Posts Tagged ‘RefMerge’

Model Merging in MicroStation

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

Create a standalone design file by copying each external reference file to its own model in the master design file.

Clearwater, Florida, USA — Axiom recently announced a new release of RefMerge for V8. This latest release adds an optional merging method that leverages the ability of MicroStation V8 to store any number of design and sheet models within a single design file. Now, with RefMerge for V8, users can create standalone design files by copying each external reference file to its own model in the master design file. This new method maintains the power of MicroStation reference file attachments (with their setting and display capabilities), but the reference file attachments point to the internal model rather than the external reference file.

Merging models is now possible in MicroStation.

Why the new method?
RefMerge, for over a decade, has provided its users with a fast, reliable method of generating standalone output files by merging the elements from both the master and reference files into a single design file.

The merged output files are ideal for:

  • Adding design files to document management systems that don’t support MicroStation reference files.
  • Sending design files to service bureaus for plotting.
  • Transmitting design files to clients.
  • Archiving design files.

But, even with all the above, there were still situations where merging elements into the same model did not provide the ideal solution. Let’s take the example of a 3D model referenced in a 2D sheet. When copied into a 2D sheet, a true 3D element would have to be dropped to the simple flat 2D elements that define its outline. Using RefMerge’s new method however, the full 3D model, as a 3D model, is merged into the output file. The reference file attachment is then changed so it points to the new internal 3D model with no loss of information and no reduction in rendering graphics quality. In addition, the composite file created with this new method maintains a logical separation of geometry, just like it did before the merge. In other words, because it’s still a reference file attachment, you can still manipulate the display of all related data with a single command.

Regardless of the method chosen to merge files, RefMerge can be configured to run on a single design file or any group of design files in batch. RefMerge is safe to use. It always creates new output files, leaving important project files unchanged. Since RefMerge doesn’t alter the original files, a project snapshot (a view of the current state of the project) can be created anytime during the day — even when users are actively working on a project!

RefMerge has a large number of options that enable users to easily customize the name and output location of merged files as well as a complete set of options for controlling the merging process, if anything unusual is needed.

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Need a set of standalone sheet files for your project?

Thursday, 7 February 2008

RefMerge will do the job fast and accurately.

Clearwater, Florida, USA — Let’s face it, whenever CAD files leave the CAD department or project design environment, there is no telling how they might ultimately look when opened or plotted by the people who need them for the construction or engineering information they contain. A single missing reference file – or worse, the wrong version of a reference file – can completely destroy the intended concept of the design or resulting plot.

You’ll love how fast and accurate RefMerge is at creating standalone design files that are not reference file-dependent.

RefMerge was designed to quickly create a new set of standalone design files that are not reference file-dependent. This new set of project files can be sent to clients as submittals, to service bureaus for plotting, to non-CAD personnel for viewing or for inclusion into document management systems that do not support MicroStation reference files as links.

But what if I have special needs?
If you have special needs, then you are really going to love RefMerge. RefMerge has a vast set of options that let you control the whole merging process from top to bottom. With RefMerge settings, you can control how the levels from reference files are added to the output file. You can also control what level, color, weight and style are given to each element as it is merged into the new output file. For example, you can use the element’s original symbology or change it to the level symbology setting of the level it is on. As another example, RefMerge has settings that allow you to control the name of the new output file and which folder you want it to be placed in.

You can even control whether or not to include non-displayed elements in the output merge file. Limiting the merge to only include displayed elements helps keep output file size as small as possible, particularly when only a small quantity of the complete reference file is displayed in each master file. If you are so inclined, RefMerge can also keep specified references attached while merging others and has several options for controlling raster reference files. The above are just a few of the 16 categories of settings available to customize the way RefMerge handles your file merging needs.

RefMerge’s settings dialog box has 16 categories for you to customize the merging of your files.

