My company currently uses GeoPak as the primary software for road design. Currently IT is pushing to transition to OpenRoads. Correct me if I'm wrong but OpenRoads is the all encompassing program that will take the place of InRoads and GeoPak. My question is, can the current project files we have be used in the new software? If we transition will companies still on Geopak be able to read our files. Many of our engineers are resistant to the change, I am not sure if that is reluctance to reconfiguring project standards, or simply preference.
Antonio Hamilton said:OpenRoads is the all encompassing program that will take the place of InRoads and GeoPak.
More or less, correct. Civil data is contained inside the DGN file and accessible within the Explorer dialog.
Antonio Hamilton said:can the current project files we have be used in the new software?
The first Bentley Learn session to review helps answer this question. Long story short, no. However, there are methods and " Bentley resources and services available to assist you." per the following ORD Training list. OpenRoads Designer CONNECT Edition Training Links
Antonio Hamilton said:If we transition will companies still on Geopak be able to read our files.
No. However, gpk files can be imported. Additionally, LandXML and other formats can be exported from V8i into ORD.
Antonio Hamilton said:reconfiguring project standards
Following client standards for a specific major version of ORD will be key. You'll cause you and your team unnecessary frustration attempting to charge ahead beyond what is established and expected by the client.
Good luck and Godspeed! Hope all this helps!
Bentley Accredited Road Designer | Bentley Accredited Road Modeler
colliersengineering.com
Answer Verified By: Antonio Hamilton
Antonio Hamilton said: If we transition will companies still on Geopak be able to read our files
No. Actually, they won't even be able to reference your files safely. I have had issues with file corruption by attempting to use an ORD file on a Geopak job, including simply attaching the ORD file as a reference.
If your clients have ORD standards set up, you will want to use those. Otherwise someone will have to do the work to convert any in-house standards to ORD. ORD also uses a VERY different configuration from OpenRoads, without Project CFG files, but adding Workspaces and Worksets. By default, ORD wants to store all of that information (and project files) locally, so someone will have to figure out how to write the configuration files to work with your project data storage.
Be aware that the data modeling process in ORD is much closer to InRoads, with its corridor modeling and templates than Geopak. I don't think anything from native Geopak made it into ORD.
MaryB
Power GeoPak 08.11.09.918Power InRoads 08.11.09.918OpenRoads Designer 2021 R2
Open Roads requires a particular resolution that in many cases is not the same as what people used in V8i. And certain settings within the Scales.def and units.def that some offices used are also no longer supported. We had to rescale a lot of our cells and linestyles and change our text styles to migrate. This was all on top of migrating InRoads Settings to Open Roads. It's a tedious process.
Charles (Chuck) Rheault CADD Manager
MDOT State Highway Administration
Thank you to everyone, I have forwarded on your responses to our team. You saved us from a big headache.
Thank you for this thorough answer. All responses have been discussed with my steam as a way to make a decision. I believe we will not be transitioning.