Home Tab

Attributes

Primary

Selection

Placement

Manipulate

Modify

Note: Select a link to “jump” to the desired Home tab group.

Figure 1. Home ribbon tab

Attributes

Figure 2. Attributes group

Setting	Description
Element Template Association	Used to lock the active element template when placing an element. When on, the icon is displayed with highlighting.
Element Template	Opens the Element Templates drop-down to set the active element template, and to manage element templates using the Elements Templates dialog.
Level	Opens the Level drop-down to set the Active Level and the Active Level Filter, to manage levels and filters, to set the display of levels and apply filters, and to recall existing level filters.
Color	Opens the Active Color drop-down to set the active color, and change the colors of selected elements.
Line Style	Opens the line style drop-down to set the active line style to the line style that is chosen.
Line Weight	Opens the line weight drop-down to set the active line weight and change the line weights of selected elements.
Transparency	Opens the transparency drop-down to set the active element transparency.
Priority	Opens the priority drop-down to sets the active element priority (2D models only), which determines how an element is displayed relative to other elements.
Element Class	Opens the element class drop-down to set the active class of element on placement.

Primary

Figure 3. Primary group

Setting	Description
Explorer	Manage project data using the Explorer dialog.
Attach Tools	References - Manage reference attachments using the References dialog. Raster Manager - Manage raster reference attachments using the Raster Manager dialog. Point Clouds - Import, control, visualize and manipulate point cloud images using the Point Clouds dialog. Reality Mesh - Attach and manipulate reality meshes using the Reality Mesh Attachments dialog.
Models	Displays the Models dialog, which allows you to create a new model, copy a model, edit model properties, delete and import models, create a sheet boundary, and list any filters.
Level Display	Turn levels on and off using the Level Display dialog.
Level Manager	Turn levels on and off using the Level Display dialog.
Properties	Review or modify information about an element(s), such as its type, attributes, and geometry.
More	Key-In - Open the Key-in window. Toggle AccuDraw - Allows you to enable or disable AccuDraw inputs. Auxiliary Coordinates - Saved Views - Manage saved views using the Saved Views dialog. Cells - Create and manage cells in a Cell Library. Markups - Review markups and comments made in the design through the Markups dialog. Details - Windowed List - Display information related to what is selected in any of the tabs of the Explorer dialog

Selection

Figure 4. Selection group

The Selection group is used to select and deselect elements for modification or manipulation.

Setting	Description
Element Selection	Select and deselect elements on a per element basis, by defining an area, or by drawing a line that intersects them.
Select All	Select all elements in the design.
Select None	Deselect all elements in the design.
Lock	Locks selected elements. The attributes and location of a locked element cannot be changed.
Unlock	Unlocks selected locked elements.
Bring to Front	Brings the selected elements to the front of the view display.
Fence Tools	Place Fence - Used to place a fence. Modify Fence - Used to move a fence or modify one of its vertices. Manipulate Fence Contents - Used to move, copy, rotate, mirror, scale, or stretch fence contents, which are defined by a fence and (except for stretching) the Fence (Selection) Mode. Delete Fence Contents - Used to delete the fence contents. Drop Fence Contents - Used to break up the contents in a fence into their components. Save Fence to File - Used to copy or move the contents of the active fence to a new DGN or DWG file. Named Boundary - Manage named boundaries and boundary groups using the Named Boundary dialog. Note: For more in-depth information on Fence Tools, please refer to the MicroStation help.
Cut	Used to cut selected elements to the clipboard.
Copy	Used to copy selected elements to the clipboard.
Paste	Used to paste elements from the clipboard.

Placement

Figure 5. Placement group

Setting	Description
Place Smartline	Place a line, line string, shape, arc, or circle or a combination thereof as a complex element.
Place Line	Place or construct a line.
Arc Tools	Arc Tools are used to place and modify arcs. Place Arc - Place a circular arc. Place Half Ellipse - Place an elliptical arc with a sweep angle of 180?. Place Quarter Ellipse - Place an elliptical arc with a sweep angle of 90?. Modify Arc Radius - Modify a circular arc's radius, sweep angle, and center. Modify Arc Angle - Extend or shorten an arc's length (sweep angle). Modify Arc Axis - Lengthen or shorten an axis of an arc.
Ellipse Tools	Ellipse Tools are used to place ellipses and circles. Place Circle - Place a circle. Place Ellipse - Place an ellipse, precisely positioning the center and one end of the primary axis.
Polygon Tools	Polygon Tools are used to place planar polygonal shapes. Place Block - Place a rectangular shape. Place Shape - Place a polygonal shape. Place Orthogonal Shape - Place a shape with each segment either perpendicular or parallel to all other segments in the shape. Place Regular Polygon - Place a regular polygon (one with all sides and angles the same).
Create Curves	B-spline by Points- Used to place a B-spline curve. B-spline by Tangents- Used to create a B-spline curve that passes through a set of points while maintaining user-defined tangent directions at those points. Composite Curve- Used to place acomposite curve , which can haveline strings ,arcs , orB?zier curves (fourth order B-spline curves with four poles) as components Interpolation by Arcs- Used to place or construct a complex chain of arcs that passes through a given set of points Conic Curve- Used to place a conic section - a hyperbola, parabola, or partial ellipse - as a third-order uniform rational B-spline curve with three poles. Spiral Curve- Used to place a transitional spiral as a B-spline curve. Helix Curve- (3D only) Used to place a helix (3D B-spline curve). Extract Iso- Curves- (3D only) Used to extract a B-spline curve(s) from a solid or a B-spline surface. Curves by Formula- Opens the Curve by Formula dialog , which is used to place any conceivable planar curve as a B-spline curve or a line string, based on a mathematical formula, from a library of pre-defined curves or by defining a custom formula.
Points	Place Active Point - Place the Active Point. Point(s) Between - Construct equally spaced Active Points between two data points. Point on Element - Place the Active Point on an element at the point closest to the data point. Point at Intersection - Construct a point at an intersection. Point(s) Along Element - Construct a specified number of Active Points along an element between two data points. Point at Distance Along - Construct the Active Point on an element at a keyed in distance.
More	Place Multiline- Used to place a planar multi-line. Place Stream Line String-Used to place a stream line string - primarily for tracing images when Digitizing. Place Point or Stream Curve- Used to place a point or stream curve. Construct Angle Bisector- Used to construct a line that bisects an angle defined by three data points. Construct Minimum Distance Line- Used to construct a line between two elements at their closest points. Construct Line at Active Angle- Used to construct a line that intersects a line segment (line or segment of a line string or shape) at the Active Angle.
Text	Place Text- Used to place a text element(s). Place Text Along- Used to place text relative to line segment (line element or segment of a line string, shape, or multi-line). Place Note-Used to place lines of text with a leader line and arrow, or a callout without a leader.
Cells	Place the active cell - Place Active Cell. Replace Cells- Used to replace single or multiple cells in a model, or to update cells in a model, with cells of the same name from the active cell library. Place Active Cell Matrix- Used to place a matrix of the Active Cell. Define Cell Origin- Used to define thecell origin (the point about which the cell is placed). Select and Place Cell- Used to select a cell in the DGN file and place an additional instance(s) of that cell. Identify cell- Used to select a cell in the DGN file and place an additional instance(s) of that cell. Place Active Line Terminator-Used to place the Active Line Terminator cell on a line, line string, arc, or complex chain, primarily to place arrowheads. The line terminator maintains association with the element on which it is placed. Thus, if you move or rotate the element, the line terminator moves or rotates along with the element. Place Cell Index- Used to create and place a cell index. A cell index contains all of the models in the active DGN file that are marked as "Can be placed as cell.

