Accusnap in Microstation

Snap Lock Snap lock determines if your tentative point snaps are forced onto nearby elements. If Snap lock is on and you place a tentative point on or near an element, your cursor locks onto that element at the location specified by the snap mode. Snap Modes The active snap mode determines how you will snap onto an element. Several different snap modes are available and can be accessed from the Status bar.

You can also access snap modes from the Snap Mode button bar.

You can execute a snap two ways:

_Using a tentative point

_Using AccuSnap

Editing Multi-Snaps

Select Settings > Snaps > Multi-snaps Status bar)

Select a multi-snap (1, 2 or 3) Note: You can also right-click on

Toggle on the snaps you want to include

Toggle off snaps you don’t want

Using the Level Manager in Microstation

Working with Level Libraries

• So, where do the levels come from? Levels are obtained from a level library. A level library is a master template of levels, which is attached to your active design file. Libraries can be separated by type: (Bridge, Roadway Design, Survey, etc. Users can then attach multiple level libraries to an active file.

• Level libraries are attached as a file type DGNLIB. A DGNLIB file is the same format as a DGN file (they can be opened just like a DGN file in MicroStation) but with a .dgnlib extension. Typically there are no graphics in a DGNLIB file – just level setups. DGNLIB files can also be used to store text styles and dimension styles.

Using the Level Manager

The Level Manager is used to set level properties (name, description, number,

display, plot, symbologies, etc.) and is located next to Level Display on the Primary toolbar.

You can also access Level Manager from Settings > Level > Manager

The Level Manager shows a list of all levels attached and the library the level is in. Additional information can be displayed by right-clicking in the column headings and turning columns on/ off – information such as the level number, description, and its ByLevel Symbology..

ByLevel symbology

ByLevel symbology is the color, line style and line weight assigned to a level. When graphics are placed on that level, the elements take on the level’s symbology. The combination of naming levels and using ByLevel symbology is a good way to ensure CADD standards are maintained.

Working with Level Filters Level filters are named groups of levels that can be

turned on or off as a group (e.g. all road design levels, all survey levels, all topo

levels). You can filter on many criteria (name, number, etc.) to create the groups.

Levels or Views in Microstation

Levels

Levels help you separate graphics in the design file and for plotting. By placing your graphics on different levels, you can easily control what graphics to display by turning the appropriate levels on or off. Levels are synonymous with layers in AutoCAD.

Levels are named and numbered and you can then turn levels on or off by name or number. There is no limit to the number of levels you have in a design file. The level on which you place graphics is known as the active level. When you set a level active, it is automatically turned on.

The Level Display is used primarily to turn levels on and off in the views selected. You also have the option to turn levels on or off by selecting an element (right-click <R> on a level or click the Change Level button). There are three display modes:

• View Display – turns levels on/off in the chosen view(s).

• Global Display – turns levels on/off in all views.

• Global Freeze – elements in selected view(s) are not displayed, cannot be

plotted and graphics cannot be placed on a frozen level.

The Primary Toolbar

• The Primary toolbar contains commonly used MicroStation tools.

• This is on toolbar you’ll frequently use, so you will probably want to open and

   docked.

• Select Tools > Primary to toggle on the Primary toolbar.

The Key-in Browser Box

• Many MicroStation commands can be accomplished by keying in the command

   text (e.g. Place Line).

• Key-ins can also be used to input data (e.g. XY=<x,y,z> to locate a coordinate).

  Note: Key-ins are not case sensitive.

• This is another toolbar you’ll frequently use. Select Utilities > Key-in to open,

   then dock the box. 

• When you’re ready to key in a command, set the focus in the Key-in box by

   data pointing in it.

• After you key in the command, use the <Enter> or <Tab> key to activate the

command.

Compressing the design file Select File > Compress > Design to permanently remove deleted elements from the Undo Buffer. This will make your design file smaller and more efficient. However, you will lose your Undo history for the design file session.

