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MicroStation is a
CAD Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...
software Software is a set of computer programs and associated software documentation, documentation and data (computing), data. This is in contrast to Computer hardware, hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. ...
platform for two- and
three-dimensional Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informa ...
design and drafting, developed and sold by
Bentley Systems Bentley Systems, Incorporated is an American-based software development company that develops, manufactures, licenses, sells and supports computer software and services for the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure. The company' ...
and used in the architectural and engineering industries. It generates 2D/3D
vector graphic Vector graphics is a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, such as points, lines, curves and polygons. The associated mechanisms may include vector display a ...
s objects and elements and includes building information modeling (BIM) features. The current version is MicroStation CONNECT Edition.


History

MicroStation was initially developed by 3 Individual developers and sold and supported by
Intergraph Intergraph Corporation was an American software development and services company, which now forms part of Hexagon AB. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the w ...
in the 1980s. The latest versions of the software are released solely for Microsoft Windows
operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also i ...
s, but historically MicroStation was available for
Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...
platforms and a number of
Unix-like A Unix-like (sometimes referred to as UN*X or *nix) operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, although not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification. A Unix-li ...
operating systems. From its inception MicroStation was designed as an IGDS (Interactive Graphics Design System) file editor for the PC. Its initial development was a result of The developers experience developing PseudoStation released in 1984, a program designed to replace the use of proprietary Intergraph graphic workstations to edit
DGN DGN (design) is the name used for CAD file formats supported by Bentley Systems, MicroStation and Intergraph's Interactive Graphics Design System (IGDS) CAD programs. The DGN format is used in construction projects, including buildings, highways, ...
files by substituting the much less expensive
Tektronix Tektronix, Inc., historically widely known as Tek, is an American company best known for manufacturing test and measurement devices such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. Originally an independent ...
compatible graphics terminals. PseudoStation as well as Intergraph's IGDS program ran on a modified version of
Digital Equipment Corporation Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s. The company was co-founded by Ken Olsen and Harlan Anderson in 1957. Olsen was president un ...
's
VAX VAX (an acronym for Virtual Address eXtension) is a series of computers featuring a 32-bit instruction set architecture (ISA) and virtual memory that was developed and sold by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the late 20th century. The V ...
super-mini computer. In 1985, MicroStation 1.0 was released as a DGN file read-only and plot program designed to run exclusively on the IBM PC-AT personal computer. In 1987, MicroStation 2.0 was released, and was the first version of MicroStation to read and write DGN files. Almost two years later, MicroStation 3.0 was released, which took advantage of the increasing processing power of the PC, particularly with respect to dynamics. Intergraph MicroStation 4.0 was released in late 1990 and added many features: reference file clipping and masking, a DWG translator, fence modes, the ability to name levels, as well as
GUI The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inste ...
enhancements. The 1992 release of version 4 introduced the ability to write applications using the MicroStation Development Language (MDL). In 1993, MicroStation 5.0 was released. New capabilities included binary raster support, custom line styles, settings manager, and dimension driven design. The "V5 for
Power Macintosh The Power Macintosh, later Power Mac, is a family of personal computers designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Computer as the core of the Macintosh brand from March 1994 until August 2006. Described by ''MacWorld'' as "the most important te ...
provided a comprehensive tool set for both 2-D and 3-D CAD ... with added several truly useful features ... the high-end PowerPC- native CAD package runs on steroids." This was the last version to be supported in
Unix Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, whose development started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, an ...
. This version was branded both Intergraph (on
CLIX Clix, CLIX, etc. may refer to: Technology * Clix (ISP), a Portuguese triple play brand * CLiX (markup), a formal XML schema validation language and method of using valid XML for overlapping markup * Clix (miniatures), a system of miniatures games p ...
) and Bentley MicroStation (on PC). Later versions were all branded Bentley. This was the last version to run on Intergraph CLIX. All platforms other than the PC used 32-bit processors. In 1995,
Windows 95 Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows 9x family of operating systems. The first operating system in the 9x family, it is the successor to Windows 3.1x, and was released to manufacturi ...
was released. Bentley soon followed with a release of MicroStation for that operating system. Aside from being the first version of MicroStation to not include the version number in its name (MicroStation 95 was actually MicroStation v5.5), MicroStation 95 included the ability to be mostly driven by graphic icon buttons. This version introduced a host of new features: Accudraw, dockable dialogs, Smartline, revised view controls, movie generation, and the ability to use two application windows (similar to previous Unix driven Intergraph terminals. Many of these features are among the most popular used today. MicroStation 95 was the first version of MicroStation for a PC platform to use 32-bit hardware. The last multi-platform release, MicroStation SE (SE standing for special edition, but it was actually MicroStation 5.7) was released late in 1997, and was the first MicroStation release to include color button icons. These icons could also be made borderless, just like in
Office 97 Microsoft Office 97 (version 8.0) is the fifth major release for Windows of Microsoft Office, released by Microsoft on November 19, 1996. It succeeded Microsoft Office 95 and was replaced by Microsoft Office 2000 in 1999. A Mac OS equivalent, Mi ...
. This version of MicroStation also included several features to enable more work over the internet. This version also introduced enhanced precision and a very commonly used tool in MicroStation - PowerSelector. MicroStation/J (a.k.a. MicroStation 7.0, a.k.a. MicroStation V7) was released almost a year after SE. The J in the software title stood for Java, as this version introduced a
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
-enhanced version of MDL, called JMDL. Other features included QuickvisionGL and a revised help system. MicroStation/J was the last version to be based upon the IGDS file format; since MicroStation/J was actually Version 7, the file format became known as "V7 DGN". That file format had been used for about 20 years. However, with the advent of MicroStation V8 in 2001 came a new
IEEE-754 The IEEE Standard for Floating-Point Arithmetic (IEEE 754) is a technical standard for floating-point arithmetic established in 1985 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The standard addressed many problems found in ...
based
64-bit In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit CPUs and ALUs are those that are based on processor registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. A compu ...
file format, referred to as
V8 DGN A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder (engine), cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V engine, V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette_(manuf ...
. Along with the new file format came many new enhancements, including unlimited levels, a nearly limitless design plane and no limits on filesize. Other features that were added were: Accusnap, Design History, models, unlimited undo, VBA programming, .Net interoperability, True Scale, and standard definitions for working units (as the new file format stored everything internally in meters, but can recognize rational unit conversions so that it can know the size of geometry)(some of these features were also available in MicroStation 95 to MicroStation/J). It also included the ability to work natively with DWG files. MicroStation V8 2004 Edition (V8.5) followed nearly three years later with support for newer DWG releases, Multi-snaps, PDF creation, the Standards Checker and Feature modeling. MicroStation V8 XM Edition (V8.9) was released in May 2006. It builds upon the changes made by V8. The XM edition includes a completely revised Direct3d-based graphics subsystem, PDF References, task navigation, element templates, color books, support for
PANTONE Pantone LLC (stylized as PANTONE) is a limited liability company headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary color space used in a variety of industries, notably graphi ...
and RAL color systems and keyboard mapping. In MicroStation V8i (V8.11) the task navigation was overhauled and the then newest DWG format was supported. MicroStation now contains a module for
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
data. The current version is MicroStation CONNECT Edition (V10). This version updated the application architecture to
64-bit In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit CPUs and ALUs are those that are based on processor registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. A compu ...
and changed to a Ribbon Interface. Future versions are being delivered as (roughly) quarterly updates.


