Microstation Tips and Tricks: Managing Multi-User CAD Environments Tutorial

Select Server is Bentley's administrative tool for the management of pooled licenses. The download also contains a set of tools for the creation, deployment and subsequent synchronisation of Microstation 'snapshots'.

The snapshot(s) should be the ideal configuration of Microstation for your team's requirements. As a minimum, you should be looking to maximise the number of variables that point to networked, rather than local, resources and developing workspace components for the necessary disciplines and projects.

The basic process is as follows. This is an overview - detailed explanations are given below.

• Complete the configuration and development of the ideal Microstation snapshot.
• Place the snapshot in a repository. This must be a networked location that all workstations can access.
• Create a desktop shortcut on the local machines (client), setting up the link between the client and the repository.
• Copy the files from the repository to the local machines, thus duplicating the Microstation configuration.
• Client tool will subsequently analyze the local installation against the version in the repository and will carry out the necessary updates to keep the two in synchronisation.

SelectServer Deployment (SSD) refers to the group of utilities for the creation and maintenance of the snapshot and the client tool that allows each user to remain in synch with the snapshot.

The first task is to copy the utilities from the machine where Select Server is installed:

license_server\select server\ssdreg\*.*

to our newly created ssd directory:

networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\

If access to Select Server is not possible, the files can be extracted from the Select Server download, available to subscribers, on the Bentley website. The newly created directory must contain the following:

.cvsignore
cvs.exe
ssdreg.exe
ssdregv.inf
ssdreg.inf
ssdunreg.inf

These are the necessary resources to create and maintain the repository and to manage the copying and updating of files to the client machine.

To create the repository folder:

Type the following into DOS command prompt, typically found under start menu > all programs > accessories:

\\networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\cvs.exe -d\\networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\name_for_repository init

For example:

\\ecado-server\cad_resources\ssd\cvs.exe -d\\ecado-server\cad_resources\ssd\Microstation_ver1 init

To create the snapshot:

Complete the configuration of the ideal Microstation setup. This will typically be stored in c:\bentley. Then copy the following files from c:\bentley\program\Program\Microstation\ to the root directory c:\bentley

ssdreg.inf
ssdunreg.inf

These files are scripts that install and uninstall program manager icons and registry entities. They are unique to the exact product and version.

Edit the Microstation mslocal.cfg file:

This file is found in c:\Bentley\Program\Microstation\Config and contains hard-coded path names which need to be removed to enable SSD to correctly install the application. It can be opened with Notepad.

For Microstation /J, mslocal.cfg consists of:

MSDIR=c:\bentley\Program\Microstation\
_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT:D:\bentley\workspace\
%include $(MSDIR)/CONFIG/msconfig.cfg

Remove the first two lines to only leave %include....

To copy the 'snapshot' into the repository:

From the command prompt is it essential to change directory so that you are in Microstation's root directory c:\bentley where ssdregv.inf and ssdunreg.inf should have been copied.

In the following command, 'bentley' indicates where Microstation will be installed on the client machine and should be left unaltered. The variable bentleytag can be set to identify the product, i.e. Microstation/J (no spaces allowed) and releaseTag to the version, e.g. 07-02-04-20 (no spaces or decimal points allowed). To copy the 'snapshot' into the repository:(cont.)

Enter the following command as one continual statement:
\\networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\cvs.exe -d\\networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\name_of_repository import -kb -I! bentley bentleyTag releaseTag

For example, to copy our configured version of Microstation/J version 07.02.04.20 into the repository created earlier:

\\ecado-server\cad_resources\ssd\cvs.exe -d\\ecado-server\cad_resources\ssd\Microstation_ver1 import -kb -I! bentley Microstation/J 07-02-40-20

The variable bentley can be altered but it must match the module= variable specified in the ssdregv.inf file. (See next). On entering the above command you will be invited to make a log file in Notepad. Simply describe what has been done, dates etc., save and exit. The comment entered will be stored in the log of each file.

Final stages

Edit the following file: networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\ssdregv.inf so that:

cvsexepath=networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\cvs.exe
repository=networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\name_for_repository
module = bentley
destination = c:\bentley

On the client machine:

Uninstall Microstation and delete the contents of c:\bentley.
Create the desktop shortcut. On the desktop, right-click > new > shortcut. Wizard should start. Browse to networked_location\cad_dir\ssd\ssdreg.exe. Click Apply.
Right click on the new shortcut, go to properties and add the following argument: \\networked\location\cad_dir\ssd\ssdregv.inf
There should be a space between ssdreg.exe and the additional argument.

Click on the new shortcut and select 'continue' to start copying the files from the repository.