Fences: And Hatching

Fences:

It can be used:

• As a void to exclude elements inside (or overlapping) the fence boundary.

• To clip elements that cross the fence boundary, so that only the parts inside the

fence boundary (or outside in the case of a void) are subject to manipulation.

Fences can be rectangular (referred to as a fence block), polygonal (non-rectangular, referred to as a fence shape, with as many as 5000 vertices), or circular (referred to as a fence circle). A fence shape can be derived from a previously placed shape element.

Fences are persistent in both 3D and 2D DGN files. You can place a fence, zoom in on the design and the fence will remain when you zoom back out.

Points:

An active point is used as a reference in the design plane. It can consist of a cell from the attached cell library, a text character, a symbol, or a line with no (zero) length (a “point” element).

Linear elements:

The tools in the Linear Elements toolbox are used to place linear elements.

Hatching and Patterning

Patterning is the repeated placement of a hatch line or cell through a closed area at a specified interval (spacing), scale, and angle. You can place patterns on any designated level.

When using a hatching or patterning tool with the tool setting Method set to Flood, Union, Intersection, or Difference, turning on Dynamic Area along with Associative Pattern lets you create patterns that regenerate themselves when their bounding elements are modified. As well, you can create single associative patterns with disjoint regions.

Cells

They are created from simple elements such as text, line, circle, arc and line string. These are the objects that form the elevation view symbol.

Cells are same as blocks in AutoCAD.

Drawing/Drafting tools

� MicroStation’s tools for creating and manipulating your design elements are organized into logical groupings called toolbars. Most of the drawings tools in Microstation are kept in the “Main Toolbar”.

� Each tool is represented by an icon on its toolbar.

� Toolbars can be opened, closed and moved around the screen like dialog boxes, views and the command window.

� Toolbars can be “docked” or ‘Floated’ within the drawing workspace,

� Many tools have parameters or settings associated with them, which are shown in the Tool Settings dialog box. Each time you select a new drawing tool, the optional settings will appear in the Tool Settings box.

� The most commonly used tools are located on the Main, and Drawing Task

The Tasks menu opens automatically when you start MicroStation. If you close the Tasks menu and want to re-open it, select Tools > Tasks from the Menu bar.

Microstation View Control Toolbar

View Manipulation and Control

The View Control toolbar is located by default in the lower-left corner of the MicroStation interface. The horizontal and vertical scroll bars also help you move around in the view. To use the View Control toolbar and scroll bars, turn on the options under Workspace > Preferences > View Options. To show the scroll bars, turn on Scroll Bars on View Windows. To show the view toolbox settings, turn on Show View Toolbox and set the location from the pull down menu.

1) View Attributes - to set view attribute settings.

2) View Display Mode - to change the view’s rendering options

3) Adjust View Brightness - Changes brightness settings on rendered views

4) Update View - to update a view (refresh or redraw). Unlike AutoCAD, 

     Microstation does not automatically refresh or “regen”. TIP: Zooming in and  

     out will also update the screen.

5) Zoom In - to increase the magnification of a view by Zoom factor.

6) Zoom Out - to decrease the magnification of a view by Zoom factor.

7) Window Area - to increase the magnification of a view by drawing a “box”

     around the area you want to see close up.

8) Fit View - to show all displayable elements in a view.

9) Rotate View - to rotate the view (top, front, etc.)

10) Pan View - to move around in the view (up, down, left, right, etc.)

11) Walk - to interactively walk through a 3D model.

12) Fly - to interactively fly through a 3D model.

13) Navigate View - to interactively navigate a 3D view.

14) View Previous - to step back through view operations.

15) View Next - to step ahead through view operations.

16) Copy View - to copy the contents from one view to another.

17) Change View Perspective - to change the Perspective Angle.

18) Camera Settings - to adjust the Camera in 3D view.

19) Clip Volume - to apply Clip Volume to a view.

20) Clip Mask - to apply Clip Mask to a view.