New in MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 16 — General Availability Features
Here’s an update on General Availability features (previously known as Commercially Available features) in Update 16. The following features and tools are now available for all in Update 16:
Attach Item Dialog
The new Attach Item Dialog was released as a Technology Preview feature in the last update. This new dialog is more elaborate as compared to the previous one. It allows you to do the following:
- Search for an item type
- Browse for an item type by accessing the Item Types dialog
- Select multiple item types at a time to attach to an element
- Select all item types in one go using the Select All button
- Select and edit properties
- Edit common item type properties
- Search and filter out pick list values
Expression builder
This tool helps you build complex expressions easily and more intuitively to use with your item types. You can use the Expression Builder dialog to create expressions that are calculated properties to associate with design elements. Since its introduction in MicroStation, the Expression Builder for item types has been widely used and now we are happy to release it for all users as a General Availability feature.
Parametric Components Dialog
The Parametric Components dialog consolidates three important parametric modeling tools — Named Presentations, Perforators, and Placement Points. Named Presentations help you display design geometry with different symbology in different view contexts. Perforators are parametric solids that act as cutting elements on a target element. The Placement Points tool was introduced in update 15 and helps you place multiple placement points on a parametric element. Previously these tools were separately available in the Content tab. The Parametric Components dialog unifies their location under the Parametric Components ribbon group in the Content tab.
Vue Rendering dialog and Atmosphere editor dialog
The VUE Render Engine is now the default rendering engine available in MicroStation. VUE supersedes Luxology and is a more advanced rendering option. It supports Path Tracing and true atmospheres which create superior photo-realistic scene renders. VUE comes with excellent rendering presets which are ready to use. You can use the Render Setup Manager dialog to tweak any presets if you wish to customize them. Also read VUE as a General Availability Feature in Update 16.
To know what else is new in this update read New in MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 16.
You can peek at the Update 16 highlights in this short video.
