Guide to Generating Drawings
Guide to Generating Drawings
Guide to Generating Drawings

Import Coordinates


Use it!

Used to import coordinates from an ASCII text file and place them as points, text, or cells.

The following are the available Import options:

Import

Order

Points

  • XYX

  • YXZ

Text

  • XYZ

  • YXZ

  • TXYZ (Text, X coord, Y coord, Z coord)

  • TYXZ (Text, Y coord, X coord, Z coord)

  • XYZT (X coord, Y coord, Z coord, Text)

  • YXZT (Y coord, X coord, Z coord, Text)

Cell

  • XYZ

  • YXZ

  • CXYZ (Cell, X coord, Y coord, Z coord)

  • CYXZ (Cell, Y coord, X coord, Z coord)

  • XYZC (X coord, Y coord, Z coord, Cell)

  • YXZC (Y coord, X coord, Z coord, Cell)

Tool SettingEffect
Filename

Lists the name of an ASCII text file from which the coordinates will be imported.

Browse

Opens the Open Import File dialog box which allows you to select the text file from which you can import coordinates.

Import

Defines how coordinates are imported into the design.

  • Point Element
  • — Imports coordinates from the selected ASCII file as points.
  • Text
  • — Imports coordinates from the selected ASCII file as text which you designate in the Text field.
  • Cell
  • — Imports coordinates from the selected ASCII file as cells which you designate in the Cell field.
Order

Defines the order in which the coordinates are imported — XYZ or YXZ.

View

Allows you to choose a view's orientation to display the imported coordinates.

Text field

Allows you to specify the text string to be placed at each coordinate imported (limit of 10 characters). This field activates when you choose Text from the Import option menu.

Cell field

Allows you to specify the cell to be placed at each coordinate imported. This field activates when you choose Cell from the Import option menu.

Process

Initiates the importation of coordinates.

To import coordinates from a text file as points
  1. Select the Import Coordinates tool.

  2. In the Filename field, type the name and path of the text file from which you want to import coordinates.
    or
    Click Browse.
    In the Open Import File dialog box that opens, select the text file from which you want to import coordinates.

  3. From the tool settings window's Import option menu, choose Point Element.

  4. Click Process.
    The coordinates from the selected text file are imported into the active design file as points.

To import coordinates from a text file as text
  1. Select the Import Coordinates tool.

  2. In the Filename field, type the name and path of the text file from which you want to import coordinates.
    or
    Click Browse.
    In the Open Import File dialog box that opens, select the text file from which you want to import coordinates.

  3. From the tool settings window's Import option menu, choose Text.

  4. In the Text field, type the text you want to appear at each of the imported coordinates (limit of 10 characters).

  5. Click Process.
    The coordinates from the selected text file are imported into the active design file and are displayed as the text you typed in the Text field.

To import coordinates from a text file as cells
  1. Select the Import Coordinates tool.

  2. In the Filename field, type the name and path of the text file from which you want to import coordinates.
    or
    Click Browse.
    The Open Import File dialog box opens so you can select the text file from which you want to import coordinates.

  3. From the tool settings window's Import option menu, choose Cell.
    If there is no cell library attached to your design file, go to step 4; otherwise, skip to step 7. If a cell library is already attached, go to step 7.

  4. From MicroStation's Element menu, choose Cells.
    The Cell Library dialog box opens.

  5. From the File menu, choose Attach.
    The Attach Cell Library dialog box opens.

  6. Select the cell library that contains the cell you want to use and click OK.

  7. In the Import Coordinates settings window's Cell field, type the name of the cell you want to appear at each of the imported coordinates.

  8. Click Process.
    The coordinates from the selected text file are imported into the active design file and display as the cell you identified in the Cell field.

Key-in: IMPORT POINTS