Issues That Affect IGES Import and Export

This section covers issues that affect IGES import and export.

Converting subfigure names

IGES subfigures are similar to MicroStation cells. Although MicroStation cell names are limited to six characters, there is no limit to the length of IGES subfigure names:

• When an IGES file is imported, a subfigure name is truncated to its first six characters. If the name already exists in the DGN file or attached cell library, the sixth character is replaced with a “0.” This number is incremented until a unique name is found.

• When exporting a file to IGES, you can replace the six-characters MicroStation cell names with longer subfigure names to match the naming conventions of the receiving application.

You can use the Cell Names dialog box to customize how cell names are translated.

To customize	Do this
Subfigure names are translated to cell names during import.	From the Import IGES File dialog box, choose Settings > Cell Names.
Cell names are translated to subfigure names during export.	From the Export IGES File dialog box, choose Settings > Cell Names.

If you must frequently exchange data between MicroStation and another system that supports subfigure names longer than six characters, you should save customized lists of conversions in an import and export settings file.

To convert a subfigure name to a cell name

1. From the File menu, choose Import > IGES.


2. From the Import IGES dialog box, specify the filename and then click OK.


3. From the Import IGES File dialog box, choose Settings > Cell Names.
   The Cell Names dialog box opens.


4. In the Subfigure Name field, type the subfigure name.


5. In the Cell Name field, type the cell name to which to convert the subfigure name.


6. Click Add.


7. To close the Cell Names dialog box, click Done.


8. To import the file and close the Import IGES dialog box, click Import.

Converting text

Each MicroStation font is assigned a number from 0 to 255 in a font library.

The MicroStation font library “igesfont.flb” has equivalents for the IGES standard text fonts. The default mappings from the IGES standard text fonts to the fonts in the MicroStation font library “igesfont.flb” are as follows:

Standard IGES Font	MicroStation “igesfont.flb”
1. Standard Block	0. Standard
2. LeRoy	3. Engineering
17. Century Schoolbook	2. Fancy
18. Helvetica	43. Low Res Filled
1001. Symbol Font 1	15. IGES Symbol Font 1
1002. Symbol Font	16. IGES Symbol Font 2
1003. Drafting Font	17. IGES Symbol Font 3

Any IGES font that is not explicitly mapped is translated to MicroStation Font 1 (Working).

To use the font library “igesfont.flb”, you should ensure that the configuration variable MS_FNTLB is pointing to it. For more information about setting configuration variables, see Working With Configuration Variables.

Due to the wide variety of font conventions in different applications, getting a “perfect match” can be difficult. Because each situation is different, you must decide which font mappings work best for your translation. To make font translation as accurate as possible, you should:

• Limit font usage to one or two fonts that have a similar appearance in each package.

• Use “simple” fonts rather than “fancy.”

Features that are supported by the sending application may not be supported by MicroStation. For example, some applications support the text attribute bold, but MicroStation does not support bold as a text attribute.

To convert an IGES font to MicroStation font

1. From the File menu, choose Import > IGES.


2. In the Import IGES dialog box, specify the filename and then click OK.


3. In the Import IGES File dialog box, choose Settings > Text Fonts.
   The Text Fonts dialog box opens.


4. In the Min field, key in the IGES font number.
   or
   In the Min and Max fields, key in the lower number and higher number of a range of IGES fonts.


5. In the uSTN field, key in the MicroStation font number.


6. Click Add.

Converting line styles

The IGES specification includes six standard line styles and custom line font patterns defined by line font definition entities (type 304).

Because MicroStation does not support custom line styles, the IGES line font patterns of entities with custom line font patterns can be mapped to any of the MicroStation line styles.

For IGES import, the default mapping of IGES line font patterns to MicroStation line styles is:

IGES line font pattern	MicroStation line style
0. Undefined	0. Solid (SOL)
1. Solid	0. Solid (SOL)
2. Dashed	5. Short-dashed (SHD)
3. Phantom	6. Dash double-dot (DADD)
4. Centerline	7. Long dash-short dash (LDSD)
5. Dotted	1. Dotted (DOT)

For IGES export, the default mapping of MicroStation line styles to IGES line font patterns is:

MicroStation line style	IGES line font
0. Solid (SOL)	1. Solid
1. Dotted (DOT)	3. Phantom
2. Medium-dashed (MEDD)	2. Dashed
3. Long-dashed (LNGD)	2. Dashed
4. Dot-dashed (DOTD)	4. Centerline
5. Short-dashed (SHD)	2. Dashed
6. Dash double-dot (DADD)	3. Phantom
7. Long dash-short dash (LDSD)	4. Centerline

Conversion between MicroStation line styles and IGES line font patterns can be customized. For more information, see:

• For import — see the Import IGES File dialog box

• For export — see the Export IGES File dialog box