MXROAD V8i (SELECTseries 4) - Discontinued Support and use of Input files

We recently received an email with respect to an update to the Bentley Support Policy.  Many people in the office took this as a discontinuation of MXRoad but it is unclear if this is the case.  However, we do note that MXROAD V8i (SELECTseries 4) will have "expiring support" from 1st July 2019 https://www.bentley.com/en/desktop-applications i.e. it will be unavailable for download and that "Connect Edition" and "Open Roads" will replace MXROAD.  However, a lot of our designs use input files and we are concerned that this may not be supported. Having not used Open Roads, can you advise whether input file functionality is or will be available?

  • Hi Richard,

    OpenRoads Designer is a completely new product. There is no linemode option within it. It does not use MX Commands.

    You will still be able to use MX in the future, but it won't be developed any more, and we will still be providing support for the foreseeable future.

    The intention is to transition users to ORD.

    I'd be happy to discuss specific requirements, if you want to drop me an email. simon.pegg@bentley.com I'd be happy to discuss with you.

    Simon Pegg

    Bentley Civil Support



  • Unfortunately Simon Open Roads doesn't cut it for our work. Neither does Civil3Dud. It was Linemode that made MX unique, is highly efficient and differentiated it from the competition. We work string to string and we build to strings. Templates, objects and meshes are great for demos, selling BIM and selling cool-aid to sales staff, but in the real world on the ground it has proven to be of little value. The standard joke around here is BIM is only good for the BIN. If the MX market is too small for Bentley to maintain then they should have kept their greedy hands off it in the first place.

  • Agree with John Keating wholly! Used MX for nearly 30 years and is a proven tool for providing designs quickly. I am currently using it for all designs on one of the UK's maintenance contracts. For our work output, we have two options, either MX or Civil3D. I've use OpenRoads before and was too cumbersome, and at that time so full of faults that I understand it was abandoned in favour of Civil3D after I had left. By the looks of it, I will finally have to jump ship and go down the Autodesk route of products!

  • Hi Adrian, you obviously haven't used Civil 3d before...MX is in a class of its own for string-based modeling and anyone who has ever used it knows c3d takes exponentially more time to do things vs. MX.

    OpenRoads is far superior to Civil 3d (IMO) for Template-based 3d modeling. I suggest you try them all before making any judgements.

    Regards,

    Mark


    OpenRoads Designer 2023  |  Microstation 2023.2  |  ProjectWise 2023

  • Mark,

    I've tried all three and 12D, but my experience with OpenRoads hasn't been a good one, although I'm sure it's improved since I used it. Some of the functions didn't even perform correctly, extension of crossfall for example, didn't work at all. Interesting to see that you are in Sydney, it was the NWRL that I had used it on.

    Likewise Civil3D and 12D have their quirks. They both have their own strengths and weaknesses, but I cannot dictate to a client/organisation which design software to use. I will adapt to whatever is required. If they want MX or Civil3D and there is no MX, then I go Civil3D, as simple as that.

    Regards,

    Adrian.