RefMerge’s out-of-the-box default settings are those settings best suited to produce a standalone, WYSIWYG (“What you see is what you get”) output file with the smallest possible file size for each given merge. RefMerge is always safe to use because it never alters your original source design files. All element modifications are made only in the output file it creates. If the output is not exactly what you want, it is a simple matter of adjusting settings and running it again.

All the tough stuff handled smoothly
RefMerge smoothly handles reference file clipping boundaries and masks, nested reference files, view rotations, tags, dimensions, shared cells, graphic groups, pattern scaling, custom line style scaling, clipped elements that are patterned or have fill and other MicroStation complexities to ensure your merged files display and plot exactly like your originals or in any other manner you want.

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Your wish is our command (or macro).

Tuesday, 7 August 2007

Customer-driven enhancements in every Axiom product release

Clearwater, Florida, USA — It’s no surprise that the world’s most experienced developer of time-saving MicroStation software solutions is also the most responsive to customer requests.

Despite being the oldest and largest third-party solutions provider for MicroStation internationally, Axiom remains spectacularly youthful and agile. Axiom’s developers have completed more than 150 customer-driven application releases in the last year alone — those releases include more than 1,000 enhancements from our customer-request database!
Congratulations and thanks to all MicroStation users who contributed great product-enhancing ideas and who continue to inspire Axiom developers to excel every day. The entire MicroStation community has benefited greatly from your input. Read on — see if you can spot one of your suggestions.

Like the genie of the lamp, Axiom’s customer-driven enhancements make your time-saving wishes come true.

Microsoft Office Importer
Microsoft Office Importer enables MicroStation users to import and link nearly unlimited quantities of spreadsheet data into MicroStation easily, with proper formatting and reliability. Microsoft Office Importer is a consistent favorite amongst MicroStation users.

Some recent customer-driven enhancements include:

  • Users can now automatically update all of the Microsoft Office Importer links inside the active design with the new “office updateall” key-in command.
  • All of Microsoft Office Importer’s main functions can be conveniently accessed directly from the Axiom menu.

The upcoming release of Microsoft Office Importer will blow your socks off — watch for headlines in MicroStation Today! [Editor's note: After personally seeing demonstrations of the Microsoft Office Importer beta, I can confirm your socks are indeed in danger.]

FileFixer
FileFixer, the sophisticated file analysis and corruption repair utility for MicroStation design files, is arguably the best-known third party application in the MicroStation world.

FileFixer for V8 specializes in MicroStation V8 file corruption. The original FileFixer (for V7) specializes in pre-V8 file corruption.

Both versions of FileFixer are relentlessly enhanced by Axiom’s development team, who are driven to diagnose and remedy corruptions found in design files submitted by MicroStation users from around the world.

FileFixer for V8 is the only application available anywhere that can open and automatically repair the most severe new forms of V8 design file corruption. We use actual customer files, which have been submitted to Axiom for analysis and repair, in the development and testing of FileFixer.

Although FileFixer fixes most forms of corruption totally automatically, sometimes you want to know exactly what is wrong with your file. Axiom realizes the scope and variety of design file corruption can be daunting to the uninitiated. FileFixer’s user’s guide is substantial! When MicroStation can’t open one of your project files, you don’t have time to read the FileFixer user’s guide from cover to cover. You do need to understand what’s wrong with your mangled design file and what FileFixer can do about it. The newest versions of FileFixer have links to precise passages in its documentation to help you understand what you want to know instantly. Schedule a free on-line demonstration to see how this works!

Global File Changer
Global File Changer and its trusty sidekick, the Element Selection utility, pair up to provide MicroStation users with the ultimate batch processing solution. Global File Changer can perform virtually any imaginable modification to one or thousands of project design files in one processing run. If your project consists of more than one design file (and whose project doesn’t), Global File Changer will probably pay for itself before you can peel off the shrink-wrap.

