Reference Polling and Reloading

Reference polling is the act of checking the server for updated references (both vector (DGN/DWG) and raster). If any are found, either the user is prompted to reload the references, or the references are just automatically reloaded. Reference polling is disabled by default in integrated MicroStation, but can be enabled using the variables PW_REFERENCE_MODE and PW_REFERENCE_TIMER in each your mcm.user.cfg file:

PW_REFERENCE_MODE — sets whether or not integrated MicroStation checks the server for updated references, and how they will be reloaded.
PW_REFERENCE_TIMER — sets how often (in minutes) integrated MicroStation checks the server for updated references.

If you need to manually reload references for any reason, you have two options:

Use the standard Tools > Reload or Tools > Reload All commands in the References dialog.
Use the DMS REF RELOAD key-in, which opens the Select Documents to Reload dialog.

Reasons you may want to manually reload references:

If reference polling is disabled
If reference polling is enabled but you do not want to wait for the next scheduled reference check (as set by the PW_REFERENCE_TIMER variable)
If you are running two sessions of integrated MicroStation at the same time, where the same user is logged into the same datasource in both sessions. (In this case, reference polling would never detect a change, since the same working directory is being used and the user would already have the latest copy of any updated references.)

To Configure Reference Polling

In a text editor, open your mcm.user.cfg file.
Find the line, #PW_REFERENCE_MODE = 3.
Remove the # symbol from in front of the variable, then set the value to either 1 or 2, depending on how you want references to be reloaded.
Set PW_REFERENCE_MODE = 1 if you want integrated MicroStation to check for updated references and notify you if there are any, by prompting you with the Select Documents to Reload dialog. You can use this dialog to reload some or all of the references, or you can postpone reloading if needed.

Set PW_REFERENCE_MODE = 2 if you want integrated MicroStation to check for updated references and then automatically reload them if there are any, without any notification to you.

Tip: Setting PW_REFERENCE_MODE = 3 is the same as commenting out the variable — either way, no reference polling takes place.
Next, find the line #PW_REFERENCE_TIMER = 30.
(This should be the next variable after PW_REFERENCE_MODE.)
Remove the # symbol from in front of the variable, and either leave the default value of 30 (minutes) or change the value as needed.
With a default value of 30, checks for updated references are run every 30 minutes during your session of integrated MicroStation.

The value should be set to 1 or greater. Setting PW_REFERENCE_TIMER = 0 is the same as commenting out the variable, and would mean that checks for updated references are never run.
Save and close the mcm.user.cfg file.

To Reload References, if Prompted to Reload

When the Select Documents to Reload dialog opens, select the references in the list that you want to reload in your master document and click Reload.

The master document is refreshed to display the changes in the updated references.

Tip: If you click Cancel, or if you select to reload some but not all of the references listed, you will continue to be prompted by the Select Documents to Reload dialog at the intervals defined by the variable PW_REFERENCE_TIMER until you reload the references or close the master document.

To Postpone Reference Polling, if Prompted to Reload

When the Select Documents to Reload dialog opens, specify how long you would like to postpone the next check for updated references, then click Snooze.

30 minutes is the minimum length of time you can postpone reference polling, and is also the default value selected. You can postpone the next reference polling check for up to 8 hours. Assuming that you remain in this session of integrated MicroStation longer than the selected Snooze time, the Select Documents to Reload dialog will open again when the Snooze time has expired, regardless of the value set for the PW_REFERENCE_TIMER variable.