FAQ

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

Q

• What is an Area Feature?
• How do I measure an area and have that measurement updated automatically?
• How can I obtain reports of area measurements?
• How can I create a table of area measurements?
• How can I annotate and report on multiple objects?
• How can I search for an element that has a certain property value?
• What happens to my annotation when I modify an area?
• Can I label an area using a different metric?
• What happens if I delete a label?
• How can I align annotations?
• How do I obtain PipeTagger?

PipeTagger™ CONNECT Edition works with technology introduced with MicroStation CONNECT to annotate and update object measurements.

Area Feature

An Area Feature is a DGN shape or complex shape element that you have tagged with Item Type properties using PipeTagger's tools. You can manipulate and query an Area Feature using MicroStation and PipeTagger tools. You can create a worksheet using FlexiTable™ or write a Report using MicroStation tools.

Area Measurements

PipeTagger CONNECT Edition is a development of an annotation tool for a previous generation of MicroStation (MicroStation V8i). It lets you annotate an area feature, such as a shape or complex shape element. More exactly, PipeTaggern works with planar closed shapes in a 2D or 3D DGN model. PipeTagger uses MicroStation Text Fields to create smart labels. MicroStation observes changes to the area and updates the shape's annotation label automatically.

In the example above, you can see the following labels created by PipeTagger …

• Room 101 is the user-assigned ID. It's created from the PipeTagger ID property
• Circulation is the user-assigned purpose. It's created from an PipeTagger purpose property
• 60.77m² is the shape's area. It's created from the shape's Area property. The area label is a text field and updates automatically if you modify the shape it references.

Search Tool

PipeTagger has a search tool …

See the Search page for more information.

Align Annotation Labels

PipeTagger 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.

Using Alternative Metrics

By 'Alternative Metrics' we mean the ability to label an area using both the DGN model master units (e.g. feet²) and an alternative unit (e.g. metres²). PipeTagger lets you choose to use an alternative metric in addition to the default DGN model master unit. Here's an example …

PipeTagger Item Properties

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

• Room ID
• Purpose or use
• Area Type
• Occupied

PipeTagger also uses several non-editable properties from its MicroStation Area Feature schema to format alternative measurements, if enabled …

• Alternative Area units (e.g. acres or hectares)

Non-editable property values are calculated automatically by PipeTagger. If you have chosen to use them, you will see alternative measurement in the labels & reports created by PipeTagger.

Room ID

PipeTagger helps you to annotate room IDs drawn as MicroStation shape or complex shape elements. If you are annotating rooms you may want a consistently-numbered room ID. For example, room numbering in your current model may start with room 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 Room 100, Room 105, …, Room 125, Room 130.

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

Auto Increment

PipeTagger will auto-increment the room ID as you annotate area 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).

Area Type

You can designate an area to represent an Enclosure or a Void.

For example, a conference hall might be tagged as an Enclosure. Pillars within that hall might be tagged as Void. An external report or calculation could evaluate the net area of the hall as its area less the area of all voids.

Area Type Picklist

When you install PipeTagger it automatically creates a Pick List named Area Type that is associated with property Area Type. You can modify that Pick List using MicroStation's Pick List Manager.

Occupied

PipeTagger helps you to tag if a room is occupied or not. While most useful post-build, the occupied Boolean flag lets you identify those offices or room that have been assigned and those that remain unoccupied.

You can use MicroStation Display Rules with the occupied flag to modify the way in which MicroStation displays occupied or unoccupied rooms. There is an example in MicroStation help.

Purpose

PipeTagger helps you to explain the purpose of an object. If you are annotating rooms you may want to describe rooms as office space, circulation, meeting etc.. PipeTagger's Purpose tag lets you assign a purpose to an object.

The Purpose is invaluable when creating a report or table. The Purpose property provides a way to classify similar types of object, and filter and sort reports.

The screenshot above shows PipeTagger's Tool Settings for Labelling. The text fields show the values assigned to the target area. 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 ID, or perhaps the ID and the Area.

Purpose Picklist

When you install PipeTagger it automatically creates a Picklist named Purpose that is associated with property Purpose. You can modify that Picklist using MicroStation's tools.

Label Template

PipeTagger labels a room 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 PipeTagger 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 PipeTagger'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 PipeTagger label, then use the AREA TAG REMOVE command.

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

Automatic Update

The annotation labels you create with PipeTagger update themselves when you modify the host shape. That is, when you use one of MicroStation's built-in tools to edit or modify a labelled shape, you see the new measurement displayed automatically in the label.

PipeTagger Reports & Tables

PipeTagger 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

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

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

ShapeTagger

It you've used PipeTagger for MicroStation V8i you'll appreciate that bulk tagging was implemented in a separate VBA project ShapeTagger. ShapeTagger is not required for PipeTagger CONNECT Edition.

PipeTagger Settings

PipeTagger settings are described here.

Download PipeTagger

Visit the download page to register your interest in PipeTagger CONNECT Edition 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.