MicroStation CONNECT Edition Help

Element Templates Dialog

Used to manage template groups , manage element templates , and to assign properties to element templates.

You can access this dialog from the following:
  • Ribbon: Drawing > Home > Attributes > Element Template > Manage
  • Ribbon: Modeling > Home > Attributes > Element Template > Manage
  • Ribbon: Admin > Home > Attributes > Element Template > Manage Templates


The controls in this dialog can be used only in the open DGN file (below the blue V8 icon), unless otherwise noted. For more information, see Working with Template Groups.

Key-in: CUSTOMIZE DELETEALLDATA
Key-in: CUSTOMIZE RELOAD
Key-in: TEMPLATE DIALOG
Note: Use the CUSTOMIZE DELETEALLDATA key-in to delete all template data and all custom toolbox, tool, task, and menu data from a DGN file. All elements that are associated with the templates being deleted will no longer be associated with the templates.
Note: Use the CUSTOMIZE RELOAD key-in to reload all template data and all custom toolbox, tool, task, and menu data into a DGN file. You would use this key-in if the DGN libraries had been updated and you wanted to reload this data to make it available. Closing the DGN file and reopening it will produce the same result.
SettingDescription
New Template Group


Adds a new template group into which you place templates. The template group is added below your insertion point. The template group's name must be unique to the DGN file, it can be of any length, and it cannot contain the backslash (\) character.
New Template


Adds a new template. The template is added below your insertion point. The template's name must be unique to the template group, it can be of any length, and it cannot contain the backslash (\) character.
Cut


Cuts the selected template group or template.
Copy


Copies the selected template group or template. When you paste the copied item you can change its name. This icon also can be used with template groups and templates from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
Paste


Pastes the cut or copied template group or template below your insertion point.
Move Up


Moves the selected template group or template up one position. This can occur only if the template group is not already the first one in the DGN file or if the template is not already the first one in the template group.
Move Down


Moves the selected template group or template down one position. This can occur only if the template group is not already the last one in the DGN file or if the template is not already the last one in the template group.
Delete


Deletes the selected template group or template. Template groups that contain templates that have been associated with elements cannot be deleted. Templates that have been associated with elements cannot be deleted.
Open DGN File


The template groups and templates in the open DGN file appear in the left pane below the blue V8 icon and the name of your DGN file. When you use a template from a DGN library to place an element, and if the Active Element Template icon is locked, a copy of that template is placed in the open DGN file below the blue V8 icon.

The template groups and templates that you see in the left pane are available for selection in the Active Element Template icon’s drop-down list. There are some exceptions: If two template groups have the same name, or if two templates have the same name and are in template groups having the same name, the template or template group in the DGN library that is processed first will appear in the Active Element Template icon’s drop-down list. This situation will occur if you place an element using a template from a DGN library while the Active Element Template icon is locked. When you do this the DGN library template is added to the open DGN file, creating two template groups with the same name, containing two templates with identical names.

