Time-saving Solutions
for MicroStation^®

Taking cell libraries to other dimensions!

by Rick DeWitt, Axiom's Senior Technology Officer
How do you convert a MicroStation V7 3D cell library to a V7 2D cell library and vice-versa? Easy! Just use MicroStation's "Export" function.

The first step is to open a MicroStation file with dimensions (either 2D or 3D) that match the cell library you want to convert. Then, attach the cell library you want to convert. For example, if you want to convert a 2D cell library to 3D, open a 2D design file and attach it.

As the first step in converting a 2D cell library into a 3D cell library, attach the 2D cell library to a 2D MicroStation file.

Now from MicroStation's main menu bar choose "File | Export | 2D" if converting a 3D cell library to 2D or "File | Export | 3D" if converting a 2D cell library to 3D.

Select "File | Export | 3D" to convert a 2D cell library to 3D.

The "Save 2D as 3D" or "Save 3D as 2D" dialog box opens (depending on what you chose earlier). In the example below, we have chosen to convert a 2D cell library to a 3D cell library.

The "Save 2D as 3D" dialog box.

Navigate to the directory you want to save your new 2D or 3D cell library to and give the cell library a name. If you use a different directory than the original cell library, you can give it the same name.

Now go to the section of the dialog box labeled "Selection Option". Click the drop-down button next to the "Source" label. Choose "Attached Cell Library" from the drop-down list.

Select the "Attached Cell Library" option to convert the desired cell library.

Now click the <OK> button on the dialog box, and your cell library will be converted. Easy as pie.

Press <OK> to convert the 2D cell library to a 3D cell library.

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