OpenBuildings™ Designer Help

Customize Dialog, Tasks Tab

Contains controls to add, organize, delete, and assign properties to tasks and workflows. A task is a collection of tool references. A workflow is a sequence of tasks, and has the same properties as a task.



The following controls can be used only in the open DGN file (below the blue V8 icon), unless otherwise noted. For more information, see Customizations in DGN libraries.

Note: If the open DGN file is not a configured DGN library, you will be unable to use the features on the Tasks tab while that DGN file is open.
SettingDescription
New Task


Adds a new task. The task is added below your insertion point on the Tasks tab. The task's name must be unique to the DGN file, it can be of any length, and it cannot contain the backslash (\) character.
Separator


Adds a vertical line which is used to separate tools (or groups of tools) when a task or workflow is opened as a toolbox. The separator is added below your insertion point.
Cut


Cuts the selected task or workflow.
Copy


Copies the selected task or workflow. When you paste the copied item you can change its name. This icon can be used to copy tasks or workflows from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).

This icon also can be used to create a task by copying a toolbox from the left pane into the open DGN file on the Tasks tab. Tools can be copied from a toolbox in the left pane to a task or workflow.

Tip: You also can use the drag-and-drop functionality to copy items from the left pane to the Tasks tab.
Paste


Pastes the cut or copied task or workflow below your insertion point.
Move Up


Moves the selected task or workflow up one position in the hierarchy. This can occur only if the task or workflow is not already the first one in the DGN file.
Tip: You also can use the drag-and-drop functionality to move up items.
Move Down


Moves the selected task or workflow down one position in the hierarchy. This can occur only if the task or workflow is not already the last one in the DGN file.
Tip: You also can use the drag-and-drop functionality to move down items.
Delete


Deletes the selected task or workflow.
User Tasks, open DGN file When you open the Tasks tab tasks, workflows, and tools in the open DGN file appear below the User Tasks icon, the blue V8 icon, and the name of the open DGN file.
Pop-up menu for the open DGN file Right-clicking the open DGN file presents a list of actions that you can perform on the open DGN file.
  • New Task — The effect is the same as clicking the New Task icon.
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon. It is available if a task, workflow, or toolbox has been cut or copied.
  • Paste Task Reference — Allows a task to be referenced in the open DGN file. It is available only when a task has been copied.
  • Sort Children — Sorts alphabetically by name the tasks and workflows in the open DGN file.
Pop-up menu for tasks and workflows Right-clicking a task or workflow presents a list of actions that you can perform on the selected task or workflow.
  • Add — Presents a list of properties that can be added to the selected task or workflow. Once properties are added to a task or workflow they appear in the Properties pane when it is selected.
  • New Task — The effect is the same as clicking the New Task icon.
  • New Tool Separator — The effect is the same as clicking the Separator icon.
  • Open Task Toolbox — Opens the task or workflow in a floating toolbox. This menu item also can be used with tasks or workflow from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon). See the key-in below.
  • Cut — The effect is the same as clicking the Cut icon.
  • Copy — The effect is the same as clicking the Copy icon. This menu item also can be used with tasks or workflow from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon.
  • Paste Task Reference — Allows another task to be referenced in a custom task or workflow. It is available only when a task has been copied.
  • Move Up — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Up icon.
  • Move Down — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Down icon.
  • Sort Children — Sorts alphabetically by name the tools in the task or workflow.
  • Delete — The effect is the same as clicking the Delete icon.
  • Rename — Allows you to type a new name for the selected task or workflow.
CUSTOMIZE OPEN TASK [ task_name ]
DIALOG TOOLBOX [ \path\task_name\ ] [ ON | OFF | TOGGLE | ATCURSOR ]
Tip: The DIALOG TOOLBOX key-in, with the path and task name, can be used to open and close custom tasks.
Pop-up menu for tools in tasks and workflows Right-clicking a tool presents a list of actions that you can perform on the selected tool.
  • New Task — The effect is the same as clicking the New Task icon.
  • New Tool Separator — The effect is the same as clicking the Separator icon.
  • Navigate to Tool — Selects the tool in the left pane and displays the tool's properties in the Properties pane.
  • Cut — The effect is the same as clicking the Cut icon.
  • Copy — The effect is the same as clicking the Copy icon. This menu item also can be used with tools from a DGN library (below the gray V8 icon).
  • Paste — The effect is the same as clicking the Paste icon.
  • Move Up — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Up icon.
  • Move Down — The effect is the same as clicking the Move Down icon.
  • Delete — The effect is the same as clicking the Delete icon.
  • Rename — Allows you to type a new name for the selected tool.
User Tasks, available DGN libraries


Tasks, workflows, and tools available in other DGN libraries specified by the MS_GUIDGNLIBLIST configuration variable appear below the User Tasks icon with gray V8 icons to the left of them.
Application Tasks


Tasks, workflows, and tools available in other DGN libraries specified by the _USTN_SYSTEM_GUIDGNLIBLIST configuration variable appear below the Application Tasks icon.
Properties Properties of tasks, workflows, and tools appear in the Properties pane when they are selected.

When you are working with tasks or workflows, right-clicking in the gray area below the existing properties presents the Add pop-up menu, which allows you to add more properties to the selected item. This has the same effect as right-clicking a task or workflow and selecting Add from the pop-up menu.

To change a task's Icon property, use the Define Icon for Tool dialog.