Command Syntax for Importing DGN

The following graphs describe the sequence of commands that can used with ImPlant - I.exe.

Refer to Example ImPlant - I.exe Session for examples of using the main commands.

ADDSTEEL

The ADDSTEEL command defines a steel profile in ImPlant - I.exe. The corresponding profile must be defined in the AVEVA E3D Design/Outfitting Catalog.

where:

(Some extra options are accepted by the program, for compatibility with previous versions, but are now ignored.)

Refer to Steel Structures for further information.

APPROX

The APPROX command sets the curvature approximation (chord tolerance). Values between 1 and 10 are allowed. The default is 5.

>-- APProximate -- val -->

ATTRIBUTES

The ATTRIBUTES name command opens a new attributes file and switches attribute processing on. Use the ATTRIBUTES text variant if the filename is to contain spaces. Opening an attributes file closes one that is already open. ATTRIBUTES END closes the attribute file. The output of attributes can be toggled on and off. The ATTRIBUTES EXTENSION command allows the file extension of the associated file (by default, drv) to be changed.

>-- ATTributes --+-- name ------------------.
                 |                          |
                 |-- text ------------------|
                 |                          |
                 |-- ON --------------------|
                 |                          |
                 |-- OFF -------------------|
                 |                          |
                 |-- END -------------------|
                 |                          |
                 `-- EXTension --+-- name --|
                                 |          |
                                 `-- text --+-->

EQUIP

The EQUIP command sets the mode so that the ISFF command generates the hierarchy Zone/Equipment/Geometric primitives (Box). In EQUIPMENT mode, the primitives are packed into the same EQUI until a MicroStation CELL entity is encountered. Then a new EQUI is generated. If GROUP ON is set in addition to EQUIPMENT mode, a new EQUI is generated for each micro station primitive.

The alternatives are the VOLM and STRUC commands.

>-- EQUIPment -->

EXCLUDE

The EXCLUDE command can be used to control which primitives are translated. The user can exclude primitives by type, by colour or by level. Refer to the INCLUDE command for further information.

The EXCLUDE LEVEL command has an extended form not shown in the picture to exclude several levels in one command; for example:

EXCLUDE LEVEL 3,4-6,8

EXTENSIONS

The EXTENSIONS command tells ImPlant - I.exe how to deal with certain non-standard constructions found in some DGN files (refer to ISFF Extensions for further information).

>-- EXTensions --+-- OFF -------------------------------------.

                 |                                            |

                 |-- DEFault ---------------------------------|

                 |                                            |

                 '-- RULes --+-- CONstruction --+-- ON -------|

                             |                  |             |

                             |                  |-- OFF ------|

                             |                  |             |

                             |                  '-- DEFault --|

                             |                                |

                             '--PRImary --------+-- ON -------|

                                                |             |

                                                |-- OFF ------|

                                                |             |

                                                '-- DEFault --+-->

FINISH

The FINISH command exits from AVEVA ImPlant - I.exe.

>-- FINish -->

GENERATE

The GENERATE command opens a named file for input into Review or AVEVA E3D Design. Any previously opened files are closed. The filename can be given as a name (with a leading /) or as text (enclosed in single quotes). If the filename contains spaces the text form must be used. If the supplied filename does not have an extension, ImPlant - I.exe adds .mac for a AVEVA E3D Design/Outfitting macro file, or .rvm for a Review model file. AVEVA E3D Design is accepted as an alternative to MACRO for backwards compatibility.

>-- GENerate --+-- MACRO ----.

               |             |

               ‘—- REVIEW --+-- filename -->

GROUPPRIMITIVES

The GROUPPRIMITIVES command affects how ImPlant - I.exe groups the Review and AVEVA E3D Design primitives. GROUPPRIMITIVES should be switched off if attributes are to be output.

