Guide to Using DWG and Other Formats
Guide to Using DWG and Other Formats
Guide to Using DWG and Other Formats

Supported AutoCAD Key-ins

The table lists AutoCAD key-ins that you can use in MicroStation, a brief description, and similar (not necessarily identical) MicroStation key-ins or commands. The table shows the AutoCAD commands with the DWG prefix. Alternatively, you can use a command prefix or a command prefix plus an alias from a PGP file to define shortcuts to these commands.

AutoCAD Key-in

Description

Similar MicroStation Command or Key-in

DWG 3DFACE

Places a face.

Key-in: PLACE SHAPE ICON

DWG 3DPOLY

Places a line.

Key-in: PLACE LINE CONSTRAINED

DWG ARC

Places an arc.

Key-in: PLACE ARC ICON

DWG AREA <OBJECT | Add | POINTS>

Measures area and perimeter.

If set to Object, measures the area of an element.

If set to Add, measures the area of an area bounded by the union of two or more closed planar elements.

If set to Points (default), measures the planar area with its vertices defined by a series of data points.

Key-ins: MEASURE AREA ELEMENT, MEASURE AREA UNION, MEASURE AREA POINTS

DWG ARRAY

Copies an element many times to create an array.

Key-in: ARRAY ICON

DWG ATTDEF

Defines tags.

Key-in: DIALOG TAGS SETS

DWG ATTEDIT

Modifies values for tags.

Key-in: EDIT TAGS

DWG AUNITS <0 | 1 | 2 | 3>

Sets the units for angles. 0 = decimal degrees. 1 = degrees/minutes/seconds. 2 = gradians. 3 = radians.

DWG AUPREC <#>

Sets the number of decimal places for angle units.

DWG BASE <x,y>

Sets the insertion base point for the current model. The insertion base point is used when the model is referenced into another model.

DWG BHATCH

Defines hatches.

Key-in: DIALOG TOOLBOX PATTERNS

DWG BLOCK

Defines a cell.

Key-in: DIALOG CELL MAINTENANCE and DEFINE CELL ORIGIN

DWG BREAK

Deletes part of an element.

Key-in: DELETE PARTIAL

DWG CECOLOR <color_#

Sets the color for new elements.

Key-in: ACTIVE COLOR

DWG CELTSCALE <scale_factor>

Sets the line style scale factor for new elements, relative to the global scale factor. When a new element is created, the actual line style scale factor is the CELTSCALE value multiplied by the LTSCALE value.

Line Styles dialog box, Scale factor setting

DWG CELTYPE <0–7 | name>

Sets the line style for new elements. # = standard line style number 0–7. Name = name of a custom line style.

Key-in: ACTIVE STYLE

DWG CHAMFER

Constructs a chamfer.

Key-in: CHAMFER

DWG CHAMFERA <distance_value>

Sets chamfer distance 1.

Construct Chamfer tool, Distance 1 setting

DWG CHAMFERB <distance_value>

Sets chamfer distance 2.

Construct Chamfer tool, Distance 2 setting

DWG CHANGE

Lets you modify element attributes.

Key-in: CHANGE ICON

DWG CIRCLE

Places a circle.

Key-in: PLACE CIRCLE ICON

DWG CLAYER <layer_name>

Sets the level (DWG layer) for new elements.

Key-in: ACTIVE LEVEL

DWG CMLJUST <0 | 1 | 2>

Specifies justification for multi-lines. 0 = top. 1 = middle. 2 = bottom.

DWG COPY

Copies elements.

Key-in: COPY ICON

DWG DATE

(Read only.) Lists the current date and time in the format: <Julian day number.><Decimal fraction of a day>.

DWG DDATTDEF

Defines tags.

Key-in: DIALOG TAGS SETS

DWG DDATTE

Lets you modify values for tags.

Key-in: EDIT TAGS

DWG DDCHPROP

Lets you review and modify information about an element.

Key-in: ANALYZE ELEMENT

DWG DDCOLOR

Lets you modify the active color table.

Key-in: DIALOG COLOR

DWG DDEDIT

Edits text.

Key-in: EDIT TEXT

DWG DDIM

Defines dimension style settings.

Key-in: DIALOG DIMSETTINGS OPEN

DWG DDINSERT

Places a cell.

Key-in: PLACE CELL ICON

DWG DDmodify

Lets you review or modify information about an element.

Key-in: ANALYZE ELEMENT

DWG DDUCS

Manages auxiliary coordinate system (ACS).

Key-in: DIALOG COORDSYS

DWG DDVIEW

Manages saved views.

