Managing MicroStation Workspaces and Standards in ProjectWise

Introducing the Managed Workspace ProjectWise 8.1 introduced Workspace Profiles Allowed for the usage of MicroStation Workspaces in ProjectWise as resources Workspace data (cell libraries, materials, seed files, etc.) were maintained outside of ProjectWise Limited integration between ProjectWise and MicroStation (file open dialogs, etc.)

Introducing the Managed Workspace ProjectWise XM introduces the Managed Workspace Store workspace data (cell libraries, materials, seed files, etc.) in ProjectWise Absorb Microstation configuration files (*.CGF, *.PCF, *.UCF, etc.) into ProjectWise Configuration Settings Blocks (CSBs) Tighter integration between ProjectWise and MicroStation (file open dialogs, etc.)

Managed Workspace Definition Working with workspace resources imported into ProjectWise and configuration files translated into configuration settings blocks Configuration settings blocks assigned to DGNs (either directly or through inheritance)

Managed Workspace Benefits One storage location for all workspace data Better integration between ProjectWise and MicroStation More Priority Levels Can work with data outside of ProjectWise Assign CSBs to data sources, applications, users, folders, projects, and documents Better support for the “off-line” work scenario Can work with Workspace Profiles

Advantages over Workspace Profiles Providing access to the workspace data (configs and resources) across projects and sites Allows users to leverage caching and distributed file shares for workspace data Simplified mechanism for managing resource data in ProjectWise

Managed Workspace Operations Overview Import workspace data into ProjectWise Translate CGF files to CSBs Redirect CSBs to ProjectWise data Assign CSBs On DGN open from ProjectWise, configuration settings are applied Works with MicroStation XM, V8 and J

Configuration Settings Blocks ProjectWise implementation of Microstation Configuration files and levels Each CSB contains configuration variables Configuration variables operate as they do in MicroStation (mostly) Respect =, :, >, <, +, %undef, %level, and %lock operations Do not need #, %include, %if, %else, %elif, %error, %endif A CSB can be thought of as a CFG file in ProjectWise

Configuration Settings Blocks Six levels of Priority: Global – Mapped to System Level (0) Customer – New level Site – Mapped to Site Level (2) Project – Mapped to Project Level (3) Discipline – New Level User – Mapped to User Level (4)

Configuration Settings Blocks Added ProjectWise Folders and Documents to Edit Dialog Value Types Value Edit Dialog Variable\Value List

Implementation CSBs can be assigned in ProjectWise to the following: Support relative path statements CSBs can be linked together (similar to %includes) Follow inheritance rules in ProjectWise Applications Projects Folders Documents Datasource Users

Managing CSBs Edited in ProjectWise Administrator Can be manually created Can be created from existing MicroStation configuration files (Import Wizard) Assigned to ProjectWise objects in ProjectWise Administrator and\or ProjectWise Explorer

Assigning CSBs In Administrator In Explorer Datasource User Application In Explorer Project Folder Document

Opening a DGN file with a CSB file Associated Associated CSBs are copied locally as text files to the %PWWorkdir\workspace\ folder A “master” CSB file is created that contains all the %include statements for each of the CFG files generated from the CSBs. Any file that is referred to by a configuration variable in the CSB is copied locally from ProjectWise to the appropriate DMS folder

Opening a DGN file with a CSB file Associated MicroStation is launched with a –wc statement pointing to the temporary “master” configuration file Note – does check cache for files before copying out

Working in MicroStation Integrated File Open Dialogs New Workspace Configuration Dialog Filter row Dialog can be resized Icons for restart and lock UCF file is replaced with the Personal Workspace

So This….

Becomes This Changes – 1. Dialog is resizable 2. Filter row 3. Lock\restart icons 4. Headers are configurable 5. Edit dialog – new entities – PW Doc and PW Folder can be assigned All MS capabilities are preserved

MicroStation Integration

Personal Workspace Replaces UCF as storage for variable changes Visible from MicroStation and ProjectWise Explorer Administrator can disable the usage for users if desired

Importing Existing Workspace Data Use the Import Wizard, launched from ProjectWise Administrator Overall Process: Copy Workspace Data from system disk to ProjectWise (outside of wizard) Import CFGs to CSBs Change CSB paths to refer to data in ProjectWise instead of system disk data

Import Wizard Details User enters MicroStation installation and workspace root directory Wizard processes all configuration files in the workspace root and allows the user to pick which ones to import to CSBs

Import Wizard Details Wizard displays configuration file dependencies (%included files) Imports selection of configuration files to create CSBs Can end session and work with CSBs referring to data on system disk or continue to change references to data in ProjectWise

Import Wizard Details To change variable paths, select CSB, and is shown a list of file system paths from each variable Specify which ProjectWise folder corresponds to each file system folder in the CSB (called mapping) Can choose the top-level folder, the wizard will cascade automatically through all folders and modify the path statements

Import Wizard Details The wizard will update the variable paths in the CSBs to refer to data in ProjectWise instead of the file system Existing workspace data not modified

Importing CFGs to CSBs

Managing Workspace Data Files copied out for managed workspace support are visible in the Organizer ->Workspace Files Files can be purged from Organizer separately from standard copied out data

Managing Workspace Data Documents\folders with CSBs assigned retain assignment on copy CSBs can be copied retaining or removing links Deleting folders in ProjectWise Explorer that have CSBs assigned asks for deletion of variables

Workflows Supported Multiple offices using redundant copies of workspaces (use cache to remove need for multiple copies) Different workspace configurations for projects, applications or users Datasource “global” settings Site specific configurations

Summary New methodology for managing MicroStation workspaces in ProjectWise Data and configuration settings now managed in ProjectWise Provides more administrative controls for the management of workspace configurations in ProjectWise Will require some administrator effort for import/migration of existing data