Introduction to Level Libraries

Level libraries are a MicroStation V8 enhancement that allow you to ensure consistency by offering an easy way to standardize level settings in your design files. Level libraries are very similar to the LVL files found in previous versions of MicroStation [Editor’s note: In V7, the levels are not named, they are numbered and the names are just aliases stored in a text file with the extension .lvl.].

Find the Level Manager display under the Settings dropdown.

Making a Level Library
The Level Manager (Settings | Level | Manager) dialog box is where you create, modify and manage the levels you are working with.

First, you need to build your library:

Click the New Level icon to create a new level.

When your library is complete, go to Levels | Export to export your level library as a DGNLIB file or as a CSV file.

Attaching a Level Library
From the Level Manager dialog box, select “Attach” from the Levels drop down menu. This opens the Attach Level Library dialog box where you can browse and attach a level library.

Select “Attach” from the drop down menu.

Browse to find the appropriate library. Hit <OK> to attach the library.

The Level Manager dialog will now display the levels in the attached level library.

Filtering Out the Library Name
When a level library is attached to a design file, the name of the level library (filename) shows up next to the level name. Sometimes, depending on the length and complexity of your level and level library names, the Level Manager dialog box can get cluttered and can be hard to read with the level name and level library filename together. Using a handy configuration variable, you can hide the level library filename from view so that it does not show next to the level name.

Here’s how:
1. Open the “Configuration: User” dialog (Workspace | Configuration).
2. Select “Level” as the category and click <New>. Enter the following variable into the New Configuration Variable dialog:
MS_HIDE_LIBRARY_SOURCE_NAMES = 1

Enter in the new configuration variable.

3. Accept and save the configuration variable.
4. Close MicroStation and relaunch it.

Now, look at the Level Manager dialog and you will notice that the level library filename is gone, leaving you with a simplified display in the Level Manager dialog.

End result: clarity!

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