Open Roads Designer and OpenSite

Mark,

There is a lot of nuance in your question here. Both applications use the V8 DGN file format which will permit the opening of files between the two applications. Unfortunately, the manner in which Bentley has programed the applications to store the "intelligent" data generated in the OpenX civil products has left true interoperability unavailable. The storage mechanism is referred to as the Civil schema. This has changed from version to version of the software so you will need to be in compatible versions to open and work on the files within the same product. In addition to the schema, there is a "hierarchy" between the Civil OpenX  products, from "high" to "low" that is OpenRail > OpenRoads > OpenSite. So files created in, or that contain, OpenRoads content will open read only in OpenSite. Files from OpenSite would open and be "upgraded" or branded when opened in OpenRoads, and would open in OpenSite afterwards as read only. 

Since we are able to open the files in all three applications, including an "inferior" one, someone could conceivably use OpenSite to review your OpenRoads work. I do have, however, some experience that not all the information that may be needed would be available. In broad terms, I would get to see the content that is part of what I call the "digital physical model", that which is actually rendered in to MicroStation elements in the 2D and 3D views. Availability of the data associated with those elements has been a little hit or miss. 

For the question on the configurations, they are very similar in nature, and can be configured to share resources. There is, however, some of the same limitations that arise with design files here. Previous or "lower" versions will not always read in the configuration resources created in newer / higher versions.

Sorry the answer isn't more clear cut, but the once nearly universal DGN file format is a thing of the past.

Hope that helps.

Steve

Mark,

There is a lot of nuance in your question here. Both applications use the V8 DGN file format which will permit the opening of files between the two applications. Unfortunately, the manner in which Bentley has programed the applications to store the "intelligent" data generated in the OpenX civil products has left true interoperability unavailable. The storage mechanism is referred to as the Civil schema. This has changed from version to version of the software so you will need to be in compatible versions to open and work on the files within the same product. In addition to the schema, there is a "hierarchy" between the Civil OpenX  products, from "high" to "low" that is OpenRail > OpenRoads > OpenSite. So files created in, or that contain, OpenRoads content will open read only in OpenSite. Files from OpenSite would open and be "upgraded" or branded when opened in OpenRoads, and would open in OpenSite afterwards as read only. 

Since we are able to open the files in all three applications, including an "inferior" one, someone could conceivably use OpenSite to review your OpenRoads work. I do have, however, some experience that not all the information that may be needed would be available. In broad terms, I would get to see the content that is part of what I call the "digital physical model", that which is actually rendered in to MicroStation elements in the 2D and 3D views. Availability of the data associated with those elements has been a little hit or miss. 

For the question on the configurations, they are very similar in nature, and can be configured to share resources. There is, however, some of the same limitations that arise with design files here. Previous or "lower" versions will not always read in the configuration resources created in newer / higher versions.

Sorry the answer isn't more clear cut, but the once nearly universal DGN file format is a thing of the past.

Hope that helps.

Steve

Steve,

Thanks so much for your response!

I guess I'm a little disappointed, but maybe not too surprised. For the current situation, a file I've created in ORD needs to be checked/reviewed by the other office. They have yet to implement OSD as they are continuing to work existing projects with Power Survey SS2 (which both offices still use). I though I had been able to cobble something workable by export ORD to, I think, a dwg, and then making a new SS2 file so they had something to work with. This time, no matter what export option I used - 2D dgn, v8 dgn, dwg - I couldn't even open the 2D or v8 formats without getting error messages.

The other thing about the drawing format issue is bothersome. From what I gather Autodesk has one general drawing format - dwg - across the majority of it's product. While Revit and Civil 3D are different, you can, generally open a Civil 3D file with AutoCAD without too much fuss. Revit you may have to save/export to a dwg that's less Revit-y. But the position that the drawing format and product purpose are intertwined such that even MicroStatoin itself couldn't open either ORD or ORS for viewing, or printing, or whatever, is kind of annoying.

I think you answered the question I had, Steve. Basically we have two very different products, and they are, generally incompatible with each other.  

Hi Mark,

Just to comment based on much frustration my organisation has had with Revit and Civil3d interoperability (and even Civil3d to AutoCAD) I disagree with that quite a bit. The thing missing in this conversation is that all the OpenX platform workflows are based on live referencing workflows that is something that the Autodesk world does not have between their platforms for the most part.

There looks to have been an issue in the latest versions of Microstation that have issues opening ORD Sheet sets , but the referencing workflows still work well. The whole workflow is based on the fact that a Road guy can access the Rail, Site, Bridge data to coordinate,  use with their design, even adopt their geometry. include in their drawings, etc. but it isnt their data to live access and edit (I think this is a bit of a licensing lock as well to be honest).

Try the referencing route and you will be pleasantly suprised.

Mark,

At the moment I don't believe the other office has even OSD up and running. For the moment I'm ;the sole Open X person. As such, in order to review what I'm doing they'll need to see it in some form that Power Survey SS2. can open. I think I ended up using dwg the last time, but I believe both then, and now, not everything showed up. I'm missing some curbing and none of the points ("x" with Point Name, Code, and Elevation) information.

Currently the two dgns  I am capable of making (2D and v8 Format Design) crash when trying tp open the file(s) with SS2. 

So I guess your comment regarding referencing we'll only know when they have OSD up and running. The current need, then, is how to share file(s) that they can open to review (other than pdfs which is beyond the scope of this thread!).

You could maybe try this? It will remove the Civil Schema and leave everything as CAD entities so should read fine into the older v8i suites.

Remove Civil Model - OpenRoads | OpenSite Wiki - OpenRoads | OpenSite - Bentley Communities

or this to share your Civil data on the cloud

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