Global File Changer’s Element Selection utility leaves MicroStation’s “Select By Attributes” command in the dust. Using the Element Selection utility, virtually any attribute can be used to precisely select elements for processing by Global File Changer. For example, you can isolate shapes by fill color, number of vertices, range or even perimeter size! Sorry “Select By Attributes”.

Examples of recent customer-driven Global File Changer enhancements include the ability to modify text in tags, dimensions and shared cell definitions. That’s our job — making your work with MicroStation faster and easier.

RefMerge
RefMerge combines a design file and all of its reference files into a single output file — for one or all of your project master files at once. The resulting output files look the same as the originals, but are easier to manage.

Just a few ways RefMerge distinguishes itself from MicroStation include RefMerge’s ability to:

Recognize when a reference file’s color table differs from the master file’s color table and automatically remap attachment colors to the closest color match in each merged output file. This ensures merged output appearance matches the original master file.

Automatically rename merged output files by changing the extension of the merged file to “.mer” (preserving your original master file, leaving it as it was before the merge) and, optionally, adding a prefix or suffix to the output file name. For example, “Sheet1.dgn” becomes “Sheet1_archive.mer”.

(Optionally) move the geometry from each reference file to user-definable levels in merged output files. This allows reference content to be turned on or off (by level) in merged output files as if the reference files were still attached.

And RefMerge for V8 now merges 3D master and 3D reference files!

An on-line demonstration is worth a thousand words.
Shucks — this article has only mentioned four of the applications included in Axiom’s MicroStation Productivity Toolkit! [There are 22 applications in the V7 Toolkit and 16 applications in the V8 Toolkit.]

Words cannot do justice to the productivity-increasing power-boost available to MicroStation Productivity Toolkit owners.

Take a Toolkit test drive on-line without leaving your desk! Our friendly, knowledgeable technicians will answer your questions and advise you on how MicroStation Productivity Toolkit can catapult your projects forward! How much is a free on-line consultant worth to you? [Go ahead — try to stump the instructor.]

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With MicroStation Productivity Toolkit, help is there when you need it.

Thursday, 7 June 2007

Clearwater, Florida, USA — Sometimes there’s not enough time in the day to resolve MicroStation issues and get your design work done. That can mean working nights and weekends to make deadlines. That’s bearable once in a while, but it’s no way to live, is it? Well, in case you hadn’t heard yet, there’s a suite of software products specially designed to provide you the MicroStation help, speed and efficiency you need, when you need it — Axiom’s MicroStation Productivity Toolkit.

Design file corruption emergencies? Violations of CAD standards? Deadlines threatened by time-consuming tasks? With MicroStation Productivity Toolkit, you will have all the tools you need to quickly handle MicroStation emergencies.

Axiom has versions of Toolkit available for both V7 and V8 MicroStation users. The tools contained in each Toolkit undergo continuous updates and improvements so that they can meet your changing needs. Here are some of the breakthroughs achieved in just the past 100 days:

It’s not possible to describe all the new releases and enhancements in the space available here. (So call for an online demonstration!)

  • FileFixer for V8 now handles all major categories of V8 design file corruption discovered in customer files. FileFixer for V8 is the only application available anywhere that can open and repair files containing the most severe forms of V8 corruption.
  • Microsoft Office Importer enhancements continue relentlessly. Recent user interface improvements make it easier than ever to use. It’s no surprise that Microsoft Office Importer’s ability to flawlessly import spreadsheets of any size, with flexible formatting (unachievable with MicroStation), has made it one of the most broadly used MicroStation third-party utilities of all time.
  • RefMerge for V8, the software that automatically merges a design file and any or all of its reference files into one design file, now supports 3D files.
  • Global File Changer’s Modify Text command now allows MicroStation users to make batch changes to text in tags and dimensions — impossible with MicroStation alone. These are just two of the eight recent Modify Text command enhancements.

The facts behind the legend
If you haven’t witnessed it yet for yourself, you’ve probably heard legends about Axiom’s MicroStation Productivity Toolkit speeding up projects, saving time and increasing profits for MicroStation shops around the world every day.

