Raster Manager and Binary Workmode

Raster Manager provides three (3) binary workmodes. Each workmode is designed to handle, manage and display binary (1-bit) image files in a specific way.

To ensure compliancy with versions before 2004 Edition, workmodes can be used to revert back to previous display modes.

A workmode is activated by using a configuration variable. There are 3 workmodes: Monochrome, Raster Reference, and 2-color. By default, when the configuration variable is not set, absent, or defined with an invalid value, the 2-color workmode is automatically set as the default workmode.

To set or change the default workmode:

Create the configuration variable MS_RASTER_1BIT_WORKMODE.
Assign a valid numeric value (0, 1 or 2) to the above configuration variable.

Note: The valid values are as follows:

(0) : Monochrome

(1) : Raster Reference

(2) : 2-color

(0) Monochrome Workmode

When assigned to 0 (zero), binary files are treated equally as monochrome formats. In this mode, 2–color formats are read as monochrome. This mode complies with Industry Standards for 1-bit raster image file formats. When 1-bit raster image files are exchanged between different systems / applications, they should always display identically. This mode ensures consistency when Raster Manager preserves the visual aspects of 1-bit raster image files, especially when working in DWG Workmode, transitioning to and from Bentley I/RAS B, or other MicroStation-based programs.

Background pixel color is always identical to the view background color.

Only foreground pixels are displayed with a different color.
Background pixels are assigned the exact same color as the View background.
Background pixels are rendered transparent by automatically toggling the Transparency feature.
The Transparent background can be turned OFF by turning off the Transparency option from the Properties dialog under the Color tab.

Foreground color assigned to foreground pixels is set as assigned by the Foreground Color setting.

From the Attach dialog, when a 2–color or monochrome image is selected, the Foreground color option displays under the preview area.
The selected color is used to display the foreground pixels.

When the foreground pixel color is identical to the view background color, the raster image file foreground pixel color is automatically changed to a different color that will render these pixels visible in the View.

In cases where the View background is modified to a color identical to the one used by the foreground pixels, an automated task "best contrast color" is triggered to ensure that the foreground pixels do not blend in the View background color.
A color is identified as "identical" when the RGB values are identical as the color it is compared with.

Note: When displaying 2–color images in the "monochrome" workmode, the image's colors will be replaced by the colors that were selected in the Attach Raster Reference dialog.

(1) Raster Reference Workmode

In this mode, raster image files are displayed as in a fashion that complies with MicroStation’s former raster engine, Raster Reference.

(2) 2-color Workmode

The 2-color mode complies with the 8.0 and 8.1 versions of Raster Manager.