For import to AVEVA E3D Design, all the primitives generated are under an EQUIPMENT element. Normally, all DGN entities are grouped under the same EQUI. However, when a CELL is encountered in the DGN file, a new EQUI is generated. When the import of the CELL is complete, the elements that follow in the DGN file are grouped below another new EQUI. To generate a separate equipment for each primitive, use the GROUPPRIMITIVES OFF command.

Alternatively supply a maximum number of primitives to group under an equipment. Under normal conditions hundreds of primitives per equipment gives acceptable performance, but thousands of primitives per equipment may not, dependant on the precise geometry involved.

>-- GROUPPrimitives --+-- ON ---.

                      |         |

                      |-- OFF --+

                      |         |

                      ‘-- int --+-->

HOLLOW

The HOLLOW command specifies that DGN surfaces are output as surfaces, and not solids, which is the default.

Note:
Drawing is slower than for solids, to change back to importing solids, use the SOLID command.

>-- HOLlow -->

INCLUDE

The INCLUDE command is the opposite of EXCLUDE; that is, excluded options are included for export again. Refer to the notes on EXCLUDE and the example in Example ImPlant - I.exe Session for further information on primitive types.

ISFF

The ISFF command reads a named input file and generates a Review model file or a AVEVA E3D Design macro file. The filename can be given as a name (with a leading /) or as text (enclosed in single-quotes). If the filename contains spaces the text form must be used. If the filename does not contain spaces then wildcards can be used to read in several files at once. For example, on Windows:

ISFF 'someFolder\*.dgn'

Specify the name of the AVEVA E3D Design Zone as a name (with a leading /). If a new Zone element is not required, use the CONTINUE option to continue with the current zone. If a Zone without a name is required use the ANONYMOUS option. If no Zone name is given and neither of the other options is specified, then the Zone name is created from the input model filename.

>-- ISFF -- filename --+-- zonename ---.

                       |               |

                       |-- CONtinue ---|

                       |               |

                       |-- ANOnymous --|

                       |               |

                       ‘---------------+-->

MESFIL

The MESFIL command controls the message file and related facilities.

To send messages only to a message file use MESSAGEFILE filename.

To send messages both to the standard output and to a message file use MESSAGEFILE COPY filename.

To send messages only to the standard output use MESSAGEFILE END.

The filename (if required) can be given as a name (with a leading /) or as text (enclosed in single quotes). If the filename contains spaces the text form must be used.

To control echoing of commands from a macro to the message file use the ECHO ON and ECHO OFF commands. If using a lengthy standard macro, include an ECHO OFF at the start and an ECHO ON at the end of the macro. The command can be used, for example, in the supplied steel section macros.

To write a message directly to the message file use the MESSAGEFILE PRINT message command. The message must be enclosed in single quotes.

>-- MESsagefile --+-- filename ----------.

                  |                      |

                  |-- COPy -- filename --|

                  |                      |

                  |-- END ---------------|

                  |                      |

                  |-- ECHo --+-- ON -----|

                  |          |           |

                  |          `-- OFF ----|

                  |                      |

                  `-- Print-- message ---+-->

PDMSCOMMAND

Use the PDMSCOMMAND command to write an AVEVA E3D™ command directly to the AVEVA E3D™ macro file, either at once or at the start of each Equipment. Each command must be enclosed in single quotes. Use two single quotes to represent a single quote within the command. For example:

PDMSCOMMAND 'NEW SITE \mySite'

PDMSCOMMAND EACHEQUIPMENT 'DESCRIPTION ''July 2008'''

>-- PDMScommand --+-- command ----------------------.

                  |                                 |

                  `-- EAChequipment --+-- command --|

                                      |             |

                                      `-- OFF ------+-->

QUERY

Use the QUERY command to query the units used in a MicroStation file. The master units, sub-units and unit-of-resolution are output. The filename can be given as a name (with a leading /) or as text (enclosed in single quotes). If the filename contains spaces the text form must be used.

If required, the current settings and the current tolerances can also be queried.

