Files and Models

Is there a key-in to switch between the types of "File open dialogs" (MicroStation v Windows)?

If you have windows file dialogs as your default, hitting Shift + Esc will bring back the Microstation Manager (see article on AskInga).

If you like to use the MicroStation Dialogs but may need to switch to Windows Dialogs temporarily when running a macro or similar command, then you can use the key-in:

MDL KEYIN CALCULAT CALCULATOR userPrefsP->extFlags.useWinopen=1

Authors: Richard Thomas, Duane Marshall

Is there a way to change a model name globally? For example, I have a model call "xyz" in every DGN file and I need to change that "xyz" to "abc" in all the files. Is that possible?

You can also try doing this in VBA, and running that with batch processor. Here is a start for you (always test in a copy of your file):

Sub main()
Dim oModel As ModelReference
For Each oModel In ActiveDesignFile.Models
   If oModel.Name = "xyz" Then
     oModel.Name = "abc"
   End If
Next
End Sub

Author: Rudi Wells

Which key-in can be used to set my working units?

There is a SET UNITS command (documented in the delivered help)

If all the items are selected off in the Compress Options dialog box, what does MicroStation compress?

Stuff that you didn't directly create and have no interest in (application stuff) that is no longer useful/required. Even if nothing is removed by compress, if lots of elements have been deleted from the file, the file may be "re-packed" and can still get smaller.

Is it possible to link DGN files? Can we use, for example, a section mark in a GA as a link to automatically open the DGN the section is drawn in?

There are a number of ways to accomplish:

• Using Engineering Links (see article on AskInga for more information regarding that)
• Using ProjectWise
• Using Link Sets in MicroStation V8 XM Edition

Author: Phil Chouinard

How can you compress multiple files at once?

See article Compress a Directory on AskInga.

Author: Inga Morozoff

The preview image shows more information than there is in the dgn-file. As far as I know the preview image shows the file as it was saved the last time. Am I correct or does the preview image show older information?

The preview image is generated/updated from the lowest numbered open view (for example, if views 4-8 are open, view 4 is used).

Other possibilities include having a Saved View called PREVIEW in your design, or an assignment of a Saved View to the configuration variable MS_THUMBNAIL.

Authors: Inga Morozoff, Phil Chouinard