Question:

I have Element Templates created in a DGNLIB and have specified that DGNLIB correctly in MS_DGNLIBLIST, but when launch OpenRoads and attempt to use an Element Template, the list is blank.
 

Answer:

The best way to guarantee that your desired Element Templates are available in your workspace is to use the MS_DGNLIBLIST_ELEMENTTEMPLATES to specifically define the DGNLIB which contains your Element Templates.  

The unexpected blank list of Element Templates can be caused if there are any DGNLIBs defined in the MS_DGNLIBLIST_DRAWINGSEEDS variable. 

Here is the process that the program uses to load Element Templates:

1. If  MS_DGNLIBLIST_ELEMENTTEMPLATES is set then it takes Element Templates from this config variable.
2. If ithat is not set then it looks for MS_DGNLIBLIST_DRAWINGSEEDS variable and if it is set it takes Element Templates from this.
3. If both are not set then it looks to the MS_DGNLIBLIST.

Since the program checks for DGNLIBs in the MS_DGNLIBLIST_DRAWINGSEEDS variable before the MS_DGNLIBLIST variable when loading Element Templates, it will present an empty list of Element Templates if there are none defined in the MS_DGNLIBLIST_DRAWINGSEEDS libraries.