Adding Links to Elements

After you have created links in a link set, you can attach one or more of these links to an element in the open DGN file. This allows you to click the element and open the files that are linked to it. For example, you could add a link to a Microsoft Excel workbook that contains specifications and costs for beams. Then you could link this Excel workbook to the element representing the beam in the DGN file so that anyone viewing the DGN file would have access to the specifications.

In DGN workmode you are able to add multiple links to a single element. Once links are added to an element, when you position your pointer on the element you see a link icon, a list of links, the links' paths relative to the DGN file containing the links, and the linked files' names.

Note: A PDF file does not support multiple links on an element. So if you export a DGN file containing multiple links on a single element to PDF, only one link will be displayed on the element in PDF.

Link icon and information about links added to the selected element

You also can see information about an element's links in the Properties dialog.

In DWG workmode you can add one link to an element, by default. If you want to add multiple links to an element you must enable the capability _USTN_CAPABILITY <+CAPABILITY_DGNLINK_MULTILINKS_PER_ELEM in the standards, WorkSpace, WorkSet, or user configuration file.

If you no longer want the linked file to be attached to the element, you can delete the link.

Tip: If a target file cannot be located, the link will be broken. This happens if you delete or rename the target file. If you try to open the target of the broken link through Explorer, you will receive an error message.

To Add a Link to an Element on-the-fly

To Add a Link to an Element

To Add a Link to an Element Using Right-Click

To Link an Element with a Model from the Models Dialog

To Link an Element with a Saved View from the Saved Views Dialog

To Link an Element with a Reference from the References Dialog

To See if There Are Links Attached to an Element

To See if There are Links Attached to an Element from the Properties Dialog

To Open a Link Attached to an Element

To Delete a Link from an Element

Parent topic: Exploring Link Sets in Explorer