“I love RefManager — I wasn’t looking forward to changing 1,300 reference file attachments manually,” says Chris Seymour-Smith of Capita Percy Thomas.

Here are the benefits that every MicroStation site will get when they own Axiom’s MicroStation Productivity Toolkit:

  • Free product enhancements. Toolkit owners with Axiom Maintenance Plus receive all product enhancements (such as those described earlier) for the version they own (V7 or V8) at no additional cost.
    “[With CellManager for V8], we already reached a higher automation level than we dared to dream of,” exclaims Jean-Paul Pors of Philips Medical Systems.
  • Unlimited support. Toolkit owners with Axiom Maintenance Plus are eligible for unlimited support at no additional cost. The entire Axiom team is available for help.
    Jason Cosgrove of Volkert & Associates tells us, “All of my experiences with Axiom and the staff, especially technical support, have been outstanding. The technical support staff that we have worked with deserve a special recognition for helping us work through some very difficult problems. Thanks!”
  • Free online training. With Axiom Maintenance Plus, you and your colleagues can participate in online training, scheduled at your convenience, without leaving your desk! Axiom professionals can deliver training to you and your colleagues on any or all MicroStation Productivity Toolkit applications.
    “The Axiom training was more than enough for my employees to get started using RefManager. RefManager works very well and the training provided us with the knowledge to use its full capabilities,” says Jorge Serrano of Ameren.
  • Purchasing the full MicroStation Productivity Toolkit saves you money — it’s by far your best value. For instance, if you’re planning to purchase a single-computer license of FileFixer, RefManager and Global File Changer (just three of the applications in Toolkit), you can pay just ten dollars more and receive the entire MicroStation Productivity Toolkit (rather than individual applications). If you think that’s a good deal, the savings are really astounding for site and corporate licenses! If you plan to purchase a site license of FileFixer, RefManager and Global File Changer, pay just ten dollars more and receive a site license of the entire MicroStation Productivity Toolkit!

Jean-Paul Pors of Philips Medical Systems reaches new automation heights with CellManager.

The savings are similar regardless of the individual Toolkit applications you are considering. If you already own Axiom tools, you can upgrade from one, two or three individual applications to the full Toolkit and save a bundle. Hard to believe? Axiom MicroStation Consultants stand ready to answer any questions you might have.

Even if you can’t immediately envision fully utilizing all of the 22 applications in Toolkit for V7 or the 16 applications in Toolkit for V8, pay just ten dollars more and you’ll have the full Toolkit arsenal available whenever you need it.

“I want to thank you and your staff for your exceptional service in getting the V7 and V8 Microsoft Office Importer to me at the drop of a hat. It made a big difference and the job went out on time. Great tool,” declares Richard Odum of Ghyabi & Associates.

That’s why Axiom wants MicroStation Productivity Toolkit at your site.

MicroStation sites around the globe use MicroStation Productivity Toolkit to save time, reduce costs and increase profits.

Add up free on-line training, free enhancements, the entire Axiom team that is available to support your projects and you have compelling reasons why you should own and use MicroStation Productivity Toolkit!

Take it from Bill Stout of Atlantic International Consulting Engineers who said it best, “The only piece of software that I use more than Axiom’s MicroStation Productivity Toolkit is MicroStation itself. This software [Toolkit] has saved me thousands of hours of work.”

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Automate reference and master file merging with RefMerge

Saturday, 7 April 2007

Clearwater, Florida, USA — Unfortunately, many document management systems – while good with some types of file links – just do not understand MicroStation reference files. Plus, not everyone associated with architectural and engineering projects is an expert CAD user. This can result in untrained users submitting incomplete CAD files to be plotted or distributed.

RefMerge eliminates these problems by providing an automated way to generate complete, merged output files routinely, named the way you want with all the information correctly displayed.

