Python and Excel

Many MicroStation users want to work with a spreadsheet. That spreadsheet is most usually Microsoft Excel.

The three most common requests are …

• Export DGN data to a worksheet
• Import DGN data from a worksheet
• Update DGN data from a worksheet

Articles are available using the links in the left menu. They are intended to help you design your MicroStation to Excel communication project.

If you need further help with defining your project …

• Post a question on the MicroStation Programming Forum
• Ask MicroStation Python Assistant

Exporting DGN Data to a Worksheet

Enumerate a DGN model and export selected DGN element data. For example, create a worksheet of areas from DGN shape elements. Each row in that worksheet stores data from a single DGN element.

Importing DGN Data from a Worksheet

Enumerate an Excel worksheet and create new DGN data for each row. For example, your user might want to place a cell at coordinates extracted from the worksheet.

Updating DGN Data from a Worksheet

Updating data infers that there is already a correspondence between a DGN model and a worksheet. That is, each row in the worksheet links to a DGN element in your model. That linkage is provided by a unique ID, such as a DGN element ID. The worksheet must contain a column named ElementId to facilitate that correspondence.