The WorkSpace Configuration File

The next step in the configuration process is to determine the WorkSpace Configuration File. Each WorkSpace has a configuraiton file named <WorkSpaceName>.cfg that must be located in the directory pointed to by _USTN_WORKSPACESROOT. As delivered, _USTN_WORKSPACESROOT is defined as $(_USTN_CONFIGURATION)WorkSpaces/, but that can be changed in the WorkSpaceSetup.cfg file as discussed above.

One and only one WorkSpace Configuration File is processed. There is some logic in msconfig.cfg that determines which WorkSpace Configuration File to load by setting the _USTN_WORKSPACENAME, but that can be ignored for our current purposes - MicroStation is responsible for remembering the most recent WorkSpace name and using it to set _USTN_WORKSPACENAME.

The WorkSpace Configuration File is then included from msconfig.cfg using this construction:

%if defined (_USTN_WORKSPACENAME)
%  if exists ($(_USTN_WORKSPACESROOT)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME).cfg)
     _USTN_WORKSPACECFG = $(_USTN_WORKSPACESROOT)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME).cfg
%    include $(_USTN_WORKSPACECFG) level WorkSpace
%  endif
%endif

User organizations will frequently customize WorkSpace Configuration Files. When a new WorkSpace is created, it starts with a template WorkSpace Configuration File like the following:

#----------------------------------------------------------------------
#  WorkSpace.Template - Template for new WorkSpaces
#
# When MicroStation runs, one and only one WorkSpace Configuration File
# is chosen and included.
#
# The function of the WorkSpace Configuration File is to define the location
# of _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT, _USTN_WORKSPACESTANDARDS, and/or _USTN_WORKSETSROOT
# for this WorkSpace. Those are the root directory, the standards directory,
# and the WorkSets root directory, respectively.
# 
# Default locations are defined in msconfig.cfg:
#  _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT is $(_USTN_WORKSPACESROOT)$(_USTN_WORKSPACENAME)/
#  _USTN_WORKSPACESTANDARDS is defined as $(USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)Standards/
#  _USTN_WORKSETSROOT is defined as $(USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)WorkSets/
# If those defaults are acceptable, this file need not make any definitions.
# To move all WorkSpace data to a separate directory (e.g., to a network share)
# _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT can be redefined and the default values retained for 
# _USTN_WORKSPACESTANDARDS and _USTN_WORKSETSROOT
#----------------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, any combination of the WorkSpace root, standards, or WorkSets root directory can be redirected according to the user's requirements.

The next step in msconfig.cfg is to include any configuration files that are stored in the directory pointed to by _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT.

Note: USTN_WORKSPACESROOT is the folder where the WorkSpace Configuration Files for all WorkSpaces are located. Each WorkSpace has a root folder, _USTN_WORKSPACEROOT for its data. Since the two Configuration Variables differ only by the plural form, make sure not to confuse them.

#----------------------------------------------------------------------
# When we get to this point, we have a WorkSpace defined.
# There may be .cfg files within the WorkSpace. Process those here.
#----------------------------------------------------------------------
%if exists ($(_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)*.cfg)
%  include $(_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)*.cfg level WorkSpace
%endif

These configuration files are optional, and can contain whatever Configuration Variable definitions that are appropriate in the user's workflow. Often, no additional configuration files are needed. The Example WorkSpace delivered with MicroStation doesn't have any.