Creating A Custom Line Style Definition TechNote

MicroStation is delivered with several predefined line styles, but can add to and subtract from these as your needs dictate. This TechNote is provided as a support document to the information on pp. 7­48 through 7­61 of the MicroStation Administrator's Guide. The following is a step by step process to create a new line style definition. For our example we are going to create a line style that represents fencing.

1. Begin by opening the Line Style Editor dialog box. This is done by selecting the Edit option from the Active Line Style drop-down list in the Primary Tool Bar.

2. From the Line Style Editor dialog box choose File > Open and select your line style resource file (default is <YOURDRIVE>\WIN32APP\USTATION\WSMOD\DEFAULT\SYMB\LSTYLE.RSC)

3. The first component type to create for our fencing pattern is the Stroke Pattern Component. From the Line Style Editor dialog box choose Edit > Create > Stroke Pattern

   This will create a new stroke pattern called new stroke component. Modify this name to Fence line ­ Stroke. The name is located in the lower portion of the Components section.

4. For our purposes we are going to ignore the Stroke Pattern Attributes. If you wish to explore this area refer to the MicroStation Administrator's Guide for these settings. In the Stroke Pattern section choose Add. Change the Stroke type to Dash and the Length to 2 (These are master units so this is 2'-0"). Choose Add again, but leave all the fields alone. Choose Add again, and select the new stroke segment to make it active. Change the Stroke type to Dash and the Length to 2.

5. Next we will create an "X" for the point component. To do this, choose from the Line Style Editor dialog box Edit > Create > Point

   Again a new component name will be added. Modify this name to Fence line ­ Point.

6. Click the Base Stroke Pattern... button and scroll down to Fence line ­ Stroke and select it. At this point we can add symbols to the origin, vertex or end points of a line, as well as to specific segments of the line. Since we want our "X" to appear in the gap between the dashes, select the graphics representing our line.

7. Click the Select button. Since there is no "X" to choose, we need to create one, so Cancel out of the Select Symbol dialog box. The gap is 1'-0" in length, so we are going to set our text height and width to 9" and our font to 3 (TX=:9, FT=3 or choose Element > Text from the MicroStation command window and make the changes in the Text dialog box). Once these are set, use the Place Text tool and place a capital "X".

8. Use the DROP TEXT command to convert the text character to individual elements. This is protection against the possibility that the font used when creating the linestyle may not be present when the linestyle is used in the future. Key in DROP TEXT, identify the text element and accept it.

9. Saving a symbol is much like saving a cell. First define the origin, in this case the center of the "X". Now put a fence around the symbol or use the Select Element tool. Now key in Create Symbol X (or Fence). If everything has worked correctly you will see "Symbol Added to Line Style Library" in the Status Field.

10. Go back to the Line Style Editor dialog box and click Select. Now in the Select Point Symbol dialog box, scroll to the "X" and select it. Leave the color and weight at element and the other fields as is. For further information on these other options refer to the MicroStation Administrator's Guide.

11. Now to get the "X" and our dashed line style together we need to create a compound component. First, however choose File > Save. After saving choose Edit > Create > Compound.

    Change this name to Fence line ­ Compound.

12. Select Insert and then in the Select Component dialog box scroll down to Fence line ­ Stroke and select it. Choose Insert again and scroll to Fence line ­ Point and select it.

13. Now that we have created the parts and pieces we are ready to create the actual line style. In the Components side of the Line Style Editor dialog box highlight the Fence line ­ Compound component. Now choose Edit > Create > Name.

    This will create a new style called Unnamed. Change this to Fence. You will notice a >> symbol next to the Fence line ­ Compound which shows that this line style is linked to this component. To make the fence line style look like batting, select this component and choose Edit > Link

    Now when drawing lines they would look like batting. See Notes below.

14. When done, to make the line style available for use choose File > Save

15. To select our line style to draw with choose Element > Line Style > Custom in the MicroStation Command Window. Scroll to our line style and double click on it. Now all lines that you draw will look like fencing.

Notes:
If you re­link to another component and save the file, all currently placed lines will be modified as well as the new ones. You can build your available line styles from several different line style resource files.

The only way to remove a line style from the selection list is to open the resource file that was used to create that style. In the Line Style Editor dialog box, highlight the style in the Styles side of the box, and then choose Edit > Delete and then File > Save. Doing so will change all currently drawn lines using this style back to simple lines.

In order to create symbols you must load Element > Line Style > Edit, and then open a line style library using File > Open. Otherwise Create Symbol is an unknown command.

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