Available DGN libraries


Templates and template groups available in other DGN libraries (specified by the MS_DGNLIBLIST configuration variable) appear in the left pane below gray V8 icons and the names of the DGN libraries.
Pop-up menu for the open DGN file Right-clicking the open DGN file presents a list of actions that you can perform on the open DGN file.
  • New Template Group — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template Group icon.
  • New Template — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template icon.
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon. It is available if a template group or template has been cut or copied.
  • Sort Children — Sorts the DGN file's template groups alphabetically by name.
Pop-up menu for template groups Right-clicking a template group presents a list of actions that you can perform on the selected template group.
  • Open Library - (Available only for template groups from DGN libraries) Closes the open DGN file and opens the DGN library file containing the template group.
  • Open Library in New Session - (Available only for template groups from DGN libraries) Opens the DGN library file containing the template group in a new MicroStation session.
  • New Template Group — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template Group icon.
  • New Template — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template icon.
  • Cut — The effect is the same as clicking the Cut icon.
  • Copy — The effect is the same as clicking the Copy icon. This menu item also can be used with template groups from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon.
  • Move Up — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Up icon.
  • Move Down — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Down icon.
  • Sort Children — Sorts the template group's templates and template groups alphabetically by name.
  • Delete — The effect is the same as clicking the Delete icon.
  • Rename — Allows you to type a new name for the selected template group.
Pop-up menu for templates Right-clicking a template presents a list of actions that you can perform on the selected template.
  • Open Library - (Available only for templates from DGN libraries) Closes the open DGN file and opens the DGN library file containing the template.
  • Open Library in New Session - (Available only for templates from DGN libraries) Opens the DGN library file containing the template in a new MicroStation session.
  • Add — Presents a list of properties that can be added to the selected template. Once properties are added to a template they appear in the Properties pane when the template is selected.
  • New Template Group — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template Group icon.
  • New Template — The effect is the same as clicking the New Template icon.
  • Set Active — Makes the selected template the active template. The tools and controls in the Attributes toolbox match the properties of the active template. If you move your pointer over the Active Element Template icon or click the down arrow next to this icon, you will see that the selected template is active. This menu item also can be used with templates from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
  • Cut — The effect is the same as clicking the Cut icon.
  • Copy — The effect is the same as clicking the Copy icon. This menu item also can be used with templates from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon.
  • Move Up — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Up icon.
  • Move Down — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Down icon.
  • Sort Children — Sorts the templates alphabetically by name.
  • Delete — The effect is the same as clicking the Delete icon.
  • Rename — Allows you to type a new name for the selected template.
Pop-up menu for DGN library files Right-clicking the DGN library presents the following options:
  • Open Library - Closes the open DGN file and opens the DGN library file.
  • Open Library in New Session - Opens the DGN library file in a new MicroStation session.
Properties Properties of template groups and templates appear in the Properties pane when the template group or template is selected.

Right-clicking in the gray area below the existing properties presents the Add pop-up menu, which allows you to add more properties to the selected template. This has the same effect as right-clicking a template and selecting Add from the pop-up menu.

If you add a Point Settings property to a template, you define it in the Define Active Point dialog .

File > Import > From XML File... Used to import data from an XML file to create templates, detailing symbol styles, custom toolboxes, custom tools, tasks, and custom menus. Data can be imported from multiple files. Opens the Import XML Data from File dialog.
CUSTOMIZE IMPORT XML [ path\XML_filename ]
File > Export > XML... Used to export template, detailing symbol style, custom toolbox, custom tool, task, and custom menu data from a DGN library to an XML file. Opens the Export XML Data dialog.
CUSTOMIZE EXPORT XML [ path\XML_filename ]
File > <configured DGN libraries> If the MS_DGNLIBLIST configuration variable is defined, lists the files in the configured DGN libraries. Choosing one of the files closes the open DGN file and opens the selected file.

If the MS_GUIDGNLIBLIST configuration variable is set differently from the MS_DGNLIBLIST configuration variable, these files are listed as well. If you have created a personal DGN library, this file is listed, too.

Utilities > Update Templates from Library Used to update local templates that were copied from DGN libraries to the open DGN file. If the corresponding template in the DGN libraries was changed, running this menu item updates the local template and updates all elements associated with the template in the open DGN file.
DGNLIB UPDATE TEMPLATES
Utilities > Update Selected Elements Used to update the symbology of all elements in the active selection set that are associated with local templates. If you had used a template while placing elements and had manually changed the elements' symbology so that it no longer matches the template, you can use this menu item to update the elements so that they match the template again. Running this menu item updates only the selected elements that are associated with local templates. If an element that is not associated with a template happens to be selected when this menu item is run, its symbology will not change.
TEMPLATE UPDATE SELECTION
Utilities > Generate HTML Report Used to generate an HTML report on all the template, detailing symbol style, custom toolbox, custom tool, task, and custom menu data in the open DGN file. Opens the Generate HTML Report dialog.
CUSTOMIZE GENERATEHTMLREPORT