Unknown said:

I just want to start a MicroStation project in Viz Studio 2013

When writing a native-code C/C++ application, use the right version of Viz Studio!

Unknown said:

#include <MicroStation.API>

No such object MicroStation.API!  If it's the header file you want to include, then do this...

#include <MicroStationAPI.h>

Yes of course, MicroStation.h

So I am probably using a wrong version, I will try with an old one.

Unknown said:

What are you suggesting to be able to simply load a dgn file and dump its elements?

A design file contains models, not elements.  A DGN file has a collection of DgnModelRefs.  If you want elements, then you work with a DgnModelRef.

• Open a file: mdlSystem_newDesignFile
• Get a model: mdlModelRef_getActive
• Enumerate the elements of a model: mdlScanCriteria_api

Thanks Jon, I just added this line:

int fd = mdlSystem_newDesignFile("toto.dgn");

And then the linker returns:

unresolved external symbol _mdlSystem_newDesignFile

The only lib folder I added into the linker path is:

MicroStation\mdl\library

Should I add something else ?

Thank you

Unknown said:

The only lib folder I added into the linker path is:

How do you compile your code? Do you use the standard MicroStation SDK way, which means to create own bmake .mke file (which is preferred) or you try to use Visual Studio compilation?

Regards,

  Jan

Jan: I use the Visual Studio compilation, is it wrong ?

Yes, it is wrong ... or better to say you choose a hard way, where it's your responsibility to set everything correctly.

If you use bmake with own (and correct) mke file, everything (nearly) will be set for you automatically. There is a huge number of complex rules hidden in mke and mki files, which if used correctly, cover the most of possible dependencies, settings and configuration requirements.

Test and check any example delivered with MicroStation SDK. They can be compiled usually without any additional change.

Regards,

 Jan

No example compile with bmake, it always stop at the line %include mdl.mki into the mke.

Anyway, my purpose is to develop a native windows application. As far as I understand these example will produce a DLL, is that right ?

Should I also use bmake for my native win32 application ?

For the moment I search to fix my last error, the "unresolved external symbol _mdlSystem_newDesignFile" error, it's probably a lib file missing or something ?

Unknown said:

No example compile with bmake, it always stop at the line %include mdl.mki into the mke.

You should solve this problem at first, because it means something is wrong with your development environment. Do you use MicroStation SDK development shell to compile the examples?

If the shell is set correctly, the compilation cannot end with any error. Sometimes it's required to start the shell as administrator, because the compilation may create folders inside MicroStation folder tree; also digital signature is recommended to switch off, but there are minor modifications, that can be easily identified. For sure no problem with missing header files or similar problems.

Unknown said:

Anyway, my purpose is to develop a native windows application. As far as I understand these example will produce a DLL, is that right ?

Yes and no. MicroStation is not able to load native dll files directly, so ma file, which works as loader, has to be created also. All SDK examples use this approach.

Unknown said:

Should I also use bmake for my native win32 application ?

Yes, it's the recommended tool, you can start it from Visual Studio environment.

Regards,

  Jan

Okay, I think I'm lost.

Do you have a good resource that explain how to configure Visual Studio to build a win32 app using the microstation sdk ?

There are materials available in BDN Community. If you are not a member, you should think about to become.

There is also nice tutorial Learning MDL Step by Step writen by Yongan Fu available in BDN blog.

Also at Bentley LEARN Server there is MicroStation Programming Learning Path with videos covering different aspects and areas of MicroStation development.

For me it looks like you skip the first important step: To be sure SDK and Visual Studio are installed correctly. And it's easy, because no configuration (or not too many) is required:

1. Open MicroStation SDK shell, better "as administrator".
2. Try to compile any delivered example, e.g. basic (in such case using bmake.exe basic command).
3. The compilation should run without any problem.
4. If there is any error message, post the question to this forum.

After you will be able to compile examples, it's time to configure Visual Studio. But DevShell and bmake will be stil the main tools.

Regards,

  Jan

Unknown said:

"unresolved external symbol _mdlSystem_newDesignFile" error, it's probably a lib file missing or something ?

Learn to distinguish between compiler errors and linker errors (collectively build errors).  The Viz C++ error code will tell you: compiler errors are a 4-digit number prefixed 'C' and linker errors are a 4-digit number prefixed 'L'.

unresolved external symbol is a linker error.  The C++ linker was unable to find the definition of that function.  You probably need to add several MDL .lib files to the linker input.

