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Document Type: TechNote Product(s): promis•e V8i and promis•e 2007 Version(s): 3.0.x and higher Original Author: Matt_P
Document Type: TechNote
Product(s): promis•e V8i and promis•e 2007
Version(s): 3.0.x and higher
Original Author: Matt_P
This document explains the steps necessary to successfully switch from promis•e 2007 or promis•e V8i running on AutoCAD to promis•e running on MicroStation or MicroStation PowerDraft. Some of these steps must be completed before promis•e for AutoCAD is uninstalled. It is generally recommended that the instructions in this document are followed in the order in which they appear.
To move to a recent release of promis•e from a "legacy" version of promis•e (promis•e 5.06 through promis•e Aero 2), please see the Migrating Legacy Data To promis•e TechNote.
For the remainder of this document, the term "promis•e for MicroStation" will be used to mean promis•e being run on MicroStation or MicroStation PowerDraft. "Standalone" promis•e V8i is promis•e V8i for MicroStation running on MicroStation PowerDraft.
There is no option in the Migration Wizard of promis•e V8i to convert projects from promis•e 2007 or V8i for AutoCAD to promis•e for MicroStation/PowerDraft. To "convert" existing projects, back them up with the "Save files in MicroStation compatible format" option enabled. The resulting .PRJ files will be restored into promis•e for MicroStation/PowerDraft.
Important: Complete this step before uninstalling promis•e for AutoCAD or AutoCAD.
The backup process:
Repeat this process for the remaining projects to be converted.
To ensure that a new "promis-e Data" folder is created during the installation of promis•e for MicroStation, rename the existing local data folder to something like "promis-e Data ACAD". Alternatively, a unique name can be specified for the data folder path during installation.
Note: If the path for the data folder specified during installation already exists, a new data folder will not be created and the existing one will not be overwritten. The existing data folder that remains after installation will contain data that is not compatible with promis•e for MicroStation. It will contain drawing files in the .DWG format, while promis•e for MicroStation needs to have these files in its native .DGN format.
If possible, do not uninstall AutoCAD or promis•e for AutoCAD until promis•e for MicroStation is operational and the users are comfortable with it. promis•e for AutoCAD and promis•e for MicroStation can coexist on the same machine as long as they are installed in different paths.
During installation you may be prompted for the type installation to perform. Choose the "New Install" option, not the "Upgrade Install" Option. This creates a separate installation from previous versions and ensures that necessary files are installed and in the correct format.
Be sure to specify a unique installation path or "program folder" during installation to avoid overwriting files in an existing path which would make the existing version of promis•e non-functional. If the default Program folder path exists, specify a different path during installation of promis•e for MicroStation. If promis•e for AutoCAD has already been uninstalled then an existing path can be specified here and will be overwritten.
As noted in the Rename the Data Folder section, a new "promis-e Data" folder should be created for promis•e to work properly. If sharing promis•e data, the newly created "promis-e Data" folder can be copied to a file server and the promis-e Setup dialog configured to use it. See also the Network Installation Guide TechNote. It may be desirable to preserve existing network data folders until all users have moved to the new promis•e and the data successfully migrated. Consider migrating data to the new "promis-e Data" folder before moving the folder to a network file server.
The contents of catalogs (symbols, macros, and title blocks) and page formats are stored as drawing files and must be in the native format of the platform that promis•e runs on. Therefore any customized catalogs and page formats need to be migrated before they can be used in promis•e for MicroStation.
If no custom symbols, macros, title blocks, or page formats were used in promis•e for AutoCAD, then this step should be skipped; the supplied data in the newly created data folder will be in the correct format.
To convert supporting data:
If a catalog was migrated to an uncompressed catalog, a Catalog Path to it must be added on the promis-e Setup dialog in order for the catalog to be recognized by promis•e. If the catalog was migrated to a backup catalog file (.ctlg), import it into Catalog Manager with the Import Catalog button on the right.
To save time, copy custom page format files to a temporary folder and convert the contents of that folder instead of converting the entire contents of the "\PageFormat" subfolder of the promis-e Data folder.
Note: Supporting data that is not stored as drawing files such as parts databases and project option profiles can simply be copied to the new data folder. promis•e must then be configured to use that data if applicable. For example a new Parts Database Path would be created for the custom parts database on the promis-e Setup dialog.
promis•e users connecting to a project database residing on their local workstation can skip this section since a new database should be created if necessary.
If switching CAD platforms that promis•e runs on but the version of promis•e is the same (for example, if promis•e for both MicroStation and AutoCAD are 08.11.07.146), then an existing project database can be used by promis•e for MicroStation. However, it might be a good time to create a new project database. By doing so, the data for the AutoCAD projects would be separate from the data for the MicroStation projects and it would be a simple task to decommission the old database at an appropriate time, leaving the new database free of obsolete data.
If moving to a version of promis•e for MicroStation that is newer than the promis•e for AutoCAD, then the database must be updated or a new one created. It is probably better and cleaner to create a new database
Important: The existing project database should not be updated if existing projects are to remain accessible by promis•e for AutoCAD.
See the Creating and Updating the promis•e Project Database TechNote for details.
Start promis•e for MicroStation and select File > Restore from the Project Manager pull down menus. Browse to a .PRJ file created in the Backup Existing Projects section. Specify a destination folder for the drawing files and enter the name that should be given to the restored project. Click OK to restore the project. The project should then be accessible in promis•e for MicroStation.
Note: If running promis•e in a network environment, projects should be restored after configuring promis•e to use the network project database. This is done on the promis-e Setup dialog.
PowerDraft for promis•e Users
Network Installation Guide
Creating and Updating the promis•e Project Database
promis•e FAQ
SELECTsupport TechNotes and FAQs
Product TechNotes and FAQs
promis•e Installation Guide download page
promis•e on Bentley.com
Bentley homepage
Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase
Bentley LEARN Server
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