Microstation Tips and Tricks: Extending Microstation Font Libraries Tutorial

Extending the Font Library

Microstation font libraries can be extended to include additional characters using the following methodology. Please note, however, that if electronic copies of the drawing are to be issued, new characters will not display properly on clients' workstations unless the extended font library is first installed.

• Font Exporter can be downloaded from Select Services Online under the download category 'Enhancements and Updates'.
• The downloaded file fontexpt.exe should be run. The program will unzip a file called fontexpt.ma which is an MDL programme that should be moved to c:\bentley\program\microstation\mdlsys\asneeded.
• In Microstation, run the command 'mdl l fontexpt'. Select the font that needs to be extended and select export. The export operation will generate a cell library with each character represented by a cell. Create a new cell library using c:\bentley\workspace\system\seed\seed2d.cel. The names of the cells will give the keystroke for each character. Change, under workspace > preferences, to a WYSIWYG text editor to check the link between the cell names and keystrokes. The keystroke can be included in a text string to call the new character.
• Use one of the existing cells as a template for any new characters. Make sure the scale is set 1:1. The cell frame must be on level 63 and the actual character is normally on level 1.
• Create new cell(s) with the correct naming convention and making sure that the cell origin matches the other cells.
• Select Utilities > Install Fonts.
• If the intention is to overwrite the original font library, make a backup copy of the resource file, typically font.rsc. Open font.rsc under the 'destination file' heading. Select the font to be extended from the list and remove.
• Under the 'source file' heading, select open. Highlight the cell library, click 'add' then 'done'. Highlight again under source file in font installer and copy into font.rsc under the destination file list. Highlight again under the destination file list and change the font number to take over from the overwritten font.