1. MicroStation Tips & Hints
A presentation by
Rande Robinson
November 15, 2018

2. THE LEGAL STUFF
(The stuff my “bosses” make me add.)
The Opinions (no matter how well thought out they are) expressed in this presentation are my own and do not represent the views or policies of the North Carolina Department of Transportation or any other government agency, foreign, domestic or extraterrestrial.
(the fine print - Although they should)

3. One More Thing
(more cover my A%# stuff.)
I didn’t make this stuff up. I have “borrowed, begged and appropriated most of the information in this presentation from a variety of sources so I apologize up front if I haven’t given (INSERT NAME) proper credit. Sorry but you shouldn’t have shared your knowledge if you didn’t want others to find out about it…..
( like Bentley and Manuals) 3

4. ALT+DATA to MATCH
To quickly match an elements level, color, line style or line weight: hold the pointer over the element, and press ALT+Data. The active attributes will change to match the element under the pointer.

5. Quick Info
Rather that using the Element Information dialog to retrieve bits of information about a selected element, simply use the Quick Info dialog. To use it simply hover your cursor over the element and press ALT+RESET. This will allow one to not only review the element but change it.

6. Double Click to Fit View
Simply double click the middle mouse button (wheel) in the view to go from this
To This

7. Multiple Action Strings (1)
This feature has been documented over the years but it's still well worth doing a brief review on. MicroStation recognizes keyed-in commands, obviously, but it can also recognize a series of keyins entered in a single string with each keyin separated from the next by a ';' (semicolon). This allows you to create a customized keyin for a specific operation which can then be attached to a custom menu item (dropdown, toolbox, function key, etc.). An example of this type of keyin is: lv=cogo default sprial;wt=3;co=2;lc=2;place line constrained

8. Multiple Action Strings (2)
You can use this to set Active Angle, Active Scale, Active Cell, or any other parameter or operation that can be accessed via a keyin (which is almost all of them). If you want to perform a view attribute setting operation and have your view(s) automatically selected and updated, use something like this: set weight off;selview 1;update all

9. Multiple Action Strings (3)
If you don't know the keyin for a specific operation, you can open the Keyin window (Utilities -> Keyin). Make sure that it's 'free-floating' (not docked) and expand it so that you can see the keyin list

10. Remap Elements in Level Manager
To quickly move elements from one level to another.
1.Select source level in Level Manager,
2.right click and choose Remap Elements to Level .
3. Then select the destination level. 1 3
done 2

11. Eye Dropper
In the True Color Tab of the Active Color Dialog, you can select, hold and drag the eyedropper to ANWHERE on your monitor to select a color.

12. Pop Up the Key-in Browser
When in the “Home” Position just hit <ENTER>

13. % Keyin
To start another windows app while in MicroStation just key in %calc or the filename %filename.doc

14. RPN Calculator NCLUG.COM Need a REAL Calculator? Go to
Download a copy from
NCLUG.COM
Go to
Tips and Hints/downloads

15. Change Font Size in Word Processor Dialog
If the text in the word processor dialog is too small or jagged try increasing the display size with this key-in.
“wordprocessor displayfontsize x” where x is the size

16. Change Case
Do you know where
this command is?

17. View Different Models
You can now view different models in different views. Just use define which model you want in the view’s view attribute dialog box.

18. Selection Overlap Mode
To select elements in inside mode, drag Left to Right
To select elements in overlap mode, drag Right to Left

19. Reset Pop-Up Menu
Simply Hold down the Reset or Right mouse button to get the Menu

20. Free DGN Editor download DualCad at http://www.pcscad.com/index.html
DualCAD is a 100% Microstation
editor developed by Pangaea Cad
Solutions. DualCAD will edit or
redline both V7 and V8 Microstation
files. DualCAD handles resource
files, truetype fonts and user defined
linestyles. You can also
attach both raster and reference
files to your drawing You can
create clip regions for the reference
files , scale, rotate and move
them. You can create cell libraries
and add cells to them. DualCAD
also has built in macro language
based on QBasic. QBasic is about
as simple as a programming language
can get so people with no
programming experience can still
create useful macros. Create your
next project using DualCAD and be
confident that both Microstation and
AutoCAD users will be able to call
up your drawings without any problems.

21. How About a DWG editor
DraftSight is a new 2D .dwg editor from Dassault Systemes, maker of CATIA and Solidworks.
Download from

22. MicroStation Web Sites
nclug.com

23. MicroStation Web Sites

24. MicroStation Web Sites

25. MicroStation Web Sites

26. My E-Mail rjrobinson@ncdot.gov randerobinson@gmail.com
me at either of the following addresses

27. Social Contacts Randall Robinson http://rjrcubed.blogspot.com/
@randerobinson

28. Thank You for Your Attention.
Q & A
Thank You for Your Attention.
Any Questions, Comments or Derogatory Statements?

29. Shameless Plug http://www.stipes.com/cadd.html
Understanding Microstation V8 XM in 2D: A Basic Guide FOR XM and V8i Users.
is available now from Stipes Publishing for the amazing low price of $ For more details and to order a copy visit