Edit V7 DGN files with newer versions


  Product(s): MicroStation  
  Version(s): V8i, CONNECT, 2023, 2024  
  Environment: N\A  
  Area: DGN  
  Subarea: Open  

 

Problem

When I try to open a V7 DGN file with a newer version than "V7" or "J" following message appears:

***
V7.dgn is a V7 format design file.

If you choose to upgrade to the V8 format, the original V7 format file will be saved to the directory D:\Bentley\MS\V8i\081109578en\WorkSpace\projects\un...\out
***

There you have the choice between the following options:

How can I maintain V7 DGN files in V7 format and open and edit it with a newer version than "V7" or "J"?

Solution

To enable V7 Workmode:

  1. From the Workspace menu, choose Configuration.
    The Configuration dialog opens.
  2. In the View/Modify All Configuration Variables list box, select MS_OPENV7.
  3. Click Edit.
    The Edit Configuration File dialog opens.
  4. In the New Value field, type 3.



  5. Click OK to return to the Configuration dialog.
  6. From the File menu of the Configuration dialog, choose Save.
  7. To close the Configuration dialog, click OK.
  8. Exit and restart.

To ensure that the project data conforms to the project requirements, the system administrator or project manager should specify the workmode at the project level.

V7 workmode operation differs from other MicroStation V8 workmodes, and for that manner, from previous editions of MicroStation, in a fundamental way:

When operating MicroStation V8 in V7 workmode, it is necessary to manually save changes to the open DGN file by choosing File > Save.

The following capabilities are disabled in V7 workmode:

MS_OPENV7

Controls the behavior when opening V7 format files:
0: open with alert dialog (default)
1: upgrade V7 to V8, no alert dialog
2: open V7 as read-only, no alert dialog
3: open V7 for read/write and set workmode to V7, no alert dialog (MS_OPENV7)

V7 Cell libraries and V7 Cells

V8 versions cannot handle V7 cell libraries and cells just like that.
Such libraries (V7.cel) have to be converted to the V8 format first, before they can be attached as a cell library to the V8 version:
1: Copy your existing V7 cell libraries to the location from where you want to use them in the V8 version.
2: Start MicroStation V8x or CONNECT and open a blank file.
3: Go to menu: Element>Cells
4: In the cell library dialog, go to menu: File>Upgrade Files to V8... (In MicroStation CONNECT, pick: File>Attach File... and go to step#8).
5: Select the V7 format cell library (.cel) that you need to convert to the V8 file format
    (to select more than one, click the little black arrow in the lower left corner, select the libraries, click the Add button, followed by the Done button)
6: In the Upgrade Files dialog, check ON the option: Backup and check the path that you want save the backup file to (default location: _USTN_OUT)
7: Click OK to start the conversion of the listed file(s).
8: From the Convert V7 cell Library dialog, pick the units (metric/imperial) with which the cells in the library was created, to get to the proper size in V8
9: The library/libraries are now converted and are in the location from where you have picked them in step#5
10: A message dialog will show to indicate that Conversion has Completed. Click the OK button to close the dialog
11: The files that were originally in the location of step#5, were automatically moved the specified backup location in step#6
       (these files now have the extension .cel.v7)
12: The converted files in step#8, can now be opened/attached as a cell library in the V8 program and the cells can be placed in the V8 or V7 file


Update with additional information:

Up to and including update version 16: V7 files can be opened and edited under the following conditions:

In CONNECT (up to and including 10.16.xx.xx) :
File > Settings > Configuration > Configuration variables > MS_OPENV7
Controls the behaviour when opening files in V7 format:
 0: Open with warning (default value)
 1: Update from V7 to V8, no warning
 2: Open V7 with write protection, no warning
 3: Open V7 for read/write and set working mode to V7, no warning (MS_OPENV7)


From update 17:
In CONNECT (from 10.17.xx.xx) :
File > Settings > Configuration > Configuration variables > MS_OPENV7
Controls the behaviour when opening files in V7 format:
0: Open with warning dialogue (default value)
1: Update from V7 to V8, no warning dialogue
2: Open V7 with write protection, no warning dialogue
3: Obsolete, is opened with write protection as under point 2, no warning dialogue

Additionally from version 17:
https://docs.bentley.com/LiveContent/web/MicroStation%20Help-v24/en/GUID-B89908B0-D3D4-4285-BE82-962EFF4BF76E.html

Ability to open a V7 DGN File using a preference
A new setting is added to the Preferences dialog Operation category to enable opening of V7 files as read-only. You must turn the checkbox on to be able to open a V7 DGN or upgrade to V8 file format. This setting is Off by default. If you try to open a V7 file while the preference is off, you will be alerted by a message. 




Note:

From U 17 it is no longer possible to save in V7 DGN format.

See Also

Setting the MS_OPENV7 variable

Other language Sources:

German: V7 DGN Dateien mit neueren Versionen bearbeiten



  Original Author: Yvonne Lohse