ProStructures V8i (SELECTseries 8 update 2) Readme

Before you begin, please note the following:

• Review the End-User License Agreement (or EULA) carefully during the installation of ProStructures V8i. By installing this release, you agree to the terms and conditions of the agreement.
• Before installing ProStructures V8i, be sure to fully read this document as well as the Requirements and QuickInstall documents, which contain critical information about the installation. Please also consult the Bentley Web site for the latest information on this and other Bentley products.
• All delivered seed, example DGN files and cell libraries are in V8 format.

 This document contains the following information:

• Release Notes
• Installation Notes
• ProStructures V8i and Color Depth
• Support and Services Information
• BE Communities
• Support Path
• Using the Online Help

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Release Notes

For information about ProStructures V8i enhancements, see the Release Notes in the online help document (ProStructures V8i online documentation must be installed). To open the help document, open the Documentation product group and double-click the ProStructures V8i icon. To access the help document from within ProStructures V8i, choose Help > ProSteel or Help > ProConcrete Help. After you open the help document, navigate to the release notes as follows:

1. In the table of contents (left-hand) pane, click the expand (+) button for the topic "What's New?"
2. Click the topic "What's New in ProStructures V8i (SELECTseries 8 update 2)".

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Installation Notes

ProStructures V8i  is designed so it can be installed and safely coexist on the same workstation with an existing Bentley Building V8i or V8 XM Edition Commercial Release applications (such as Bentley Architecture, Bentley Structural Modeler , Bentley Building Mechanical Systems and Bentley Building Electrical Systems). It will not attempt to upgrade or uninstall an existing commercial release, and by default it installs its program and workspace files to different locations than the commercial release. When you install ProStructures V8i v08.11.14.238 it creates the registry keys for VBA-initiated launching. Windows architecture allows for only one program to own these registry keys and the existing Bentley Building V8 XM Edition Commercial Releases should continue to function normally by default.

ProStructures V8i v08.11.14.238 and any previous Bentley Building V8 XM Edition Commercial Releases installed on a Microsoft Window 7 Operating System, require the Windows User Access Control (UAC) setting to be set to “Never notify”. Previous XM Edition applications are not certified for Windows 7, therefore they do not support User Account Controls. Please be aware that this is the least secure setting and your computer is open to potential security risks. Consult the Windows 7 documentation for more information concerning User Access Control

ProStructures V8i *should not* be installed on the same workstation as an existing ProStructures V8i v08.11.xx Technology Preview (“beta”) release(s). Installing ProStructures V8i over an existing ProStructures V8i v8.11.xx beta installation can cause incompatibilities and data loss. You must uninstall the beta release, and then install the commercial release. Install Bentley Structural to a separate directory. You should always back up your data prior to installation.

ProStructures SS8 (08.11.14.238) release is a newer version of SS8 (08.11.14.225), hence any existing SS8 installation should be uninstalled first before proceeding with the new installation.

Therefore it is advisable to backup any customized files before uninstalling the existing version.

Design files created with ProStructures SS8 (08.11.14.238) can be viewed with MicroStation CONNECT and are compatible with Navigator and ProjectWise CONNECT.

ProStructures is only upward compatible, dgn files are automatically converted/upgraded to the new version, once upgraded, ProStructures objects will no longer display correctly if opened on any prior version of the software. Therefore it is advisable to make a backup copy if opening the file in its earlier version is anticipated.

For additional information on installing ProStructures V8i, see the ProStructures V8i QuickInstall Guide.

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ProStructures V8i and Color Depth

For optimal performance, graphics display color depth should be set to 24-bit or higher. When using a color depth setting of 16-bit, some inconsistencies may be noted.

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Support and Services Information

TechNotes, FAQs, and additional Bentley product information can be found on the Product TechNotes and FAQs page provided by the Bentley Technical Support Group as well as the Bentley Library.

You can efficiently log issues that you encounter in Bentley products with the Service Request Manager. Information on other professional support and service offerings from Bentley is available online at SELECTservices Online.

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BE Communities

Meet other users of Bentley products, exchange ideas, and discuss a wide range of technical subjects in the BE Communities. BE Communities can be accessed via a Web browser and are a good source of how-to tips, technical information, and programming techniques from Bentley employees and professionals who use our products. Click here to connect with the Structural Drafting and Detailing Community Forum.

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Support Path

With ProStructures V8i, you are required to establish a Support Path (previously known as Registration). This Support Path connection is a one-time procedure in the form of a Web page when you open ProStructures V8i. Once the Support Path has been established, the Help > Online Support link in ProStructures V8i becomes active. This link gives you access to the Support page. Through the Support page you can manage your profile and depending on your level of support: access TechNotes and FAQs; share information on Discussion Groups; search the product KnowledgeBase; submit, monitor, and track online service requests; participate in live online chat regarding support issues; and use the latest technologies to share your desktop with a Support Engineer.

Whether or not you see the Support page depends on one of the following scenarios:

• If you have not activated the product, you will not see the Support page. This means you have never contacted SELECTserver on that computer since installing the product. In this case, the product is in 30-day countdown mode.
• If you have registered an earlier version of ProStructures V8i, you will not see the Support page. The information is maintained from previous versions.
• If you have activated the product but never registered, you will see the Support Page when you open ProStructures V8i. This page will come up once a week as a reminder. After three weeks, you will be given the opportunity to turn the Web page off. After 10 weeks, it will turn off by itself. After you register, the information is recorded on SELECTserver and you will not see the Support page on any computer connected to SELECTserver.

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Using the Online Help

HTML Help utilizes the Engineering Links configuration variable MS_BROWSERMAKECHILDWINDOW to determine whether or not the window should always be in the forefront. If this variable is not set, which is the default, then HTML Help is initiated in a separate window. If the variable is set, then the HTML Help window will always be on top and likely needs to be resized, minimized, or closed to not interfere with the operation of the software.

For basic instructions on how to use the online help, open the Help window (Help > Contents) and click MicroStation> Getting Started > Fundamentals > Using Online Help.

Note: Online help is displayed in the HTML Help Viewer delivered with ProStructures V8i. Microsoft® HTML Help is the standard help system for the Windows platform. The HTML Help Viewer is under the direct control of ProStructures V8i.

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