Using the Select Settings Window

To streamline the drawing of real world objects and promote consistency with project drawing standards, you can use the Select Settings window. This window enables you to adjust the active settings and select a drawing tool with a click or two, thereby bypassing the dialog boxes and tool boxes.

(Default) Select Settings window

(Docked) Select Settings window

(Large) Select Settings window (Options > Large Dialog)

Some setup is required to use the Select Settings window: settings groups must be defined, based on the project's drawing standards, and stored in settings files. Typically the site or project manager does this.

To open an existing settings file

1. From the Settings menu, choose Manage.
   The Select Settings window opens. The default settings file, as displayed in the Select Settings window's title bar, is "styles.stg".


2. From the window's File menu, choose Open.
   The Open Existing Settings File dialog box opens.


3. Select a settings file (a file with the extension .stg) and click OK.

To open a remote settings file

1. Key in SETMGR FILE OPENURL.
   The Select Remote Settings File dialog box opens. The controls in this dialog box are analogous to those in the Select Remote Design to Attach dialog box.


2. In the URL field, specify the path to the remote settings file.


3. (Optional) Adjust any other settings necessary.


4. Click OK.

Components

Within a drawing settings group, settings are further grouped into components. Like the parent settings group, the components are typically named for real world objects. These are the types of components:

Component Type	Used to place
Linear	Lines, arcs, ellipses, line strings, shapes, curves, complex chains, or complex shapes
Text	Text (see Text Labels)
Cell	Cells (see Using Cells)
Point	Points (see Points tool box)
Area Pattern	Pattern cells (see Hatching and Patterning)
Dimension	Dimensions (see Dimensioning)
Multi-line	Multi-lines (see Using Multi-lines)

General Procedure — To work with drawing settings groups

1. From the Settings menu, choose Manage.
   The Select Settings window opens. The drawing settings groups in the open settings file are listed in the Group list box.


2. In the Group combo box, select a group.


3. In the Component combo box, select a component.
   The active settings are set to those of the component. If the component definition specifies a key-in, the corresponding tool is selected.


4. Place an element.


5. Place another element using the same settings (return to step 4).
   or
   Select a different component (return to step 3).
   or
   Select a different group (return to step 2).

Other categories of settings groups

There are other categories of settings groups, which can be selected from dialog boxes that are opened from the Select Settings window's Categories menu.

Scale settings groups

A scale settings group specifies plotting units relative to design master units. Scale settings groups are optionally used:

• In conjunction with Cell, Active Point, and Area Pattern drawing settings group components, to scale cells while placing them. See Using Cells.

• In conjunction with Text and Active Point drawing settings components, to control the sizing and spacing of text while placing it. See Text Labels for a description on how to perform this task.

To select (and activate) a scale settings group

1. From the Settings menu, choose Manage.
   The Select Settings window opens.


2. From the Category menu, choose Scale.
   The Select Scale dialog box opens.


3. In the list box, select the desired group.


4. Click the OK button.

Activating a scale settings group cannot have an effect on the active scale factors until you select a Cell drawing component (or an Active Point or Area Pattern component that specifies a cell). Similarly, activating a scale settings group cannot have an effect on the active text settings until you select a Text component (or an Active Point component that specifies a text character).

Working units settings groups

A working units settings group consists of Working units settings. Working units settings groups are used in conjunction with Cell, Active Point, and Area Pattern drawing settings group components to scale cells while placing them. See Using Cells.

Selecting a working units settings group adjusts the active design file's working units settings in the same manner as using the controls in the Working Units category of the DGN File Settings dialog box.

Changing the working units does not change the underlying storage resolution. The storage resolution is set on the Advanced Unit Settings dialog box. Changing working units simply recalibrates the working units with regards to the storage resolution.

Changing the Master Units on the Working Units category on the DGN File Settings dialog box automatically updates the Sub Units accordingly.