Bentley Publisher General FAQ

Index:

1. What is Bentley Publisher?
2. What is the difference between Bentley Publisher and Bentley Project Hosting?
3. Where can I see examples of Bentley Publisher in action?
4. Which formats are supported with Bentley Publisher?
5. I am using one of Bentley's ModelServer products. What benefits are gained by upgrading to Bentley Publisher?
6. Which Web browsers does Bentley Publisher support?
7. Can I plot data with Bentley Publisher?
8. Can Bentley Publisher ensure that the projects I publish will only be viewed by authorized persons?
9. Is there a delay between the changes to a design/project/image and when can it be viewed remotely through a browser?
10. Will Bentley Publisher's performance deteriorate as the request load increases?
11. What type of clients can be used with Bentley Publisher?
12. How does licensing work?
13. What is a "Concurrent User" with regards to Bentley Publisher Licensing?
14. Do I need a Web server to run Bentley Publisher?
15. How can I migrate from ModelServer Publisher to Bentley Publisher?
16. How can I migrate from ModelServer Discovery to Bentley Publisher?
17. How can I migrate from ModelServer Imager to Bentley Publisher?
18. How should I prepare DGN/DWG for publication?
19. How should I prepare MicroStation GeoGraphics projects for publication?
20. How should I prepare Raster data for publication?
21. Can I publish with specific MicroStation Workspaces?
22. Can I publish MicroStation GeoGraphics iSpatial edition projects with Bentley Publisher?
23. What development tools are available for use with the Bentley Publisher engines?
24. What JDK is required for the Bentley Publisher Viewer applet?
25. When I attempt to access my Bentley Publisher GeoGraphics project, I receive the error: 'Bentley Publisher Project Open Failed', why is this?
26. I am receiving the error: "The procedure entry point __lc_collate_cp could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCRT.dll", why is this?
27. I am attempting to follow the hyperlinks within the mspva.html document, but they fail. Why is this?
28. I am attempting to use the htmltarget= <frame name> query string to specify a target frame for the results of my link profiles, but this does not work, why?
29. Within ModelServer Discovery I was able to view the map manager and feature manager information for a GeoGraphics Project but this does not seem possible within the Bentley Publisher Viewer, is it?
30. I am receiving an error regarding WININET.DLL or SHLWAPI.DLL when installing Bentley Publisher. How can this be remedied?
31. It seems that two versions of the Bentley Publisher Viewer exist, what are the differences between these two versions?
32. How can I force the Bentley Publisher Viewer to load within a query string format?
33. I would like to embed the Bentley Publisher Viewer within an HTML page, how can I accomplish this?
34. What additional parameters exist to modify the behavior of an embedded Bentley Publisher Viewer Applet?
35. How can I configure Bentley Publisher for use with Microsoft's IIS?
36. How do I connect to my Sql Server Database in Bentley Publisher?
37. When using IIS and attempting to publish imagery via an FIF= statement, I recieve the 'red x' icon, indicating that the file cannot be found or published, what could cause this?

Question 1:  What is Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Bentley Publisher is a single solution for working with enterprise-wide project data spanning multiple files and formats. Bentley Publisher provides instant and universal access to valuable data, without requiring any change to existing workflows.

Bentley Publisher gives organizations that create or manage engineering drawings, maps and other geoengineering data and images, the ability to automatically publish, on demand, the most up-to-date version of any engineering document. This powerful, server-based application lets you publish MicroStation files (DGN, CEL), AutoCAD drawing files (DWG, DXF), MicroStation GeoGraphics projects and images over the Internet. No specialized software is required for viewers on the client side; users can use common Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, or standalone applications.

Question 2:  What is the difference between Bentley Publisher and Bentley Project Hosting?

Answer: Bentley Publisher is a server product that you can deploy in your own organization for publishing design files (DGN, DWG), MicroStation GeoGraphics projects and images. Bentley Project Hosting allows project collaboration by sharing any data files, schedules, resource directories, discussions panels and more over a secure project extranet.

