MicroStation Python: Mensuration

Mensuration

Mensuration means the measurement of 1D, 2D and 3D objects. We often want to measure the length of a line, the area of a shape, or the volume of a solid. Those are exampls of mensuration.

Mensuration with MicroStation Python

1D: Linear Objects

Convert linear objects (e.g. a line or line-string element) to a CurveVector. The CurveVector class provides methods to extract length.

2D: Area Objects

Convert area objects (e.g. a shape or ellipse element) to a CurveVector. The CurveVector class provides methods to extract area.

3D: Volumetric Objects

Convert solid or solid-like objects (e.g. a cone or block element) to an ISolidPrimitive object. The ISolidPrimitive class provides methods to obtain area, volume and other measurements.

Mensuration Results are in MicroStation Units-of-Resolution

Python, C++ and C# programmers work mostly with UORs (Units-of-Resolution). Many functions receive or yield values in UORs. If you want to present your measurements to a user, then you should convert from UORs to a human metric, such as …

1D: feet or metres
2D: square feet (ft²), square metres (m²) or even acres or hectares
3D: cubic feet (ft³), cubic metres (m³) or even gallons or litres

Those conversions are discussed in the formatting chapter.