COMPUTER AIDED ARCHITECTURAL DESIG

Workshop 1 Notes, Week of August 28, 2011

Initiating a drawing in Microstation and Graphics Primitives

1. Opening Microstation :

Programs/Architecture and 3D Modeling/Bentley/Microstation V8i/Microstation V8i

2. Opening a new file :

Choose File / New and choose the directory where you want it to be saved to

• When using a school computer, before creating a new file remember to choose the particular seed file (template) you wish to use
• For a 3d seed file on a school computer, this typically defaults to \\arch1\netapps\msv8\seed\seed3d.dgn
• On your home computer, the seed file defaults to a location on your hard drive. One such location may be:

  C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Bentley\MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries 1)\WorkSpace\System\seed\seed3d.dgn

• Name your file, open file

The file will open with 4 viewing windows –each show a different views of model space

Use fit window (small mountain icon in each view window toolbar) to see all elements of drawing

If you accidentally close a window you would like to keep open, it may be reopened by clicking on one of the first 4 tabs numbered 1 through 8 at the bottom left of your screen.

4. Setting Auxiliary Coordinate System

Set the default Auxiliary Coordinate System to Global by following the next three steps:

1. Select the Auxiliary Coordinates Icon at the upper-right portion of the application window. 
   
   
   
2. Select view window 2, and within the Auxiliary Coordinates dialog box, right-click on the line "view 2: unnamed and choose the option "Reset to Global"
   
3. Next, to reset the ACS for the remaining windows, right click on " View 2: Unnamed again" and then choose "Set all views".

4. Turning on standard tool bars (should be on by default):

Select: Tools   and each of the following should also be selected on: Attributes, Primary, Standard, Main, & Tasks

5. Establishing scale units:

a. MORE DETAILED METHOD:

• Click on: Settings / Design File
• Select: Working Units
• Master Unit pick: feet, meters, etc.
• Sub Unit inches, centimeters, etc.
• Click Advanced button (not necessary for our work this term –can manipulate resolution - precision of drawing)
• Resolution:304,800 units per foot = a working area 5 million miles across.

b. SHORT CUT METHOD:

• Click on: Settings / Drawing scale

6. Establishing Reference Grid:Setting a Grid to scale units:

• In the Design File Settings Menu, click on Grid
• Grid master lighter, dot grid (use 1/12 which is 1 inch, or 0:1 - 0 feet, 1 inch or gets you same result)
• Grid reference darker, line grid (12 –point on grid every foot)
• To change grid units: Choose Settings/ dgn file/ grid and select desired increments.

7. Drawing graphic primitives (all tools in main tool palette, screen-right)

• Polygon shapes (prescribed)
• Lines (polygons, single line, surfaces, smartline, etc.) (note AccuDraw compass and snaps to end and midpoints)
• Circles (can be drawn by selecting method center, edge, etc.)
• Arcs (can be drawn using similar methods as circle)
• (note: right mouse button will turn off Accudraw selection of last drawn object)
• Exact values may be entered using Accudraw (this is covered in week 2).

8. Using Snaps:

• Snaping to the grid (gravity grid): select the lock box symbol on the bottom of the screen and click on grid. The points on the grid will constrain drawing ability
• Snapping to other points: Choose the icon that looks like an arc with its end and midpoint highlighted next to the lockbox and select your desired snap. A double click will establish the snap for multiple uses, a single click will only set the snap of a single use. Select “Button Bar” at the top of the snap menu to keep a snap toolbar on the desktop.
• Accu-Snap, snaps to existing geometry, can be done midstream/ while using tool. Accu-Snap can also be turned off completely in button bar
• Accu-Draw system will be explored more fully in the next couple of weeks

9. Deleting objects:

Select object(s) to be deleted using delete tool (single object) or arrow tool (single or multiple objects) and then use delete button on keyboard or in tool palette)

10. Using the icons on the lower left of your screen:

Fit view (mountain): returns to window what has been constructed in the model space.

Plus (+): zoom in

Minus(-) zoom out

Pan View (Arrow): allows view to be repositioned allow a vector. (zoom factor may be changed)

Rotate View: may be used to move about the construction.

View next and view previous: self explanatory.

Change View Perspective: perspective projection tool (manipulates perspective in very uncontrolled way). Going to Settings / Camera / Off will turn off perspective.

Window Area: defines view window for zooming in

Microstation is constantly saving the file.

If you would like to save iterations of model, make sure to use File / Save As Edit / undo / redo will allow you return to previous work, but is of limited value.

12. Choosing Levels:

Pull down menu next to the color menu at upper left of screen. You can turn on or off, or make active a prenamed level. Using layers allows parts of the model to be turned off or on and will be useful for assigning attributes. On the upper right side of the screen is a second icon referring to the level manage which allows you to name layers and further use them as we will see later in the term.

12. Choosing Colors:

The pull down menu next to level menu at upper left of screen allows easy selection of colors (stay away from dark blue, hard to see, and red, often used as a highlight color).