DGN Import

Michael Mayer

I tried a few times to import some of my old Microstation Files.

(Microstation XM from about 2007 ?)

That does not work for me here. Bricscad only says :

)

:

_import
Cannot import file: Z:\PROJEKT\MAF_POOL_2\MICROSTATION\Pool12.dgn (Failed to create DGN importer.
)

No matter which file.
Has anybody else been successful ?

Mathieu

Hi Michael

Can you create a support request with your file?

Best regards

Mathieu

Michael Mayer

Currently I am on a Parallels VM only,
I will do when I have a real Windows and Hardware.

But you think DGN Import normally that will work ?

RSW

No, I have the same problem on Windows 10 and was about to ask the question here if someone else has the issue too before filing a support request.

In the meantime you can use the ODA viewer (not the converter) to open DGN files and then resave as DWG files.
Going to file a support request for the DGN import failing.

Per Gogstad

I also did some tests with DGN files that failed. Using Windows 10.

Michael Mayer

Thanks a lot for all feedback !

I still have my old Microstation and normally saved a DWG version
for each old DGN Project, so no hurry from my side.
But I think it is a nice addition when it works from Bricscad too.
Some clients forget to export DWG and send DGN instead.
And much nicer if there is no more need to fire up a Parallels VM
Windows just for that.

I think Nemetschek Allplan was one of the few Apps that should
be able to read DGN. At the time I tried it was only possible for the
older Versions - before they changed their file format in the
late 90ies (For one time !)

RSW

The funny thing is that earlier this year I asked if DGN import was going to be implemented in the near future and the response from the local distributor was that this was not likely as there is no high demand for this but this could change if demand/requests increases. So it was a nice suprise to see DGN import being implemented. Hopefully they can fix the issue soon.

Michael Mayer

In the meantime you can use the ODA viewer (not the converter) to open DGN files and then resave as DWG files.

ODA Viewer and Converter crash for me on macOS all the time.
But will try on Windows again.

Yes, DGN support is a very nice addition.
Many industries here use Microstation.

Michael Mayer

Someone fixed a -3 download package and fixed the DGN import.
Thanks a lot for that !
It seems to import any of my files now.

What is not so nice is that all my "Smart Solids"
(I don't use much else than Smart Solids in my work
seem to come in as Blocks
(from Pseudo Cells (?) which I only knew as from "unnamed groups" from DWG imports)
and inside the Blocks are just Faces, no Solids at all.

Is there any chance to convert Smart Solids to Solids in the future
or are there license or technical restrictions that this can't happen at all ?

Michael Mayer

DGN Importer starts now with newest Installer V3

Michael Mayer

What is not so nice is that all my "Smart Solids"
(I don't use much else than Smart Solids in my work)
seem to come in as Blocks
(from Pseudo Cells (?) which I only knew as from "unnamed groups" from DWG imports)
and inside the Blocks are just Faces, no Solids at all.

Hmmh,
for a moment I thought - how silly I am*,
when I looked through "Export Settings" and found that I could simply activate
that Microstation Smart Solids will be imported as "Solids" instead of Meshes or
Faces ...
(* I could have lived well with that feeling)

Of course I tried that promising Setting.
But unfortunately that didn't change anything concerning the quality of my
Smart Solids imports ....

BTW,
I also exported a test file by the ancient Microstation "v7" DGN Format.
That worked in Nemetschek Allplan in that past,
but also didn't change anything in Bricscad Import (?)

Michael Mayer

The Post above was a bit missleading.

1.
If I use DGN import, I will not get any Solids in.
Mostly Lines in Blocks (which were Smart Solids in MS)
or Faces at best if it was other Geometry.

2.
When I export a DWG from MS, with proper settings in
Exports Entity Assignment Options,
I do get wonderful ACIS Solids from MS Smart Solids.

I remeber there was somewhere any hidden BREP Command
that got rid of all Smart Solid's Smart-ness.
(Not something you really would want to do inside MS)

But as long as you have access to a Microstation or could ask
the source to please export a DWG instead,
DGN Import will help for 2D or to have any accessability of
MS data at all, but not much for 3D.

If I see that correct, a Smart Solid in MS,
IS a kind of intelligent Grouping on top of a Skeleton only,
from simle Lines or Bezier Curves.
So maybe there won't ever be any way to get ACAD Solids out of
a MS DGN import, without access to Parasolid Modeling Core,
at all (?)