FAQ

BoM™ is the answer to common questions posed by MicroStation CONNECT users …

Q

• What is a BoM feature?
• How can I obtain reports about items?
• How can I create a Bill of Materials?
• How can I annotate and report on multiple objects?
• How can I search for an element that has a certain property value?
• What happens if I delete a label?
• How can I align annotations?
• How do I obtain BoM?

BoM works with technology introduced with MicroStation CONNECT to annotate and update object measurements.

BoM feature

A BoM feature is a DGN element that you have tagged with BoM data using the BoM application's tools. You can manipulate and query an BoM feature using MicroStation and BoM tools. You can create a worksheet using FlexiTable™ or write a Report using MicroStation tools.

Search Tool

BoM has a search tool …

See the Search page for more information.

Align Annotation Labels

BoM has an align tool. When you attach area properties to an element you can place the label manually wherever you want. Subsequently you may want to realign the labels for neatness. The align tool lets you place multiple labels, each relative to its host, in a uniform manner.

See the Alignment page for more information.

BoM Item Properties

BoM uses a MicroStation Item Type schema definition named BoM feature. BoM uses several user-supplied properties from its MicroStation BoM feature schema to annotate an object …

• Item ID
• Part Number
• Part Description

Non-editable property values are computed automatically by BoM …

• Item Moniker
• Drawing

Item ID

BoM helps you to annotate object IDs drawn as MicroStation elements. If you are annotating items you may want a consistently-numbered ID. For example, numbering in your current model may start with item 100 and continue in increments of five. What's more, you can add explanatory text around the ID, so your sequence would look something like Item 100, Item 105, …, Item 125, Item 130.

The ID is invaluable when creating a report or table. The ID provides a visual reference to the tagged object.

Auto Increment

BoM will auto-increment the Item ID as you annotate BoM features. In the Settings dialog, you control (a) whether you want to enable auto-increment and (b) the amount by which the ID is incremented (the delta value).

Part Number

BoM helps you to explain the purpose of an object. If you are annotating Items you may want to describe Items as office space, circulation, meeting etc..

Moniker

The moniker property is computed using a MicroStation Expression. For more detail read about Monikers.

Drawing or Sheet ID

The drawing property is computed using a MicroStation Expression. For more detail read about Models and Drawing IDs.

The screenshot above shows BoM's Tool Settings for Labelling. The text fields show the values assigned to the target element. The toggle buttons let you choose to include or omit data from the labels you create. For example, you might choose to show just the Moniker, or perhaps the ID and the Part Number.

Part Number Picklist

When you install BoM it automatically creates a Picklist named Part Number that is associated with property partnum. You can modify that Picklist using MicroStation's tools.

Label Template

BoM labels a Item with either of two types of label …

• A text label that shows the Item Type formatted values
• A label template that contains additional text and graphics as well as the Item Type formatted values. See the Annotator Labels page

What Happens if I Delete a Label?

With BoM a label is just a label. It reflects the underlying Item Data attached to a DGN element.

If you delete a label, the Item Data remains attached to the DGN element. If you use BoM's tag command, the Item Data is once more visible in the new label.

How do I delete Item data?

If you want to remove the Item data that underpins an BoM label, then use the BOM TAG REMOVE command.

When you remove the Item data, BoM automatically deletes its label,

Automatic Update

The annotation labels you create with BoM update themselves when you modify the host element.

BoM Reports & Tables

BoM delegates reports & table creating to FlexiTable™.

You can also use MicroStation's built-in tools to create reports and tables. From a Report, you can create a table for placement as a DGN graphic element. To create a table from a Report, use the tools that MicroStation provides.

Annotating Multiple Objects

BoM CONNECT Edition includes a tool to tag multiple objects with the BoM Item Types. The bulk tagging tool searches a DGN model for elements on a named level. When it tags an element, BoM creates a label to provide a visual clue that the element is annotated.

The BoM ID, which is visible in the label, is auto-incremented for each element. For example, if your ID takes the form Item 101, then subsequent labels will be Item 102, Item 103, Item 104 …etc.

BoM Settings

BoM settings are described here.

Download BoM

Visit the download page to register your interest in BoM and download the installer.

About MicroStation

MicroStation^®, created by Bentley Systems, helps you to design, analyse, and present 3D models and 2D designs. MicroStation stores your models and designs in a DGN file.