Why RefMerge?
RefMerge automates the task of merging 2D, 3D and raster reference files into a separate output file. RefMerge contains all of the options needed for creating a complete set of project design files that show everything you want, the way you want it. The resulting file or set of files can be archived, distributed, translated, submitted or plotted without concern for missing references or merged element display symbology.

As RefMerge creates new output files, it controls the way elements are copied from both the master and reference files to maintain a consistent display after the merge is complete. For example, when level symbology or override symbology settings are different in a master file than they are in the attached references, RefMerge can force the symbology of each element in the output file to match its original symbology or the level symbology or override symbology of the file from which it is copied.

RefMerge for V8′s Element Modification and Control Options dialog box

Raster reference file control
RefMerge allows you to exclude or include raster reference files as part of the merging process. If you choose to exclude raster reference files, you have the option to leave them attached or not. If you do leave them attached, the referenced raster image can be copied to the same output directory as the merged file.

All the options you need to control the results
Getting the output you want is the priority and RefMerge gives you options to handle all aspects and potential problems associated with the merging process. This includes output file naming and location, element symbology control, maintaining fill in clipped elements, non-displayed element inclusion or exclusion and many others. RefMerge also allows you to limit the merge to only include elements within a specific area defined by a shape or a fence. This is in addition to smoothly handling existing reference file clipping boundaries and masks.

MicroStation complexities handled smoothly
RefMerge smoothly handles clipping boundaries and masks, view rotations, tag information, dimension elements, text node numbers, shared cells, graphic group numbers, pattern scaling and other MicroStation complexities to ensure your merged files display and plot just the way you want them to.

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If only FileFixer could fix the human soul…

Wednesday, 7 February 2007

By Reverend Bethel Chapman, Design Manager, Valero Paulsboro Refinery and Pastor, CornerStone Pentecostal Assembly
PAULSBORO, NEW JERSEY, USA — One afternoon, I was using FileFixer to repair ten MicroStation design files with problems such as “end of file missing”, nested cell corruption and a number of other various problems. I thought to myself — if only I had this tool in my church, what great people we would have in this world.

Reverend Bethel Chapman and Dan Lottes of the Valero Paulsboro Refinery

Just think, when people come to my church with all kinds of problems and hang-ups, just run them through “SoulFixer”. Within seconds their sins would be washed away and the lust problems would disappear. Depression and stress would dissipate. Hate, envy and malice would all turn to love. What a beautiful solution to the problems of mankind.

I then came to my senses and my ten files that had gone through FileFixer were totally repaired and operating perfectly.

My name is Reverend Bethel Chapman and I currently have two jobs. I am currently Design Manager of the Design and Reproduction Department at the Valero Paulsboro Refinery and I am a pastor at the CornerStone Pentecostal Assembly Church, in Williamstown, New Jersey. Since 1985, my job in the church world is to try to fix souls as FileFixer repairs bad design files.

My CAD History
I have been working in the engineering profession since 1968. I became a junior designer for R.W. Booker Consulting Engineers in St. Louis, Missouri while still a junior at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois. In February of 1970, I went to work for Mobil Oil Corporation in Sauget, Illinois in the Design Engineering department. I was later transferred to the Paulsboro, New Jersey refinery. I specialize in designing piping systems, tanks, fractionation systems and generally all facets of mechanical engineering design.

How Axiom tools have been a blessing to us
My Design Lead Supervisor, Dan Lottes, has implemented several tools in MicroStation Productivity Toolkit to eliminate thousands of hours of tedious work and wasted time.
For instance, we recently constructed three new process units here at the refinery. As a result of this new construction, we received 12,000-plus design files from our contractors. Using Global File Changer we were able to select text, delete it, attach a cell library, place a new cell at the correct scale, angle and location and drop the cell, for over 1,000 designs at a time. Using RefManager, we were able to make reports on what design files had what reference files so we could run our batch plotting program. RefManager also detached all the needless reference files from the entire group of design files. Using RefMerge, we were able to automatically merge all reference files attached to each design into the design file itself. Using RenamePlus, we were able to do batch renaming for thousands of design files that did not quite match our file-naming procedure. Using DgnCompare saved us hours of painstaking work when it came time to merge the contractor’s revision with our current revision of the design.

