanding exactly where the settings of the cells I'm placing come from. The cells where created with a part applied, but in the cell node I have the option to define a part, and also a symbologyandlevelusage option that I can choose from: user defined, active, assign to feature and assign to element - this seem to affect all the nodes that were used generating the cell node..
  • The settings are coming from the cell library. The part assignment in GC is an optional input. If you leave it blank then the cells P+F will be used. This is better if you have multiple P+F assignments in your cell, as its only possible to assign one P+F to a cell through GC.

    For SymbologyAndLevelUsage I always use AssignToElement as it retains the original level attributes in the cell.

    User defined enables you to assign level, colour and line weights using the General properties
    Active simply inherits the level attributes from the active level in your GC file as the cell is instantiated
    AssignToFeature is the same as Active - I've never had a need to use it.