>-- Query --+-- units -- filename --.

            |                       |

            |-- SETtings -----------|

            |                       |

            `-- TOLerances ---------+-->

REMSTEEL

The REMSTEEL command disables the matching of profiles while in ImPlant - I.exe. The command removes the matching of all previously defined profiles. Refer to the ADDSTEEL command for further information.

>-- REMsteel -->

REPORTSTEEL

The REPSTEEL command controls reporting on possible profiles. Reporting can be restricted to profiles with fixed length.

>-- REPortsteel --+-- ON --+-----------------.

                  |        |                 |

                  |        `-- FIXedlength --|

                  |                          |

                  ‘-- OFF -------------------+-->

SHIFT

The SHIFT command specifies a shift in millimetres for the model.

>-- SHIft -- x -- y -- z -->

SOLID

The SOLID command specifies that ISFF surfaces are output as solids, which is the default. To specify that surfaces should be used to produce hollow primitives, use the HOLLOW command.

>-- SOLid -->

Note:
Drawing is slower than for solids.

STEELFILTER

use the STEELFILTER command to selectively include or omit elements recognized, or not recognized, as catalog sections (refer to STEELFILTER Command for further information).

>-- STEELFILTER --+-- SECtions -----+-- ON ---.

                  |                 |         |

                  |                 ‘-- OFF --+

                  |                           |

                  ‘-- NONSECtions --+-- ON ---|

                                    |         |

                                    ‘-- OFF --+-->

STEELTOLERANCE

Use the STEELTOLERANCE command to set the tolerance (in mm) used when matching steel sections.

>-- STEELTOLerance -- tolerance -->

STRUC

The STRUC command sets the mode so that the ISFF command generates the hierarchy STRUC/SUBST/Geometric primitives (Box). The alternatives are the EQUIP and VOLM commands.

>-- STRucture -->

TOLERANCE

ImPlant - I.exe uses several geometric tolerances when translating primitives; for example, to decide whether two points are coincident. It is recommended that under most circumstances the default settings are used, as these have been chosen to be suitable for a wide range of DGN files.

The TOLERANCE command is provided for the rare cases when altering the tolerances can improve the translation.

TOLERANCE DEFAULT

restores the recommended values.

TOLERANCE QUERY

displays the current tolerance values (equivalent to QUERY TOLERANCE).

TOLERANCE FACTOR

scales all the tolerances in proportion, and should be the first option to try if tolerances are to be adjusted. A factor of 1.0 is the same as DEFAULT, a factor of 2.0 loosens the tolerances, and a factor of 0.5 tightens them.

The other tolerance options affect individual tolerances used in various circumstances. These should very rarely need individual adjustment, and are not further explained here.

>-- TOLerance --+-- DEFault -----------.

                |                      |

                |-- Query -------------|

                |                      |

                |-- FACtor -- factor --|

                |                      |

                |-- NUMber -- value ---|

                |                      |

                |-- ANGle -- value ----|

                |                      |

                |-- VECtor -- value ---|

                |                      |

                |-- POInt -- value ----|

                |                      |

                |-- POLygon -- value --|

                |                      |

                `-- NORmal -- value ---+-->

UNITS

Specifies the size of a MicroStation master unit, by name or in millimetres, refer to Units in ImPlant - I.exe for further information.

>-- UNITs --+-- MM -----.

            |           |

            |-- CM -----|

            |           |

            |-- MEtre --|

            |           |

            |-- METEr --|

            |           |

            |-- INch ---|

            |           |

            |-- FOot ---|

            |           |

            |-- YArd ---|

            |           |

            ‘-- val ----+-->

VOLM

The VOLM command sets the mode so that the ISFF command generates the hierarchy Zone/VOLuMe/Geometric primitives (Box). In VOLuMe mode, the primitives are packed into the same VOLM until a MicroStation CELL entity is encountered, when a new VOLM is generated. If GROUP ON is set in addition to VOLuMe mode, a new VOLM is generated for each micro station primitive.

Other alternatives are the EQUIP and STRUC commands.

>-- VOLM -->