Key-in: SHOW VIEWS

DWG DIMALIGNED

Places a linear dimension parallel to the element being dimensioned.

Key-in: DIMENSION AXIS TRUE and DIMENSION LINEAR

DWG DIMANGULAR

Dimensions the angle between two lines.

Key-in: DIMENSION ANGLE LINES

DWG DIMCENTER

Places a center mark at the center of a circle or arc.

Key-in: DIMENSION CENTER MARK

DWG DIMDIAMETER

Dimensions the diameter of a circle or a circular arc.

Key-in: DIMENSION DIAMETER

DWG DIMLINEAR

Dimensions the linear distance between two points (length) .

Key-in: DIMENSION LINEAR

DWG DIMORDINATE

Labels distances along an axis from an origin (datum) along the ordinate axis (the line along which the distances are measured).

Key-in: DIMENSION ORDINATE

DWG DIMRADIUS

Dimensions the radius of a circle or a circular arc.

Key-in: DIMENSION RADIUS

DWG DIMSTYLE

Controls dimension settings.

Key-in: DIALOG DIMSETTINGS OPEN

DWG DIMTEDIT

Moves dimension text.

Key-in: MODIFY DIMENSION LOC

DWG DIST

Measures distance.

Key-in: MEASURE DISTANCE POINTS

DWG DTEXT

Places text.

Key-in: PLACE TEXT ICON

DWG DWGCODEPAGE

Shows system code page.

DWG ELLIPSE

Places an ellipse.

Key-in: PLACE ELLIPSE ICON

DWG ERASE

Deletes an element.

Key-in: DELETE ELEMENT

DWG EXPLODE

Breaks up elements into smaller components.

Key-in: DROP ELEMENT

DWG EXTEND

Extends elements to an intersection.

Key-in: EXTEND ELEMENT 2 and EXTEND ELEMENT INTERSECTION

DWG EXTRUDE

(3D only) Creates a surface or solid — a complex 3D element generated by linearly extruding a profile element a defined distance.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT SURFACE PROJECTION

DWG FILLET

Constructs a circular fillet (arc) between two elements.

Key-in: FILLET ICON

DWG FILLETRAD

Stores the current fillet radius value.

Key-in: FILLET ICON, Radius setting

DWG FILLMODE <0 | 1>

If set to 1, closed elements are filled. If set to 0, closed elements are not filled. (Click Update View to see changes.)

Key-in: ACTIVE FILL

DWG GRIDMODE <0 | 1>

If set to 1, displays the grid. If set to 0, the grid is not displayed.

Key-in: SET GRID

DWG GRIDUNIT <unit>

Specifies the grid spacing for the current view.

Key-in: ACTIVE GRIDUNIT

DWG GROUP

Creates and manages groups.

Key-in: GROUP ADD

DWG HATCH

Defines hatches.

Key-in: DIALOG TOOLBOX PATTERNS

DWG HIDE

Turns on rendering in hidden line mode.

Key-in: RENDER ALL HIDDEN

DWG HPANG <angle>

Specifies the hatch angle.

Hatch Area tool, Crosshatch Area tool, Angle setting

DWG HPNAME <name>

Specifies the hatch pattern name.

Pattern Area tool, Pattern Cell setting

DWG HPSCALE <#>

Specifies the hatch pattern scale factor.

DWG HPSPACE

Specifies the hatch pattern line spacing.

Hatch Area tool, Crosshatch Area tool, Angle setting

DWG IMAGE

Controls the display of raster images in a DGN file view.

Key-in: DIALOG RASTER

DWG IMAGEADJUST

Controls the image display (brightness, contrast, and fade values).

Key-in: RASTER DLGGENERAL OPEN

DWG IMAGEATTACH

Attaches raster references to the active design file.

Key-in: RASTER ATTACH INTERACTIVE

DWG IMAGECLIP

Crops a raster image using a clipping boundary.

Key-in: RASTER TOOLCLIP

DWG INSBASE <X, Y>

Sets the insertion base point for the current model. The insertion base point is used when the model is referenced into another model.

DWG INSERT

Places a cell.

Key-in: PLACE CELL ICON

DWG INSERTOBJ

Inserts new objects into your file.

