Hi guys,
I'm trying to set up some standard ORD DWG export processes for my organization and have only found a few methods to get the outputs I require without issues that require extensive post-processing to be good enough for delivery. Plan exports are a bit convoluted to get past the issue of elements exporting with no symbology after splitting strings with gaps during export, but it gets us close to what we want - unfortunately many issues regarding annotation values changing on export. Ideally i'd love us to be using Microstation to take advantage of the native dynamics, but unfortunately our market is primarily AutoCAD for drafting.
Here's what i've come up with so far using ORD 2018 R3;
*UPDATE* - A few improvements in ORD 2018 R4 meaning less custom processes
*UPDATE* - More improvements in ORD 2021 R1 and R2
2D Alignment Plan export with Annotation - process required to export chainage annotation:
Steps:
1. Open new DGN using 2D seed
2. Reference in Default model with no nesting
3. Turn off display of unnecessary levels
4. Create Fence around data
5. Deactivate Auto Field Update using "EXPAND SET MS_AUTO_UPDATE_FIELDS = NEVER" keyin
6. Use Fence to File command to copy contents to new DGN
7. Open New DGN
8. Select all Annotation Cells (named "DrawTextAnnotation") and drop
9. Select all Text Nodes and drop (this seems to allow correct export of field values)
10. Export to DWG
11. Reactivate Auto Field Update using "EXPAND SET MS_AUTO_UPDATE_FIELDS = ALWAYS" keyin
Note: You can start the process from your live DGN Default (2D) model and skip points 1 and 2 if you don't mind changing many level display settings in your live file. We keep a DGN saved for export levels already preset.
3D DWG Plan export - process required when model includes string gaps and clipping, etc.: Normal DWG export is now resolved, although this process gives a cleaner result (WYSIWYG)
1. Open new DGN using 3D seed (or 2D for flattened DWG)
2. Reference in Default-3D model with no nesting
5. Use Fence to File command to copy contents to new DGN
6. Open New DGN
4. Select all Complex Chains and drop (required to avoid dropped chains being put on layer 0 by default)
5. Export to DWG
Note: If you want a 3d DWG and don't mind changing many level display settings in your live file, you can start the process from your live DGN Default-3D model and skip points 1 and 2. We keep a DGN saved for export levels already preset.
Cross section DWG export :
*Required DWG Export options:
Note: MS_REF_VISEDGE_ATTACH_STATE = CachedAutomatic config variable doesn't seem to be required anymore - correct me if im wrong?
Issues:
Profile DWG export:
Regards,
Mark
Hi all,
I have just found that using the MS_REF_VISEDGE_ATTACH_STATE = CachedAutomatic variable seems to dramatically slow down the attaching named views process when corridors/terrains are located in references or you choose to generate the cross section drawings/sheets in a different dgn.
As I am working on very long jobs that require the use of a master dgn that references in many corridors to generate my cross sections, ill have to probably run a batch script to use the "reference visibleedges allattachments cached" keyin on all cross sections until this is fixed.
OpenRoads Designer 2023 | Microstation 2023.2 | ProjectWise 2023
Hi Mark, first of all thanks for sharing all your discovery, it help me a lot and others also I'm sure. I'm trying to do the same thing, find the best way to export my work to DWG. I understand what Bentley is trying to do, all the drafting tools that are being implented and I recognise that Microstation is a way more solid tool to model and work with, so it's normal that Openroads take advantage of it.
On my testing here I have found a way to keep my profile annotation by referencing my profile drawing into my 2D design model where my alignement are (like I used to do when working with Inroads). I then merge this drawing model. So when I export to dwg, all the annotation are kept, there are some ghost to clean up but everything else is there.
Thanks Jeremie,
I am running a vba routine to automate merging the profile models, but it makes the export process very slow. Hopefully this same result can be worked into the DWG export process to avoid manually opening each model and merging...
Looking at all you can do using MVBA I'm realy thinking at learning it…
Although not really integrated with civil commands outside the Microstation functions, I find it very very useful to bulk automate keyins, dgn and CAD functions.