Multiple Action Strings

This feature has been documented over the years but it's still well worth doing a brief review on. MicroStation recognizes keyed-in commands, obviously, but it can also recognize a series of keyins entered in a single string with each keyin separated from the next by a ';' (semicolon). This allows you to create a customized keyin for a specific operation which can then be attached to a custom menu item (dropdown, toolbox, function key, etc.). An example of this type of keyin is:

 lv=exterior_walls;wt=3;co=1;lc=0;place line constrained

You can use this to set Active Angle, Active Scale, Active Cell, or any other parameter or operation that can be accessed via a keyin (which is almost all of them). If you want to perform a view attribute setting operation and have your view(s) automatically selected and updated, use something like this:

 set weight on;selview {view #/all};update {view #/all}

If you don't know the keyin for a specific operation, you can open the Keyin window (Utilities -> Keyin). Make sure that it's 'free-floating' (not docked) and expand it so that you can see the keyin list.



You'll be able to find all available keyins in this list.

I would be remiss if I didn't include a reference to the first book I read when I started my own pursuit of personal development ten years ago. The book is called 'Personality Plus' by Florence Littauer, and it expands on the writings of Hippocrates who believed that human moods were determined by certain body fluids (humors). There are four basic categories of personality according to this pattern, and each of us has varying amounts of each with a strong tendency in one or two of them. The four categories are determined by a quadrant defined by the following graph:

Each of us falls somewhere within this graph and there are strengths and weaknesses associated with each type. The intent of the book is to help you become more aware of where you are personally so that you're able to better leverage your strengths, and you're also able to recognize the weaknesses of your type(s) that will typically display themselves when you're under stress.

You'll find that you'll become better able to identify other people's types as well, and this will hopefully allow you to understand them better and communicate more effectively when you have a better idea of what makes them tick.

You may think that there are some people who have been placed on this earth to push your buttons (and you're probably married to them) but, honestly, they are wondering the same thing about you...

Reading this book has been one of the smartest things I've ever done, it has saved me from a world of hurt over the years. (ISBN 1-85424-509-0)

The annual Bentley Empowered conference is coming up from May 28-30, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Go here for the latest info

MicroStation XM has been out for a couple of years now, and 'Athens' has its pending release soon, probably coincidental with the 2008 BE Conference. Here is a quick description of V8 2004 and the distinct differences from V8 2004 that I've been able to identify:

• V8 2004
  • unlimited design plane size
  • unlimited levels and level names
  • unlimited design & sheet models in a single DGN file
  • cell names >200 characters
  • predefined text styles, support for TrueType
  • unlimited reference file attachments
  • enhanced raster referencing
  • AccuSnap intuitive real-time element locator
  • design history (built-in revision tracking)
  • greatly enhanced printing/plotting (including PDF)
  • read/write/reference DWG files without translation
  • support for VBA applications
  • and much more...
• XM
  • consolidated user interface, easier to find the operation you want from a smaller selection. Variations are handled through control switches
  • transparent toolboxes and dialogs, allows you to see drawing underneath
  • MDL applications written for V8 run in XM without recompiling
  • includes ProjectWise StartPoint technology which allows for integration with Microsoft SharePoint
  • 3D modelling includes Generative Components
  • 3D environment allows for direct linking and publishing to Google Earth environment
  • Google SketchUp 3D models can be imported into MicroStation
  • extended support for PDF publishing, including 3D PDF, and attaching PDF files as reference files
• Athens
  • direct support for mapping coordinate transformations without additional applications

Both the XM and Athens versions support the V8 file format unchanged.