Scripting Import-DGN (Basic facilities)

The Import-DGN (Basic) facilities are available from the command window, either interactively or scripted by using ImPlant - I.exe, which can be found in the main AVEVA E3D Design executables folder.

If ImPlant - I.exe is run from a Windows command prompt without arguments, an interactive "command-processor" session is started, but as an alternative several command-line arguments are available, refer to ISFF Extensions for further information.

When using ImPlant - I.exe it is driven via the AVEVA Command Processor. Specify the type of file to be generated (AVEVA E3D Design Model or Review) and the names of the DGN Files whose graphics are to be translated.

A number of engineering items may be stored in one DGN file. When transferring data to AVEVA E3D Design ImPlant - I.exe transfers all the engineering items into a single database element. The database element is typically either be a ZONE (containing a number of EQUIpment or VOLuMe elements) or a STRUCTURE element. The user can specify the AVEVA E3D™ element type (EQUIPMENT, VOLM or STRUCTURE) and its name (if any).

More than one DGN file can be input for each AVEVA E3D Design or Review output file, and more than one AVEVA E3D Design or Review file can be generated within one ImPlant - I.exe session.

ImPlant - I.exe has a macro-processing facility that enables the user to create a file of commands (called a macro) using a standard editor, and then ask ImPlant - I.exe to process the commands in that file. Therefore, the user does not have to enter all commands interactively every time.

An alternative approach is to generate the ImPlant - I.exe script automatically with, for example, a Visual Basic program, or a Perl script. ImPlant - I.exe includes several commands designed for use in such scripts.

Overview

A typical session using ImPlant - I.exe can be divided into the following stages:

1. Start up ImPlant - I.exe

2. Specify the following:

   • The distance units used in the DGN file.

3. If required, specify the following:

   • How the MicroStation primitives are going to be grouped in AVEVA E3D Design/Review.

   • The curvature coarseness (or arc tolerance).

   • A shift factor for the model, in millimetres.

   • Which parts of the DGN model to exclude from the transfer.

   • How surfaces are imported into AVEVA E3D Design or Review (that is, hollow or solid).

   • Steel profile parameters.

   • Whether the user wants commands and/or messages stored in a file.

   • Whether a separate Equipment or VOLM is to be generated for each primitive.

4. Specify the Attribute Filename for output (if required), the output of attributes can be toggled on and off for each DGN file processed.

5. Specify either the Design macro or the Review model filename.

6. Specify the DGN filename whose 3D graphics are to be translated. ImPlant - I.exe reads the DGN file and appends the appropriate data to the current output file (that is the Design macro file or the Review model file), according to the parameters set at Stage 2.

7. Either finish the session or repeat the process from Stage 2 to export more files.

Default Operation

By default ImPlant - I.exe does the following:

8. By default, 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 element for each primitive, the user can use the GROUPPRIMITIVES OFF command. The user can also use the GROUPPRIMITIVES command to limit the number of primitives in each EQUIPMENT, VOLM or STRUCTURE.

9. Specify the name of the AVEVA E3D™ element to create using the ISFF command. If a name is not specified, the filename is used instead. Alternatively indicate that the element should be anonymous, or that no top-level element should be created.

10. The curved lines in the MicroStation surfaces are approximated into straight segments and the curved surfaces around a projected curved surface are approximated to convex planar faces. The user can control the way the curved parts are approximated into a number of straight segments or planar faces using the APPROX value which ranges from 1 (very coarse, less faces/segments) to 10 (very smooth, more faces/segments). The default is 5.

11. ImPlant - I.exe outputs all DGN surfaces as SOLID primitives by default.

12. The default is to INCLUDE ALL the primitives for export.

13. Attributes are not output by default.

14. ImPlant - I.exe has no default units.