I am working with a client to create a preference (.XIN) file for the transition to InRoads and InRoads Survey. With this task, we need to setup all of their survey feature codes, some 600 or so items.
I was able to find the Import Named Symbology from .csv function (that has since disappeared - possibly due to InRoads v81/MicroStation v8i Select Series 1incompatibility issues?), but that only addresses half of the need. Is there another import function for Style Manager? Is there a faster or better way to input/import Survey Feature Codes?
The import capability is an Application Add-in and must me loaded.
I would recommend looking at various DOT and other public agencies that offer their XIN files on the web. Some are better than others as to what they provide. The import tools only deal with named symbologies. Unfortunately, feature styles have no such automation. There is a copy preference tool that will copy feature styles from one XIN to another.
As a last resort - and believe it or not, one not as bad as it sounds, is brute force editing with an ASCII editor.
You need a good editor with syntax highlighting that can color code XML files. And you will want one that can clean up an XML file, fixing missing carriage returns and indenting lines. I use Notepad++ with the XML plugin. It requires a bit of finagling to install and run as the plugins frequently fall behind the releases. Usually, Google can help find someone who has posted a procedure to get them installed properly. Notepad++ also supports "folding" where you can collapse whole trees and branches within the XML file. The XML plugin also will tell you if you screw up the syntax. But the errors are not as easy to find as the error messages would make you believe.
XML Marker is also a possible tool. It is similar to XML Notepad but also provides the tools to repair a file missing carriage returns and tabs.
Charles (Chuck) Rheault CADD Manager
MDOT State Highway Administration
David,
The Named Symbology Tools should be there even though you have incompatible software versions. They are probably just turned off through Tools> Application Add-Ins> Named Symbology Tools Add-In. While you are there, go ahead and turn on the Copy Preferences Add-In also. :) Open the XIN file that you want to copy the survey codes into through File> Open of the InRoads Group. Now go to Tools> Copy Preferences. Open the XIN file from which you want to copy the survey codes. Under Available Styles, select the styles that contain the survey codes that you want to copy into your XIN file. Click Apply and they should have copied.
I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Jason Smithey