Manipulate

Figure 6. Manipulate group

Setting	Description
Move	Move an element(s).
Copy	Copy an element(s).
Rotate	Rotate an element(s).
Scale	Resize an element(s) by the active scale factors.
Mirror	Mirror an element(s).
Move Parallel	Move or copy an element with the sides of the copy parallel to the original.
Array	Copy an element(s) many times to create a rectangular or a polar (circular) array.
Stretch	Stretch an element(s).
More	Align Elements By Edge - Align an element(s) to an edge of another element. Move To Contact - Move an element(s) in a defined direction until it contacts an existing element in the model.

Modify

Figure 7. Modify group

Setting	Description
Modify Element	Move a vertex of a linear element. or Modify rounded segments of complex chains and complex shapes. or Change rounded segments of complex chains and complex shapes to vertices and vice-versa. or Scale a circular arc while maintaining its sweep angle. or Move dimension text. or Change dimension extension line length. or Scale a block about the opposite vertex. or Change a circle's radius or the length of one axis of an ellipse.
Break Element	Break a linear element at a defined point.
Trim Multiple	Trim, extend, or trim and extend elements one at a time, or multiple elements simultaneously, to their intersection with one or more other elements.
Trim To Intersection	Extend or shorten two open elements to their intersection.
Trim To Element	Extend or shorten an open element, or multiple open elements simultaneously, to their intersection with another element.
Fillet	Construct Circular Fillet- Used to construct a circular fillet (arc) between two elements (lines, line strings, circular arcs, circles, or shapes), two segments of a line string, or two sides of a shape. Construct Parabolic Fillet- Used to construct a parabolic fillet (curve element) between two lines. Construct Chamfer- Used to construct a chamfer between either two lines or adjacent segments of a line string or shape.
More	Insert Vertex- Used to insert vertices in elements. Delete Vertex- Used to do delete vertices from elements. Extend Line- Used to extend or shorten a line or an end segment of a line string or multi-line.
Change Attributes	Change Elements Attributes - Used to change selected attributes of an element(s). Change Element Attributes tool settings are used to specify the new attribute settings. Smart Match- Used to change all active element attribute settings, including element templates and those attributes specific to particular element types, so they match the attributes of an element in the design. Match Element Attribute- Used to change the active element attribute settings so they match the attributes of an element in the design. Change to Active Area- Used to change the area attribute of a closed element(s) (shapes, ellipses, or complex shapes, or B-spline curves) to the Active Area. Change Element Fill Type- Used to change a closed element (shape, ellipse, or complex shape, or B-spline curve) to the Active Fill Type. Modify Line Style Attributes- Used to modify the line style attributes of an element with a custom line style.
Delete Element	Used to delete an element(s) from the design.

Groups

Figure 8. Groups group

Setting	Description
Create Region	Create a complex shape from the union, intersection, or difference between closed elements or by "flood fill."
Create Complex Chain	Create a complex chain (open complex element).
Create Complex Shape	Create a complex shape (closed complex element) from individual open elements.
Group Hole	Select a solid element and the hole or holes to be associated with the solid.
Group	Consolidates selected elements into a group (orphan cell) for manipulation as a single entity.
Graphic Groups	Add to Graphic Group - Create a graphic group, add elements to an existing graphic group, or combine two or more graphic groups into one graphic group. Drop from Graphic Group - Remove (drop) an element(s) from a graphic group, or break up a graphic group into individual elements.
Drop	Drop Element - Break up a complex element(s) or an element(s) of a special type into simpler components. Drop Complex Status - Break up a complex element into its components. Drop Line String/Shape Status - Convert a line string or shape to a series of individual line elements. Drop Association - Discontinue an association between a shared cell, dimension witness line, or multi-line and another element. Drop Line Style - Convert an element with a custom line style to an identically appearing group of primitive elements with standard line styles.