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Question 3:  Where can I see examples of Bentley Publisher in action?

Answer: A selection of demonstration sites is maintained via the product page in the "Demo Gallery" section.

Question 4:  Which formats are supported with Bentley Publisher?

Answer: You can publish MicroStation files (DGN, CEL), AutoCAD drawing files (DWG, DXF), MicroStation GeoGraphics projects and a wide variety of image formats (HMR, iTIFF, TIFF, GeoTIFF, CIT, COT, C29, RLE, TG4, RGB, CALS, JFIF/JPEG, FPX, BMP, PNG, PCX, Targa, Sun Raster, ImageMapped, Image RGB, RLC, PSS, Image Manager projects and Raster Manager projects). When published to the client, this data is converted to industry-standard publishing formats like JPEG, SVF, CGM, PNG formats, or the Internet Imaging Protocol (IIP). The plug-ins required to view project data in these formats may be platform-specific. Compatibility is determined by the user's operating system.

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Question 5:  I am using one of Bentley's ModelServer products. What benefits are gained by upgrading to Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Bentley Publisher has numerous new features over the preceding ModelServer Publisher, ModelServer Discovery and ModelServer Imager products. Some of the more notable features are listed below:

• Seamless integration of ModelServer Publisher, ModelServer Discovery and ModelServer Imager technologies
• Web Server Independence
• Bentley Publisher Viewer, the New Enhanced Java Applet
• Client-Based Printing, any Size, with Scale control
• Redlining of DWG drawings
• Support for any Workspace and Project configuration
• Publishing with MicroStation/J, MicroStation GeoGraphics and Raster Manager
• Ease of installation, Administration and Use

Question 6:  Which Web browsers does Bentley Publisher support?

Answer: Designs, projects and images can be viewed using many standard Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Standard Web browsers are available for downloading from the Internet. The required version of these browsers will depend on the type of client solution deployed with Bentley Publisher. Bentley Publisher offers solutions that will work on many Web browser versions and will maximize server-side processing. As well, you may use the Bentley Publisher Viewer, a Java applet requiring a browser with Java Virtual Machine support (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer v4 or Netscape Navigator v4.06 or higher).

Note: Netscape Navigator Version 6 is not currently supported.

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Question 7:  Can I plot data with Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Yes. The client components used with the Bentley Publisher server will allow plotting. If the Bentley Publisher Viewer Java applet is used, it will produce high-quality prints of any size, with scale control, on any printer connected to the Windows client. If only a Web browser is used, the Web browser print capabilities allow simple printing.

Question 8:  Can Bentley Publisher ensure that the projects I publish will only be viewed by authorized persons?

Answer: When Bentley Publisher is used in combination with a Web server, access to published data is determined by the Web server's access control facilities.

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Question 9:  Is there a delay between the changes to a design/project/image and when can it be viewed remotely through a browser?

Answer: You can dynamically view the changes to a design/project/image as soon as the data is saved and closed. Data is published live when the request is received from the browser, ensuring that you are viewing the latest version.

Question 10:  Will Bentley Publisher's performance deteriorate as the request load increases?

Answer: Performance is automatically scaled for higher transaction volumes by calling idle publishing engines to service as needed. The only limitations are server hardware and connection bandwidth.

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Question 11:  What type of clients can be used with Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Bentley Publisher can be used with a large variety of clients from very light clients such as a simple Web browser, to thicker clients such as customized applications developed for advanced data queries. For large diverse audiences a server-side processing strategy can be used for generating simple image results that are supported by any browser type. If enhanced viewing and performance of the published data is required, then the Bentley Publisher Viewer, a Java applet, can be used.

Existing client applications developed for ModelServer Publisher, ModelServer Discovery and ModelServer Imager are also supported by Bentley Publisher.

Question 12:  How does licensing work?

Answer: Each copy of the Bentley Publisher software requires a valid license managed by SELECTserver. If Bentley Publisher is started without such valid license, it will only run for a period of four hours and will stop automatically. SELECTserver 7.3 or later is required to license Bentley Publisher.

