Bentley DGN IFilter

Bentley DGN IFilter is a tool that enables searching text content in DGN files using Windows Search. It supports all the text-based elements such as text, text nodes, fields, tags, XYZ text, cells, and digital signatures. It also supports overridden dimensions.

In addition to .dgn files, Bentley DGN IFilter also supports .cel, .rdl, .sht file types. It also supports published files such as i.dgn, dgn.i.dgn, and dwg.i.dgn.

Installing Bentley DGN IFilter

The Bentley DGN IFilter is installed when you install ConstructSim V8i (SELECTseries 3) or a later edition. Once installed, you are set up to use it with Windows Search.

If you want to search a text content in a file that is on a network computer, you must install the Bentley DGN IFilter on the network computer.

Using Bentley DGN IFilter

The Bentley DGN IFilter does not have a separate user interface. It is used by the Windows Search tool for identifying the text content in DGN files.

To use Windows Search, the directories that contain the DGN files should be indexed. The files are searched only after their directories are indexed by Windows Search. For details on indexing refer to the Microsoft support page - Windows Search on Windows.

When you search for a specific text-based element of a DGN file in Windows Search, you get the name of that DGN file in the search result.

Note: The Windows Search does not index some of the directories. These may include the directories where MicroStation’s Configuration is located. If your Configuration is located within a directory that is not indexed by Windows Search, it will not search the text within the DGN files located there. To learn more about the directories that are not indexed by Windows Search, refer to Windows Search.