Attaching the DWG File as a Cell Library

A DWG file can be attached to a DGN or DWG file as a cell library. The individual DWG blocks are converted to shared cells that you can place in your model.

Identifying DWG Files That Can Be Used as Cells

The MS_BLOCKLIST configuration variable can be used to identify a list of DWG files that can be inserted as cells. In this case, the contents of the entire DWG file is placed as a shared cell.

Exporting Blocks to a Cell Library

The EXPORT CELLS SHARED key-in can be used to export blocks (or shared cells) from a DWG file to a new MicroStation PowerDraft cell library.

Working with Multi-View Block References

Multiview block references created by Autodesk Architectural DeskTop display different block definitions in different views, in a manner similar to MicroStation PowerDraft's compound cells. MicroStation PowerDraft displays these proxy entities by using the general 2D or 3D representations of models. Unlike most proxy entities, which are automatically locked and cannot be modified, multiview block references can be moved, rotated, or scaled with standard MicroStation PowerDraft tools.

To disable this behavior, set the configuration variable MS_DWGNODIRECTPROXIES. When this variable is set, only the proxy entity's graphics or bounding box are displayed.