Key-in: OLECNTR INSERT

DWG INSUNITS <0 — 20>

Sets the Design Center Units for a DWG file in MicroStation. Use a value of 0–20 to specify the units:

  • 0 — Unspecified (no units)

  • 1 — Inches

  • 2 — Feet

  • 3 — Miles

  • 4 — Millimeters

  • 5 — Centimeters

  • 6 — Meters

  • 7 — Kilometers

  • 8 — Microinches

  • 9 — Mils

  • 10 — Yards

  • 11 — Angstroms

  • 12 — Nanometers

  • 13 — Microns

  • 14 — Decimeters

  • 15 — Decameters

  • 16 — Hectometers

  • 17 — Gigameters

  • 18 — Astronomical Units

  • 19 — Light Years

  • 20 — Parsecs

DWG INTERFERE

(3D only) Constructs a solid that is the intersection of two or more overlapping solids.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT INTERSECTION

DWG INTERSECT

Constructs a solid that is the intersection of two or more overlapping solids.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT INTERSECTION

DWG ISOLINES <#>

Sets the number of isolines used to display SmartSolids and B-spline surfaces.

B-spline and 3D dialog box, Surface/Solid Iso Lines setting

DWG LAYER

Controls level display and level symbology.

Key-in: LEVEL MANAGER DIALOG OPEN

DWG LEADER

Places a note with a leader line.

Key-in: PLACE NOTE MULTI

DWG LINE

Creates line segments.

Key-in: PLACE LINE CONSTRAINED

DWG LINETYPE

Activates line styles and sets line style modifiers.

Key-in: LINESTYLE SETTINGS

DWG LOCALE

Shows the ISO language code.

DWG LTSCALE <scale_factor>

Sets the global scale factor for line styles.

Key-in: ACTIVE LINESTYLESCALE

DWG MATCHPROP

Matches element attributes.

Key-in: MATCH ELEMENT

DWG MIRROR

Mirrors an element.

Key-in: MIRROR ICON

DWG MLINE

Places a multi-line (multiple parallel lines).

Key-in: PLACE MLINE

DWG MOVE

Moves an element.

Key-in: MOVE ICON

DWG MTEXT

Places text.

Key-in: PLACE DIALOGTEXT ICON

DWG OFFSET

Moves or copies an element parallel to the original.

Key-in: MOVE PARALLEL OFFSET

DWG ORTHOMODE <0 | 1>

Turns on Axis lock.

Key-in: LOCK AXIS

DWG PAN

Shifts the view to a different part of the design.

Key-in: PAN VIEW

DWG PASTESPEC

Applies a special display format to contents of the clipboard.

Key-in: CLIPBOARD PASTESPECIAL

DWG PLINE

Places a chain of connected line segments and arc segments.

Key-in: PLACE SMARTLINE

DWG PLINEGEN <0 | 1>

If set to 1, defines the way that line styles are controlled for line strings and shapes. If set to 0, the pattern will restart for each segment.

DWG PLINEWID <width>

Defines the width for wide custom line styles. Note that AutoCAD only supports width on polylines.

Line Styles dialog box, Width settings

DWG PLOT

Creates printed output.

Key-in: DIALOG PLOT

DWG POINT

Places the active point.

Key-in: PLACE POINT

DWG POLYGON

Places a polygon.

Key-in: PLACE POLYGON ICON

DWG PSLTSCALE <0 | 1>

Controls how line styles are scaled in AutoCAD layout viewports. (Note: MicroStation treats layout viewports as reference attachments (referred to below as viewport attachments).)

If set to 0, then the line styles within viewport attachments are based on the units in which the model was created, and therefore are not affected by the scale of the sheet model.

If set to 1, then the line styles within viewport attachments are based on sheet model units.

DWG QUIT

Exits MicroStation.

Key-in: EXIT

DWG RECTANG

DWG RECTANGLE

Places a block.

Key-in: PLACE BLOCK ICON

DWG REDRAW

Updates the views.

Key-in: UPDATE VIEW EXTENDED

DWG REDRAWAll

Updates the views.

Key-in: UPDATE VIEW EXTENDED

DWG REGEN

Updates the views.

Key-in: UPDATE VIEW EXTENDED

DWG REGENALL

Updates the views.

Key-in: UPDATE VIEW EXTENDED

DWG REGION

Creates a complex shape from a region.

Key-in: CREATE REGION ICON

DWG RENDER

Controls rendering settings.

Key-in: DIALOG RENDER

DWG REVOLVE

(3D only) Creates a surface of revolution.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT surface REVOLUTION

DWG ROTATE

Rotates elements.

Key-in: ROTATE ICON

DWG RPREF

Sets rendering settings.

Key-in: DIALOG RENDER

DWG SCALE

Resizes an element.