Dan Lottes found that MicroStation Productivity Toolkit was so valuable that he wanted all his designers to have access to its goodies. We purchased a site license last month and now all of our designers have access to all of the great tools contained in MicroStation Productivity Toolkit.

How much money did we save?
The money we saved by using MicroStation Productivity Toolkit was substantial. If we were to project that it would take a minimum of 15 minutes to process one design then we are talking about 3,000 man-hours. We were able to complete the job in less than 500 man-hours. That’s a savings of 2,500 man-hours at a very conservative rate estimate of $50.00 per hour, we were able to save $125,000 dollars. We have continued to use MicroStation Productivity Toolkit with all of its tools and Toolkit has been incorporated into our everyday arsenal of design tools.

Prediction for the future of CAD
Since I began designing in CAD in 1987, there have been great improvements in hardware and software designs. We can model designs in 3D. Rotate, turn, cut sections through the designs, walk through the entire model and do many other things. With the improvements in software, there is no telling where we are going. Nonetheless, it will be an exciting ride.

Thanks!
Thank you for thinking of us at Valero Paulsboro Refinery and thank you so much more for creating such a great, helpful tool as MicroStation Productivity Toolkit.

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RBF Consulting Senior Designer shares his opinions about MicroStation Productivity Toolkit and the future of CAD.

Friday, 7 July 2006

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, USA — Lee Youngs, RBF Consulting’s Senior CAD Designer and 20-year CAD veteran, knows that by using the many utilities in MicroStation Productivity Toolkit he can have complete control over his design projects and can prevent disasters that can turn a project into a big headache.

Lee Youngs — with his daughter and wife (Jessie and Jan) — standing inside Big Ben in London, England

We recently had a chance to get some insight on how Lee Youngs utilizes MicroStation Productivity Toolkit on a daily basis.

MicroStation Today: Can you tell us a bit about your 20-year experience using CAD?
Lee: I started my CAD career in 1985 working on an Intergraph system using the old double monitors with the digitizing table attached. I started out as a Facility Planner for Hughes Aircraft. I switched over to civil in 1990 and have been doing work for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and local cities ever since.

Currently, I am the CAD Senior Designer for the Transportation and Public Works Department for RBF Consulting in Irvine, California. I have been with RBF for over five years. RBF Consulting – recently ranked “Best Firm to Work For” in the nation by CE News Magazine – provides consulting services for planning, design and construction throughout the western United States and internationally. The firm, with a staff of nearly 1,000 employees, maintains fourteen offices located throughout California, Arizona and Nevada. Our Web site is www.RBF.com.

MST: Tell us about how you use Axiom utilities?
Lee: I have MicroStation Productivity Toolkit installed on my machine and I find myself using it on a daily basis. One great tool is FileFixer. I use it to clean up drawings before converting them to V8 and to correct problems in MicroStation/J files so errors don’t get passed from one drawing to another.

I use Duplicate Element Remover to eliminate any extra elements that may have been accidentally duplicated or placed several times. I use Microsoft Office Importer to import Microsoft Excel spreadsheets into MicroStation. This saves the time of drafting tables by hand using graphics and text. RefMerge comes in handy when Caltrans wants all the design information copied into individual cut sheets (sheet files) with no reference files attached.
I don’t use all the tools in Toolkit yet — yet being the key word. Axiom has always been willing to give me lessons over the Internet to teach me how to use the tools and what to use the tools for. That is a great help in time and cost savings.

MST: What is the most recent project that Axiom has assisted you on?
Lee: Right now, we are going through the painful process of converting our cell libraries from Metric to English units and I have relied on Axiom for assistance during this ordeal. I got instructions on how to use CellManager to help make this conversion less cumbersome. The cost of redoing all existing cell libraries one cell at a time would be a small fortune and would take countless days to accomplish.

