DGN Page

Use this page to adjust the options for the 3D DGN and PROP file reader.

Faceting Factor

Enter the required value to control the level of faceting that takes place.

The faceting factor must be greater or equal to 0, where 0 results in the faceting factor being turned off. The default value is 1. To get twice the number of facets, double this value. To get half as many facets, halve this value. Larger faceting factors result in more polygons to a model and larger Autodesk Navisworks files.

Max Facet Deviation

This setting controls the greatest distance between the edge of a facet and the actual geometry.

If this distance is greater than the Max Facet Deviation value, Autodesk Navisworks adds more facets.

If the Max Facet Deviation is set to 0, then this function is ignored.

Convert Hidden Items

Select this check box to convert hidden entities in DGN files. They are automatically marked as hidden by Autodesk Navisworks.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores hidden items.

Show Hidden Items

Select this check box, if you want to display all entities in converted DGN files, irrespective of whether they are hidden or not.

Note: To use this option, you must select the Convert Hidden Items check box.

Convert Lines and Arcs

Select this check box to convert lines, splines, curves, arcs, circles, or ellipses in DGN files.

Merge Lines and Arcs

Select this check box if you want to reduce the complexity of the model in the Selection Tree by interpreting adjoining lines with the same color, level, and parent as a single item.

Clear this check box if you want to leave these elements as separate items in Autodesk Navisworks.

Split Lines

This option instructs the file reader to ungroup polyline objects. As a result, line elements are split into separate nodes for each segment of the line.

Use this option when you need to enhance clash detection analysis. By default, Clash Detective treats multi-segment entities as a single object, reporting one clash for each object pair. Ungrouping polyline objects means that each line segment can be clashed independently from other segments of the line. As a result, all potential clashes are reported, and not just the first one found. The Clash Detective feature is available for Autodesk Navisworks Manage users only.

Attention: In order for this function to work properly, you must clear the Merge Lines and Arcs check box, as it takes priority over the Split Lines option. Additionally, you need to set the ModelPerformanceCollapse on Convert drop-down to None, otherwise the polyline objects will be collapsed into a single geometry node.

Convert Text

Select this check box to convert text into quick properties in Autodesk Navisworks.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores text in DGN files.

Default Font

Indicates which font to use for the converted text.

Shape Merge Threshold

Specifies the number of vertices for MicroStation shapes.

If the number of vertices is less than or equal to the Shape Merge Threshold value, Autodesk Navisworks merges all shapes on the same level or in the same cell and with the same color into a “Shape Set”.

Convert References

Select this check box to convert reference files in DGN files.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores reference files.

Ignore Unres. References

Select this check box to ignore unresolved reference files in DGN files.

If this check box is clear, the file reader attempts to convert all reference files, and presents you with a dialog box to find any unresolved reference files at a run time.

Align Global Origins

Indicates whether Autodesk Navisworks aligns global origins in referenced DGN files to the origin of the master DGN file.

When DGN files are appended together with this check box selected, their global origins are positioned in the same place.

Use Level Symbology

Select this check box to enable the level symbology from MicroStation. This makes items in Autodesk Navisworks take their color from level rather than use the default element color in MicroStation.

Use Materials

Indicates whether MicroStation's materials are exported and assigned to elements.

Select this check box to assign the same textures, diffuse, ambient, and specular colors to the elements as in the MicroStation scene.

Clear this check box to assign the same colors to the elements as in the MicroStation scene.

Material Search Paths

Enter a semi-colon separated list of paths to the MicroStation palette (.pal) and material (.mat) files. These paths are used by the file reader to convert MicroStation materials.

Convert PDS Data

Select this check box to read object information from Intergraph’s Plant Design System™ while converting the DGN files.

PDS information is read from Intergraph’s DRV files. The file reader looks for a DRV file with the same base name as the DGN file in the same directory.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores PDS data.

Convert TriCAD Data

Select this check box to read object information from Triplan’s TriCAD™ while converting DGN files.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores TriCAD data.

Convert TriForma Data

Select this check box to read object information from Bentley’s TriForma™ while converting DGN files.

When this check box is clear, the file reader ignores TriForma data.

TriForma Dataset Search Paths

Enter a semi-colon separated list of paths that the file reader uses to locate Triforma data set files. You must include the paths to user-defined datasets.

View Number

Enter the required value to selects a specific view for loading. The file reader uses the level visibility of this view when converting items.

For example, enter 0 to use the first active view.

Convert Model

Select an option from the drop-down list to specify which model to load from the DGN file. Choose from:

• Last Active - to load the last active model saved in the DGN file (default).
• Default - to load the default model in the DGN file.

Note: This only affects DGN V8 files and later.

Use Beta File Reader

Select this check box to use a beta version of the DGN file reader. This is useful if the standard file reader is unable to open a particular DGN file.