The Bentley Publisher license itself (VP.LIC) should contain a line in SELECTserver format which points to the server fingerprint, e.g. SERVER=machinename

For additional details regarding installation and configuration of your SELECTserver license, see the VP documentation chapter titled: "Installing Bentley Publisher licenses".

To obtain a license for Bentley Publisher, visit the Bentley Registration web page or contact the nearest Bentley office. Contact information can be found here.

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Question 13:  What is a "Concurrent User" with regards to Bentley Publisher Licensing?

Answer: When a user accesses Bentley Publisher, they are automatically logged-on and counted as a concurrent user.

That user is holding a concurrent license for a period of 90 seconds. If a user accesses Bentley Publisher and there are no licenses available, he will be informed and will need to retry the request later. The number of "Concurrent Users" able to be served by the Bentley Publisher engine will depend on the licensing package you have purchased.

Question 14:  Do I need a Web server to run Bentley Publisher?

Answer: No. Bentley Publisher is Web-server independent and can be used as a standalone server for serving MicroStation and MicroStation GeoGraphics data. In fact, depending on your needs, a Web server may not be necessary. Although Bentley Publisher can run without a Web server, it is highly recommended to use it in conjunction with one such that HTML and Java programs can be distributed.

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Question 15:  How can I migrate from ModelServer Publisher to Bentley Publisher?

Answer: ModelServer Publisher Server 2.2 functionality is supported in Bentley Publisher, so your current client applications (for example, the Bentley Engineering Viewer), the ModelServer Publisher query strings, and your server-side applications running in the MicroStation engine should still work with minimal configuration changes. However, since Bentley Publisher is now Web-server independent, Netscape Enterprise Server is no longer delivered. It is still possible to use your previous copy of Netscape Enterprise Server or you can use another Web server.

Question 16:  How can I migrate from ModelServer Discovery to Bentley Publisher?

Answer: ModelServer Discovery Server version 2.18 functionality is supported in Bentley Publisher. Current client applications (including those built with the GeoClients), the ModelServer Discovery query strings, and your server-side applications (running in the MicroStation engine) will work with minimal configuration changes. However, since Bentley Publisher is now Web-server independent, Netscape Enterprise Server is no longer delivered. It is still possible to use your previous copy of Netscape Enterprise Server or you can use another Web server.

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Question 17:  How can I migrate from ModelServer Imager to Bentley Publisher?

Answer: ModelServer Imager Server 2.0 functionality is supported in Bentley Publisher. Most changes that are required for migrating from your previous ModelServer Imager installation to Bentley Publisher can be done in the Bentley Publisher Administration Program.

Question 18:  How should I prepare DGN/DWG for publication?

Answer: DGN/DWG files can reside anywhere, as long as they are accessible from the computer running Bentley Publisher. When setting up Bentley Publisher, a Logical Path should be established, either in the Web server or the Bentley Publisher Administration Program, to coincide with each directory you wish to publish files from.

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Question 19:  How should I prepare MicroStation GeoGraphics projects for publication?

Answer: MicroStation GeoGraphics projects can reside anywhere, as long as they are accessible from the computer running Bentley Publisher. The Bentley Publisher Administration Program allows specifying the directory where the projects reside and the required database connection. DSN's must be created as 'System' DSN's if ODBC is to be used as the database connection type.

Question 20:  How should I prepare Raster data for publication?

Answer: Raster files can reside anywhere, as long as they are accessible from the computer running Bentley Publisher. When setting up Bentley Publisher, a Logical Path should be established, either in the Web server or the Bentley Publisher Administration Program, to coincide with all directories you wish to publish files from.

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Question 21:  Can I publish with specific MicroStation Workspaces?

Answer: Yes. Bentley Publisher allows specifying any MicroStation Workspace when publishing. It is possible to either associate a file extension (ex: DGN) to a specific workspace, or to add a new query string (wu=) in the request.

Question 22:  Can I publish MicroStation GeoGraphics iSpatial edition projects with Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Bentley Publisher does not currently support MicroStation GeoGraphics iSpatial edition projects, but that is planned for a future release.

