There are two scenarios for which you will need to go to WORKSPACE > CUSTOMIZE on the MicroStation pull-down list. First, you have existing customization that you need to bring over from a previous version of MicroStation. Second, you would like to create custom tools, menus, tasks, etc. for your users to choose from in order to make their workflow easier and more consistent to company standards.
Bentley is now moving towards task-based designs. If you have previously used Settings Manager, then you have taken steps towards guiding your users through a series of menu items to help in the finished design process. Settings Manager controlled a series of menu items to be used or accessed during a design process. It controlled active levels, colors, menus/tools, cells, scales, etc. All users needed to do was select the proper menu item from Settings Manager and it would control what was needed.
If you wish to continue to use your existing tools and menus, that is not a problem. These are still available and updateable. However, we are now attempting to make the process in which a manager maintains these easier.
Let’s examine your existing customizations, were you want to migrate over to XM. First, do you know where the customizations are that you have created? Do you know what files contain the customizations? You need to get everything in order first; your Settings Manager files, custom toolboxes, toolframes, pulldowns, MDLs, Macros and anything else you used to create the interface.
*Please note* - If you do not know what files are used and where they are located (arbitrarily created tools under WORKSPACE > CUSTOMIZE), or if you are using MDLs, etc. then you must find out before continuing. Technical Support analysts can not tell you what you have created or where it is placed, as this is your responsibility. There is training available, as well as information under the HELP inside of MicroStation. This functionality needs to be understood in order for you to continue past this point.
XM uses the same files and structure that MS/J or V8 uses. Therefore, your files can go in the same directory structure you are currently using. However, you may want to create a separate directory structure for XM until you get things organized and created the way you want. Accessing the existing files (MS/J or V8) will mess up the current users. Therefore, create a similar directory structure for XM outside of where MS/J or V8 is currently working. Creating this directory structure and pointing XM to it will allow you to access this data. You should now be able to use the settings file for Settings Manager, as well as be able to see and use your custom tools.
Next, go to WORKSPACE > CUSTOMIZE:
Looking through the TOOLS tab under the Application Tools, you should see your custom tools from the earlier version. You need to get the custom tools copied up to the User Tools > (filename) folder. To do this, locate them under the Application Tools by using a right mouse click:
Next, copy and paste the toolbox from the Application Tools to the User Tools. This might seem redundant, but you do not want them existing under the Application tools (once the ustn.m01 file is removed from the interface folder, these will disappear from the Application Tools). Since you copied these to the User Tools, you still have them available (and they are now copied in the active design file you currently have opened).
Here is what the tools will look like in the new Customize dialog box:
If you are currently using Settings Manager and wish to incorporate this into the tools, templates and tasks, then you will need to do the following: Click on the Templates tab, go to FILE > IMPORT > FROM SETTINGS MANAGER, browse to the *.stg file and select it. You should see a list of templates under the MENUS folder.
*Reminder* - At this point, anything you are currently doing is being placed in the active file. Therefore, these templates, tools, tasks, etc. now exist in the active file rather than in a resource file (ustn.m01).
After importing the Settings Manager file, you will end up with this listed under the Templates Tab.
Here is another image of what some templates might look like. If you wish, you can now link these templates to any custom tools or just use them by themselves.
If you are creating a new interface, and you are not bringing over any customization from an earlier version, you should be on the same page with the current dialog available. At this point, the only difference will be that there are custom tools and templates from the previous versions already available, whereas a new interface will not have any.
The name listed will match the name of your active design file (in this case it was menus_file.dgn). Notice there are no Tools currently listed.
Any custom pull-down menus you created will be listed under the MENU option on the right-hand list of the TOOLS tab. You can see the pull-down menus listed below. This is where you add to the list if you wanted more pull-down menus. Then you could drag and drop tools.
*Recapping* - You should have the old resource files (ustn.m01, etc.) in the new interface folder where they are currently being read by XM. You should also have the *.stg file imported into the CUSTOMIZE dialog. With this completed, you should be seeing a list under the Templates tab and the custom tools under the Tools tab>Application Tools>MicroStation. If you are creating new tools, etc. you will not have any Templates or Tools.
The tools tab will list your design files current tools, tasks, and menus that are available. There are User Tools (these are the custom tools we will create) and there are application tools (these are delivered by the applications). There are also User Tasks (these are tasks that we will generate) and application tasks (these are delivered by the application). Notice the User Tools and the User Tasks both have sub headings by the filename currently open. This is where you will put your Tools and Tasks.
- Templates will control settings like levels, color, fill mode, text style, cell name, cell scale, dimension style, etc.
- Tools are similar to the old toolboxes. But now instead of controlling settings, it has been simplified. You supply the command string, description, associate a template (to control the settings) and give it an icon.
- Tasks contain tools. Tasks are a workflow of options users will go through to complete a section of your design. For example, laying out contours or doing a single-line diagram. The specified task will have all the tools available to complete these tasks.
Once you have the tools and templates, you can now create Tasks. Under User Tasks, you want to design a workflow for your users to pick from in order to do certain things (IE: Sheet layouts, Drainage, Details, etc.). At this point, it would be similar to what you did if you had set up a menu in Settings Manager.
*Note* - From this point forward, the data you have created now exists in the active design file you have had open during the creation process. You should no longer need the settings files or the ustn.* files. If you now define the MS_DGNLIBLIST variable to include this design file and your workspace is shared (depending where this is defined), all users should see our Tools, Tasks, and Templates.
Tools and Templates need to be created first. Once these are created, then you can create your Tasks and Pull-down menus.
Where should I put my Tools and Templates ? Now that you have your Templates and Tools created, where do you put them ? You can use the Templates and Tools without putting them in a Task or pull-down menu. When you choose to place an element in your file you have several choices you can make, one of which is to choose a template. There are two ways to use a template. You can click on the template and have it set your active attributes, or you can depress the Template ICON and have the element being placed linked to the Template settings (so if the template changes, so does the element). One way just controls the active settings currently being used and the other actually links the element to the template.
Tools are nothing new, as you can use your custom tools just as you have previously. Opening them and docking them where you want still works the same way, allowing you to continue using the same workflow as you have in the past.
However, now you can link your tools together in a Task or pull-down menu. So, you can choose to put your tools in a Task menu or a pull-down menu. You may want to use your pull-down menu for instances where a hierarchy structure is needed to pick from, and your Tasks for one shot items.
An example of a pull-down is as follows:
Cells
Electrical
High Voltage
Instruments
Civil
Roadway Design
Drainage
Structural
Steel
Concrete
Mechanical
HVAC
An example of a Task is as follows:
Civil
Place Right of Way
Place Roadway
Place Curbing
Place Barrier
Place Drainage Grading