When inserting blocks, entering a negative number in the proportion column effectively inserts blocks at a specified scale and mirrors them. For example, to insert a block with a 1:1 ratio and mirror it horizontally, set the X Scale to -1 and the Y Scale to 1. If X is positive and Y is negative, the block is mirrored vertically. Setting both values to negative mirrors the block in both directions.
To export fence contents, type in Keyin. Using FF= writes the contents within the fence to a new file without affecting the original objects inside the fence. Alternatively, SF= exports the fence contents but deletes the objects in the original image, similar to the WBLOCK command in older versions of AutoCAD. (The exact behavior depends on your Fence Mode settings.)
MicroStation supports Windows standard drag-and-drop functionality. You can drag a DGN file from Explorer directly into the MicroStation window. The program will prompt you to close the current file and open the dragged file. This feature also works when attaching reference files: open the Reference dialog box via File > Reference, then drag your desired file from Explorer into the Reference window. This action is equivalent to clicking Attach in the dialog box.
To quickly manage layers, type ON=1-63 to open all layers, or OF=1-63 to close all layers except the current one. It’s recommended to assign these commands to function keys for easier access.
When editing text, clicking the Apply button can be cumbersome. Instead, use Alt + A or Ctrl + Enter to quickly apply changes.
In the Text Editor, press Ctrl + A to select all text. This shortcut is useful in many scenarios, such as selecting all layers when setting Level Symbology or selecting all object types or classes when editing a Pen table. It saves time by avoiding manual selection of each item.
Copying or cutting and then pasting objects is common practice. Have you considered defining an exact insertion point, similar to block creation? After selecting the object, don’t copy or cut immediately. First, pick the point you want as the reference. When the crosshair (called the Tentative Point) appears over this point, grab it—but don’t confirm yet. Then proceed with copy or cut. When you paste, the insertion will be based on your chosen point.
Similar to AutoCAD, you don’t need a dedicated property modification tool to change an object’s properties. Simply select the object, then adjust Color, Level, Line Style, or Line Weight from the Primary toolbar. The selected objects will update their properties accordingly.
The Center mode captures not only the center of circles but also the center of any object—including text. It works on line midpoints, rectangle centers (the intersection of diagonals), centroids of irregular polygons, and more. Give it a try to explore its full capabilities.
When using the Select tool, clicking empty space deselects all objects. For PowerSelect, pressing the spacebar cancels the current selection, providing a quick way to clear selections.
Normally, selecting an object requires the selection box to fully enclose it. To perform a crossing selection (selecting objects that the box touches), hold Ctrl + Shift while selecting. Note that on Chinese versions of Windows, this shortcut may conflict with input method switching.
When an object is selected, control handles appear. Their size depends on the display width of Line Weight 8. For example, in WorkSpace Preferences > Drawing, enabling Line Weights and setting Line Weight 8’s display width to 4 makes control handles appear more elegant. While many users prefer Highlight mode for selected objects, control handles allow flexible adjustments by dragging, facilitating quick modifications without clumsy dragging.
In 3D environments, lights appear as blocks automatically placed on Level 1. To hide these light blocks in render views, simply turn off their layer. Lights behave like regular blocks—you can move, copy, rotate, scale, and change their layer properties, but you cannot explode them. The text within each light block represents various light parameters stored in data fields. Modifying these values adjusts the light’s settings. However, to apply changes, you must enter the Keyin command Define Lights afterward.
Check your WorkSpace Preferences under Memory Usage. If default values are still in use and memory is limited, increase the Undo Buffer (default 256) by four times and adjust other caches accordingly. Also, disable Immediate Save Design Changes under Operation to avoid file corruption during large operations if the Undo Buffer is insufficient. For convenience, enable “Save Settings on Exit” and “Compress Design on Exit” so settings and compressed files save automatically upon exit. Note that compressing a file disables undo for previous operations and changes the file’s timestamp even if no edits were made.
Open the Level Manager to view 63 layers represented as small squares numbered 1 through 63. Next to Level 63 is an empty square. Right-clicking it opens a menu with options: All On, All Off, Off By Element, and All Except Element. Remember to click Apply to confirm changes. Alternatively, double-clicking the empty square acts as an Apply shortcut. Double-clicking any layer square sets that layer as the current layer—use with caution.
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