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Question 23:  What development tools are available for use with the Bentley Publisher engines?

Answer: Various capabilities are offered to developers for customizing and expanding Bentley Publisher-based solutions. Depending on the architecture of the site and the client's requirements, developers will have the ability to enhance the server components and/or the client components.

Server side: MicroStation/J and MicroStation GeoGraphics engines have rich capabilities for customization and development. For example, MDL applications, MicroStation BASIC macros, key-ins and MicroStation commands can be used for adding various processing at publish time. The Bentley Publisher Imaging Engine also offers various image processing capabilities in a scripting language called Picture Script Scenes (PSS). It is also possible to build an Application server by using an Active Server Pages system like Microsoft Active Server Pages (ASP) and Java Server Pages (JSP), to name a few.

Client side: The Bentley Publisher Viewer Java applet components will be customizable via an interactive web site to be online shortly. Users will be able to modify and package the components that they desire, into the appropriate .jar files.

Question 24:  What JDK is required for the Bentley Publisher Viewer applet?

Answer: The Bentley Publisher Viewer applet requires JDK 1.1 support, which is supported by most browsers today. No additional JDK configuration (for example, CLASSPATH variables) should be required.

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Question 25:  When I attempt to access my Bentley Publisher GeoGraphics project, I receive the error: 'Bentley Publisher Project Open Failed', why is this?

Answer: This error is most commonly received when an ODBC datasource connection for the project is defined as a USER datasource name rather than as a SYSTEM data source name as required by the product. To check, go to the ODBC dialog within your operating system and choose 'SYSTEM' as the active tab. If the datasource does not appear there, redefine it as such (remove any duplicate DSN names from the USER tab).

Question 26:  I am receiving the error: "The procedure entry point __lc_collate_cp could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCRT.dll", why is this?

Answer: When installing on Windows NT4, the following message may appear: "The procedure entry point __lc_collate_cp could not be located in the dynamic link library MSVCRT.dll". Bentley Publisher setup installs a newer version of this .dll in order to set up the "vpmytown" project ODBC Data Source. Click OK and reboot your computer.

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Question 27:  I am attempting to follow the hyperlinks within the mspva.html document, but they fail. Why is this?

Answer: The mspva.html file was included by mistake and should be disregarded.

Question 28:  I am attempting to use the htmltarget= <frame name> query string to specify a target frame for the results of my link profiles, but this does not work. Why?

Answer: htmltarget= <frame name> can only be used to target the results of a GGFN=query function.

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Question 29:  Within ModelServer Discovery I was able to view the map manager and feature manager information for a GeoGraphics Project but this does not seem possible within the Bentley Publisher Viewer, is it?

Answer: This functionality is not available within the VPV at this time. Alternatively , we suggest that this can be accomplished using an ASP interface. For an example, see the VP example ASP GeoGraphics examples.

Question 30:  I am receiving an error regarding WININET.DLL or SHLWAPI.DLL when installing Bentley Publisher. How can this be remedied?

Answer: These files are associated with Microsoft Internet Explorer and are copied during installation. If you have an older version of Internet Explorer (e.g., version 2.x) installed, you may experience the following errors:

VPImaging.exe - Unable To Locate DLL The Dynamic Link Library WININET.dll could not be found in the specified path

VPImaging.exe - Unable To Locate DLL The Dynamic link library SHLWAPI.DLL could not be found

Future releases of Bentley Publisher will address this deficiency, but currently this may be worked around by installing I.E. 5.5 or later.

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Question 31:  It seems that two versions of the Bentley Publisher Viewer exist, what are the differences between these two versions?

Answer:Yes, two versions exist and the version that loads is specified differently based on how you choose to launch the applet (see questions 33 and 34 for additional details).

The 'StandardClient.class' does not include redlining tools.
The 'GenericClient.class', also sometimes known as the 'VPViewer Pro' includes redlining tools and the ability to implement the 'titleformat' parameter.

