OpenRoads, Microstation, InRoads...

Hello,

I'm sorry that this may be a stupid question but as a new user, I'm really confused about the products. I work for a Civil Engineering firm in Brazil and we're looking to use software that will allow us to implement BIM the best way possible. I've used MicroStation while working at the DOT but not for BIM applications. What I'm confused about is what are the difference between products? and which one would suit me best? I understand OpenRoads is technology but is it in inRoads (Which by the way, can I still have a license for it?) or MicroStation? but what is the difference between OpenRoads Designer,OpenRoads, InRoads, GEOPAK, Microstation... everything? and which of those can I have a license for?

Also, does ORD allows for high quality animation? or do I need to also have lumenRT?

  • MIcroStation is a general 2D/3D CAD product. InRoads and GEOPAK are 32-bit road design packages that can run on top of MicroStation. OpenRoads Designer is the 64-bit road design software which is the replacement for inRoads/GEOPAK/MX. (OpenRoads technology was the name given to the new functionality in InRoads/GEOPAK/MX - it was not in MicroStation.) 

    ORD contains all the animation tools of MicroStation and also LumenRT Designer.



    Answer Verified By: Joao Zolin 

  • Mark,

    Thank you for the quick response!

    So if my company buys a license for the latest MicroStation version, which I believe is the connect update 14, would they be required to also buy inRoads and GEOPAK to use it in MicroStation? And can I add in a 3d corridor, for example, all the hydraulics and electric part of the project (all done is MicroStation) to be able to see a full design? 

    To be able to achieve BIM, from my and my company's understanding, is to be able to add all the information we can into the model to facilitate for a better understanding of it. For a company that deals with environmental aspects and often with highway design, which of those products would fit better?

    I'm sorry for the numerous questions, I just want to fully understand your products.  

  • You cannot buy InRoads of Geopak for MicroStation CONNECT - they are not compatible software anymore. If you need road design capability, you will need to purchase OpenRoads Designer instead of MicroStation. Also, InRoads and Geopak licenses for SS4 and back will be going offline at the end of the year when Bentley shuts down the Select licensing server and stops support of anything prior to SS10.

    OpenRoads contains all of the tools of MicroStation, so it can do everything that basic MicroStation can do. It also contains all of the road design software, fully integrated. It will not do electrical or structural design because (I believe) there are other softwares in the Bentley catalog for that sort of work, but anything that can be designed into a DGN can be referenced into OpenRoads.

    MaryB

    Power GeoPak 08.11.09.918
    Power InRoads 08.11.09.918
    OpenRoads Designer 2021 R2

        

    Answer Verified By: Joao Zolin 

  • Hi Joao,

    some addition to information provided by Mark and Mary:

    What I'm confused about is what are the difference between products?

    I agree it's simple to be confused, because as far as I know, there is not any comparison chart available (Bentley's marketing notoriously makes things more complicated than they are), especially because it's not about different products, but also about different generations ;-)

    but what is the difference between OpenRoads Designer,OpenRoads, InRoads, GEOPAK, Microstation

    At first, there are two generations:

    • V8, with V8i (SELECTseries 10) as the latest on V8 platform, which is 32bit, with ending support product line
    • CONNECT Edition, the latest, 64bit product line

    In V8i generation, there were available quite big mixture of separate products and MicroStation extensions. It was a result of history, because in the past Bentley acquired different companies or products, in civil area they were GEOPAK (popular in US), InRoads (bought from Intergraph) and MX (I think formerly UK). There were even variants, so in addition to InRoads, there was also InRail, plus InRoads supported not only MicroStation in the past. These products were sold both separately (for existing MicroStation users) or bundled with MicroStation license.

    To make the situation even more complicated, standalone product named PowerCivil was introduced. There was not one PowerCivil available, but PowerCivil for <country> variants existed. They contain, as one license, merged MicroStation + civil product, depending on target country, so in some countries PowerCivil contained InRoads, but in some other GEOPAK.

    It was Bentley intention to unify the products offer, because it's very inefficient and expensive to maintain three different civil solutions. But it required many years and the result was OpenRoads technology, introduced in the last versions of V8i products.

    V8 generation is now dead, with support ending soon.

    In CONNECT Edition generation, the situation is much simpler, because Bentley do not offer applications for MicroStation (the only exception is Descartes), but standalone products only:

    • MicroStation is general 2D/3D tool, with limited variants MicroStation PowerDraft (2D drafting) and Bentley View (free viewing tool).
    • OpenRoads Designer is the main product for civil engineering, offered with different datasets for different countries. There is specialized variant OpenRail Designer available also.
    • OpenBuilding Designer is for building engineering and architecture.
    • OpenCities Map products are for geospatial modeling and GIS.

    Bentley offered > 200 different products, so you can also see names like ConceptStation (e.g.OpenRoads ConceptStation), which are for rapid design, but not based on MicroStation.

    Also, does ORD allows for high quality animation? or do I need to also have lumenRT?

    I recommend to always ask in a new post and to do not ask for different topics in one discussion.

    The question is what "high quality animation" means to you.

    As far as I know, OpenRoads Designer contains (similarly to MicroStation) LumenRT installation, that is free for CONNECT subscribers. It's not full Lumen license (you have to buy Lumen Pro), but may be sufficient for many users.

    With regards,

      Jan