Setting Up and Configuring MicroStation TriForma with ProjectBank DGN

To Install ProjectBank DGN Server and Client

1. Install MicroStation/J v07.01.01.36 or higher on all client machines
2. Install the ProjectBank DGN server and client (v07.01.01.45 or higher)

Note on step 2: If installing the server and client on the same machine, the install path will default to where you installed the server. You will need to change it to point to where you installed MicroStation/J.

• Note on step 3: It is generally good practice to make the share name "ProjectBank Projects" or another name that will be more relevant to your system.
1. After step 10, you can run ProjectBank DGN without MicroStation TriForma.

To Configure ProjectBank DGN to Work with MicroStation TriForma

1. Install MicroStation TriForma v07.01.01.53 or greater on all client machines (where MicroStation/J has been installed)
2. Single-click on the client MicroStation with ProjectBank DGN shortcut, right-click, and select Properties (you may wish to make a copy first, so you have one shortcut for just MicroStation, one for MicroStation with MicroStation TriForma).
3. In the Shortcut tab, under Target, append the following to the existing line, making the appropriate path changes to your particular configuration: -wutriforma -wcC:\Bentley\Program\TriForma\config\tflocal.cfg

You can also continue to use your existing workspaces, including project configuration files, user configuration files, and interfaces. To do so, use the following approach:

• Configure the entire system as normal, assuming that the only thing that makes MicroStation TriForma ProjectBank DGN-enabled is the portion of the shortcut that reads: -ws_PROJECTBANK=1

For more general information on shared interfaces and workspace variables, see Bentley TechNotes #8166, "Maintaining a Corporate Interface in MicroStation/J," and #8168, "Variable List for MicroStation/J."

To Set Up ProjectBank DGN User Briefcases, Workfiles, and Temporary Files on the Server

A system administrator may wish to keep user briefcases (and other files) in a shared folder on the server. However, please note that multiple users cannot share a single briefcase, and each user should have a unique briefcase name. The following example is meant to be used as a general guide--the exact configuration will depend on your system. The following configuration variables are defined in c:\bentley\program\microstation\config\projectbank.cfg:

  PB_PROJECTREGISTRY : ${_USTN_PROJECTSROOT}projects.registry
  PB_BRIEFCASES      : ${_USTN_HOMEROOT}briefcases/
  PB_WORKFILES       : ${_USTN_HOMEROOT}workfiles/
  PB_STATE           : ${_USTN_HOMEPREFS}
  PB_TEMP            : ${_USTN_HOMEROOT}temp/

Note that these are all ultimately based on two key variables, both of which are set by default in c:\bentley\microstation\config\msconfig.cfg:

  _USTN_PROJECTSROOT : $(_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)projects/
  _USTN_HOMEROOT     : ${_USTN_BENTLEYROOT}Home/

Note: _USTN_HOMEPREFS is defined as a subdirectory of _USTN_HOMEROOT.

_USTN_HOMEROOT can be defined to point to a shared directory on your server. However, _USTN_HOMEROOT must point to a unique directory for each user. Generally, you would create a master directory on your server, and create subdirectories under this master for each user. Each directory name would match the network login name for that user.

To automate this, you can leverage your network user login variables. For example, if the shared drive is P: and the master directory is called /UserHomes/, then you would set: _USTN_HOMEROOT = P:/UserHomes/$(USERID)/Home/

For more information on setting up workspaces, see TechNote #8166, "Maintaining a Corporate Interface in MicroStation/J," TechNote #8160, "MicroStation/J Workspace Variable Directives," and FAQ #6171, "MicroStation/J Workspaces FAQ."

Model "Auxiliary Files" in ProjectBank DGN

This topic includes MicroStation TriForma *.bxs, *.tfb, *.hst files and drawing extraction files (*.d, *.s, *.f, etc.). When working on a model in MicroStation TriForma (without ProjectBank DGN), several auxiliary support files are generated for each design file opened. Each file is named to match the design file to which it belongs, but has its own extension. These files can include the following, depending on what function a user performs:

When working in MicroStation TriForma with ProjectBank DGN, all of these files may still be generated, but they will be generated in the path defined by the configuration variable PB_WORKFILES, plus the project and briefcase names. By default this directory is c:\bentley\home\workfiles\<projectbank project name>\<user briefcase name>\.

All of these files can be maintained in their default location, isolated and inaccessible from other users, whether it is on the user's local machine, or in a user-specific folder on the server (see "To Set Up ProjectBank DGN User Briefcases, Workfiles, and Temporary Files on the Server", above). It is quite likely that a user will wish to share the *.bxs file (the section definition file) with other users, however, there are several issues to consider:

1. Phase 1 integration of MicroStation TriForma with ProjectBank DGN does not check this file into ProjectBank DGN.
2. Normally (outside of ProjectBank DGN) this file is centrally located and shared among users. At the same time, users cannot normally work in the same file at the same time, so there is no chance of two users writing to the *.bxs at the same time.

The temporary solution (until Phase 2 of MicroStation TriForma/ProjectBank DGN integration is released) is as follows:

1. Once the *.bxs has been created, export the drawing definitions to a central location on the server for that project (from within the Drawing Extraction Manager, choose File > Export, choose a location, and click OK).
2. When a different user (someone other than the user who created the drawing extraction definitions) opens the master model file, and wants to extract drawings, they would import the drawing definitions from the central location on the server for that project (from within the Drawing Extraction Manager, choose File > Import, choose the desired *.bxs file, and click OK).

A pair of macros is available from Bentley Technical Support to automate these import and export procedures.