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Question 32:  How can I force the Bentley Publisher Viewer to load within a query string format?

Answer:The &MDLCGI= query key can be used to force loading of either the Generic or Standard Viewer applets. The following are progressive examples using the sample 'Mytown' project's keymap function as a base.

Publishing the Mytown GeoGraphics keymap (by default, output is jpeg to the browser):
http://myserver.com:8081/mytown.geo?ggfn=keymap

The keymap published using the StandardClient version of the viewer:
http://myserver.com:8081/mytown.geo?ggfn=keymap&mdlcgi=msvacgi

The keymap published using the GenericClient version of the viewer:
http://myserver.com:8081/mytown.geo?ggfn=keymap&mdlcgi=msvacgi+custom

(Note: *The &MDLCGI=MSVACGI will not work within an FIF= query key when publishing images only)

Question 33:  I would like to embed the Bentley Publisher Viewer within an HTML page, how can I accomplish this?

Answer: The simplest implementation of the Viewer within an HTML page would consist of the following:

<html>
<body>
<applet code=StandardClient.class archive="jars/viewer.jar" width=640 height=480>
<param name="model" value="models/building.svf">
<param name=cabbase value="jars/viewer.cab">
There is a Java applet here. To use it, you need a Java aware browser with Java enabled.
</applet>
</body>
</html>

(Note that the viewer.jar and viewer.cab files are used, paths must be defined within the parameter accordingly)

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Question 34:  What additional parameters exist to modify the behavior of an embedded Bentley Publisher Viewer Applet?

Answer: Below is a list of applicable parameters.

model - The URL of the design to be displayed initially within the applet when loaded.

mode - Allows to specify customization .properties file (by default the name is derived from applet's name). The file needs to be located in directory \resources\. The mode file should be specified without the .properties extension.

titleformat - Allows to format (or hide) the model title displayed (see Javadoc java.text.MessageFormat.format() method). Note, this is only available with the GenericClient.class file.

The following options are set with Booleanean parameters, optional values are:

'yes, true, on, 1' ('enabled')
'no, false, off, 0' ('Disabled')

level_publish_all - Forces the applet to publish all levels (by default only levels set on are published).

icontoolbox- Turns the icon toolbox on or off.

debug - Sets the debug state of the applet (debug will be output to the Java Console of the browser if applicable).

Parameter Syntax Examples:

<param name="model" value="http://localhost:8081/Examples/office.dgn">

<param name="mode" value="GenericClient">

<param name="titleformat" value=" "> //no title

<param name="titleformat" value="Hi!"> // permanent title

<param name="titleformat" value="Model : [{0}]"> // default

<param name="level_publish_all" value="true">

<param name="icontoolbox" value="true"> // default

<param name="debug" value="false"> // default

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Question 35:  How can I configure Bentley Publisher for use with Microsoft's IIS?

Answer: Documentation for this can be found within the Bentley Publisher help file at: Administrator Guide/Setting Up Bentley Publisher/Site Planning--Selecting a Web Server Strategy/Configuration with Supported Web Servers/Microsoft IIS/Peer Web servers.

Question 36:  How do I connect to my Sql Server Database in Bentley Publisher?

Answer: Create a System DSN in ODBC and follow the documentation in the Help listed under "Preparing GeoGraphics Projects" and "Bentley Publisher Administration Program/GeoGraphics Projects" After this is complete, you will have to add a variable to the workspace file that is being used with GeoGraphics. If you are using the delivered workspace, add the following variable to the geograph.ucf file: MS_ODBCPARAMS=uid=<login id> ;pwd=<password> and replace the login id and password with your applicable login and password.

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Question 37:  When using IIS and attempting to publish imagery via an FIF= statement, I recieve the "red x" icon, indicating that the file cannot be found or published, what could cause this?

Answer: If the Publishing extension directory is not configured properly, it may need to be completely recreated. This virtual directory is named PubExtension and should be defined with Scripts and Executables Execute permissions. If these permissions are not set, or were not set when the directory was initially created, remove the directory and RE-create it including these permissions.