In Viz Studio, use the project properties dialog...

If building with bmake, then specify the library files with the DLM_LIBRARY_FILES macro like this...

DLM_LIBRARY_FILES     =    $(mdlLibs)BentleyDgn.lib    \
                        $(mdlLibs)toolsubs.lib        \
                        $(mdlLibs)mdlbltin.lib         \
                        $(mdlLibs)rasterlib.lib        \
                        $(mdlLibs)stdutillib.lib    \
                        $(mdlLibs)mdllib.lib        \
                        Shlwapi.lib

Unknown said:

"unresolved external symbol _mdlSystem_newDesignFile" error, it's probably a lib file missing or something ?

Learn to distinguish between compiler errors and linker errors (collectively build errors).  The Viz C++ error code will tell you: compiler errors are a 4-digit number prefixed 'C' and linker errors are a 4-digit number prefixed 'L'.

unresolved external symbol is a linker error.  The C++ linker was unable to find the definition of that function.  You probably need to add several MDL .lib files to the linker input.

In Viz Studio, use the project properties dialog...

If building with bmake, then specify the library files with the DLM_LIBRARY_FILES macro like this...

DLM_LIBRARY_FILES     =    $(mdlLibs)BentleyDgn.lib    \
                        $(mdlLibs)toolsubs.lib        \
                        $(mdlLibs)mdlbltin.lib         \
                        $(mdlLibs)rasterlib.lib        \
                        $(mdlLibs)stdutillib.lib    \
                        $(mdlLibs)mdllib.lib        \
                        Shlwapi.lib

Jon : The additional library path is set exactly like in your picture, to the folder mdl/library.

But I have the "unresolved external symbol" error. Is there lib file somewhere else that I am missing ? I just want to use the 3 functions that you said to me previously.

Hello Tom,

is the environment variable MS set in your system?

Regards, Martin

Yes it is, I just checked :

C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\Program\MicroStation is its value

If I attempt to compile an example with bmake, I have this error:

BMAKE: Error - Attempting to build with VS 2005 but location is undefined!

(cl.exe is in my path)

Unknown said:

Is there lib file somewhere else that I am missing?

Once again, you ask a question that we can't answer without seeing your code.

If you look in the MDL documention, you will find both the header file (required by the compiler) and the library file (required by the linker) for each function.  For example...

mdlSystem_newDesignFile

Function

Description

Open a Design File after closing the open (active) design file.

Required Header

<mssystem.fdf>

Required Library

mdlbltin.lib (MicroStation Built-in)

Jon, this is my code, really basic:

#define winNT
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <mdl.h>
#include <mssystem.fdf>


//BEGIN_BENTLEY_NAMESPACE
void useless() {
  int fd = mdlSystem_newDesignFile("toto.dgn");
}
//END_BENTLEY_NAMESPACE
int _tmain()
{
  std::cout << "Hello World!" << std::endl;
  useless();
  return 0;
}

Hope it's all right.

Unknown said:

The additional library path is set exactly like in your picture

My screenshot shows also a number of library (.lib) files that are specified in the Viz Studio project settings.

Unknown said:

BMAKE: Error - Attempting to build with VS 2005 but location is undefined!

It probably means something is wrong in your Visual Studio 2005 installation or Windows configuration.

All example makefiles include AssertToolSet.mki that contains logic how path to VisualStudio tools (e.g. C++ compiler, linker etc.) is discovered. By default, it's taken from registry, in the case of VisualStudio 2005 it's HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/VisualStudio/8.0/Setup/VS. The message means the makefile decided VisualStudio 2005 is the tool which should be used (which is correct), but was not able to find the key in registry (doesn't exist or not enough access right to access the registry).

A workaround can be to define VS2005Dir variable as a parameter passed to bmake (e.g. +dVS2005Dir=C:\...), which will cause registry check will be skipped. I recommend to open the mentioned mki file, it iluustrates well what and when is checked.

Regards,

  Jan

Environment Variable MS

Unknown said:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\Program\MicroStation

You may need to use Windows short file names (also known as DOS file names) that have no spaces.  Read this tip:

http://www.la-solutions.co.uk/content/MDL/MdlDevelopmentEnvironment.htm#WindowsShortFileNames

Jon: I agree, but one thing is weird, I did a grep on the lib files, no one contain the string "mdlSystem_newDesignFile" isn't it wrong ?