Key-in: SCALE ICON

DWG SECTION

Trims elements to a common intersection.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT TRIM

DWG SHADE

Turns on screen rendering (shading).

Key-in: RENDER ICON

DWG SLICE

Subtracts the volume of one or more solids from another solid.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT DIFFERENCE

DWG SNAPANG <angle>

Sets the snap and grid rotation angle for the current view.

Key-in: ACTIVE GRIDANGLE

DWG SNAPBASE <X, Y>

Sets an origin point for the grid.

DWG SNAPMODE <0 | 1>

If set to 1, data points snap to the nearest point on the grid. If set to 0, data points snap to other locations.

Key-in: LOCK GRID

DWG SOLID

Places a four-sided filled polygon shape.

Key-in: PLACE SHAPE ICON

DWG SPELL

Reviews text for spelling errors.

Key-in: SPELLCHECK

DWG SPLFRAME <0 | 1>

If set to 1, displays the control polygon of each B-spline curve. Also displays invisible edges of mesh elements.

If set to 0, the control polygons and invisible edges are not displayed.

Key-in: SET INVISGEOM

DWG SPLINE

Places a B-spline curve.

Key-in: PLACE BSPLINE CURVE

DWG SPLINEDIT

Edits a spline.

Key-in: DIALOG TOOLBOX CURVEMODIFY TOGGLE

DWG STYLE

Creates and modifies text styles.

Key-in:TEXTSTYLE DIALOG OPEN

DWG SUBTRACT

Subtracts the volume of solids from another solid.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT DIFFERENCE

DWG SURFU <#>

Sets the number of rule lines for the surface's U parameter.

Evaluate Surface tool, Number of Points setting

DWG SURFV <#>

Sets the number of rule lines for the surface's V parameter.

Evaluate Surface tool, Number of Points setting

DWG SYSCODEPAGE

Shows the system code page.

DWG TEXT

Places text.

Key-in: PLACE TEXT ICON

DWG TEXTSIZE <#>

Sets the default height for new text created with the active text style.

DWG TEXTSTYLE <name>

Sets the name of the active text style.

Key-in: Textstyle active

DWG TOOLBAR

Displays and customizes tool boxes.

Key-in: DRAFTPAL OPENTOOLBOX

DWG TOOLTIPS <0 | 1>

If set to 1, tool tips display. If set to 0, tool tips do not display.

Help > Tool Tips

DWG TORUS

Places a torus (donut-shaped solid).

Key-in:PLACE TORUS

DWG TRIM

Simultaneously trims multiple elements.

Key-in:TRIM MULTI

DWG UCSICON <0 | 1>

If set to 1, a coordinate triad representing the Active Auxiliary Coordinate System (ACS) displays. If set to 0, the ACS triad does not display.

Key-in: SET ACSDISPLAY

DWG UCSORG <X, y, Z>

Sets the ACS origin for the current view.

ACS origin.

DWG UCSXDIR <X, Y, Z>

(Read only.) Sets the X direction of the active ACS for the current view.

ACS X Direction.

DWG UCSYDIR <X, Y, Z>

(Read only.) Sets the Ydirection of the active ACS for the current view.

ACS Y direction.

DWG UNION

Unites two or more overlapping solids.

Key-in: CONSTRUCT UNION

DWG UNITS

Sets the Design Center Units (AutoCAD system variable INSUNITS) for a DWG file in MicroStation. Opens the DWG/DXF dialog box, where you can change the unit settings.

DWG VISRETAIN <0 | 1>

If set to 1, changes to the level attributes for attached references are saved from session to session.

If set to 0, changes to the level attributes for attached references are valid for the current session only; they are not saved.

Key-in: SET REFLEVELOVERRIDES

DWG WBLOCK

Writes a new DWG file from one of the following:

  • the entire design file

  • a group of selected objects

  • a shared cell definition within the current file

DWG WEDGE

Places a wedge.

Key-in: PLACE WEDGE

DWG XATTACH

Attaches a reference to the active model.

Key-in: ATTACH REFERENCE

DWG XBIND

Merges references into the master DGN file.

Key-in: DIALOG REFERENCE and REFERENCE MERGE

DWG XCLIP

Defines a clipping boundary.

Key-in: REFERENCE CLIP

DWG XCLIPFRAME <0 | 1>

If set to 1, turns on display of reference clip boundaries. If set to 0, turns off display of reference clip boundaries.

Key-in: DIALOG REFERENCE

DWG XREF

Defines references (XREFs).

Key-in: DIALOG REFERENCE

DWG ZOOM

Changes the magnification of the view.

Key-in: ZOOM