MST: What would you like to be doing in ten years?
Lee: Ten years from now, I hope to be retired and traveling with my wife, Jan. We love to go to London, England and have made three trips so far. The highlight of our last trip was being allowed to go into the tower where Big Ben is located. We reached the top — over 300 steps — just before Big Ben rang twelve o’clock noon. Now that is an impressive sight and sound! Big Ben is not open to the public or foreign visitors and we had to get special permission from Parliament to enter the tower. We also toured Liverpool to see all the sites written about by the Beatles with a stop at Abbey Road in London to make the experience complete.

Also, we really enjoyed our trip to Australia. Our daughter, Jessie, sang at the Sydney Opera House with her high school choir. Jessie is now in her second year of college and our son, Jason, has made us proud grandparents with two fine boys.

MST: If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would it be?
Lee: If I could change places with anyone for one day it would have to be with Sir Paul McCartney. Just to have the memories he has would be fantastic.

MST: What do you predict will be the “next big thing” in CAD?
Lee: I think the next big thing in CAD is going to be the ability to use both MicroStation and AutoCAD on the same project. MicroStation can already read and manipulate AutoCAD files and it will be nice to have AutoCAD manipulate MicroStation files, as I heard will be the case with the 2007 version of AutoCAD. This will allow a designer to always work in the CAD program they are most familiar with.

MST: Thank you so much for your time, Lee.
Lee: Thank you.

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Working less… and getting away with it — BASF Española’s CAD administrator shares his secrets.

Thursday, 7 October 2004

TARRAGONA, SPAIN — This month, MicroStation Today will whisk you away from your workstation and take you to the Mediterranean paradise of Tarragona, Spain to introduce you to Francisco Laboria-Valles, CAD administrator for BASF Española. An avid fisherman, traveler and movie aficionado, Francisco appreciates anything that allows him more time for his hobbies. Below he shares some of his secrets on how he manages to work fewer hours and get away with it! [Editor's note: this interview was conducted in Spanish and translated into English. We recommend reading this piece with an Antonio Banderas-esque Spanish accent in mind, as it will give you more of a realistic feel.]

Hard at work: BASF Española’s CAD administrator, Francisco Laboria-Valles.

“I am the administrator for the entire CAD network for BASF Española. This post includes tasks like fixing design file problems for designers and managing the information and integrity of our project database.

“The Axiom tool we use most frequently is RefMerge. This tool is vital to properly translate MicroStation design files to other formats (like AutoCAD and PDF). Before we had this tool, merging a design file and its reference files into one file took lots of effort. Before, the process went like this: 1) open the file, 2) make note of all used levels, 3) de-select all used levels, 4) create a fence on a new level encompassing all the elements, 5) copy the fence contents and paste them into the new level and 6) unlink all reference files. This process is bearable on one file, but on multiple files, which requires you open each file and go through the process, it can be a tedious task. With RefMerge, I just select the list of files I want to merge and let it run.

“RefMerge indeed increases my productivity, but it’s nothing compared to what I can do with FileFixer. I am sure I don’t have to tell FileFixer owners how useful it is, because they know. Just wait until you find yourself face to face with a corrupt design file and its corrupt backup copies. Then you will see first-hand why FileFixer is great.

“Another situation in which I find FileFixer useful is when we translate AutoCAD 2000 files into MicroStation design files. Usually, there is corruption in the files after translation. FileFixer has fixed every single instance of that corruption.

“Lastly, I would like to add that when my boss, Mr. Pío Manuel Peroy, asked me to try out Axiom tools I was a bit skeptical of their worth and opposed their purchase. But now Axiom tools help me in my work in a way I could have never imagined. I would like to thank my boss for giving me such a gift. I may look busy in my picture, but the truth is that with Axiom tools, I work less each day.”

Call now!

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