File format support

Its native format is the
DGN DGN (design) is the name used for CAD file formats supported by Bentley Systems, MicroStation and Intergraph's Interactive Graphics Design System (IGDS) CAD programs. The DGN format is used in construction projects, including buildings, highways, ...
format, though it can also read and write a variety of standard
CAD Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...
formats including DWG,
DXF AutoCAD DXF (Drawing Interchange Format, or Drawing Exchange Format) is a CAD data file format developed by Autodesk for enabling data interoperability between AutoCAD and other programs. DXF was introduced in December 1982 as part of AutoCA ...
, SKP and OBJ and produce media output in such forms as rendered images ( JPEG and BMP), animations ( AVI), 3D web pages in Virtual Reality Modeling Language (
VRML VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, pronounced ''vermal'' or by its initials, originally—before 1995—known as the Virtual Reality Markup Language) is a standard file format for representing 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vector graph ...
), and Adobe Systems PDF. At its inception, MicroStation was used in the
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
and
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
fields primarily for creating construction drawings; however, it has evolved through its various versions to include advanced parametric modeling and rendering features, including Boolean solids, VUE Rendering, raytracing, pathtracing, PBR Materials, and keyframe animation. It can provide specialized environments for
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
,
civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...
, mapping, or plant design, among others. In 2000, Bentley made revisions to the DGN file format in V8 to add additional features like Digital Rights and Design History - a revision control ability that allows reinstating previous revisions either globally or by selection, and to better support import/export of
Autodesk Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartere ...
's DWG format. Additionally, the V8 DGN file format removed many data restrictions from earlier releases such as limited design levels and drawing area. CONNECT Edition versions continue to use the V8 DGN file format.


See also

*
ProjectWise ProjectWise is a suite of engineering project collaboration software from Bentley Systems designed for the architecture, engineering, construction, and owners/operator (AECO) industries. It helps project teams design, manage, review, share, and dis ...
* GenerativeComponents *
Comparison of computer-aided design editors The table below provides an overview of notable computer-aided design (CAD) software. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects. The table does not include software that is still in development ( beta software). For ...


References


External links


MicroStation home page
at Bentley
CONNECT Edition Book Series
at Bentley {{Building information modeling Computer-aided design software Computer-aided design software for Windows