Applies To
	Product(s):	Bentley I/RAS B
	Version(s):	All
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	N/A
	Subarea:	N/A
	Original Author:	Bentley Technical Support Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

MicroStation I/RAS B has many tools that allow the user to manipulate, convert and edit their bi-level raster files. Included below is a list of the MicroStation I/RAS B Utilities Tools. These tools allow a greater flexibility when working with raster data. Below is a detailed explanation of the various Utilities Tools (see figure 1) and their parameters included in MicroStation I/RAS B.

 

Utilities Tool Menu

  Merge

 

The Merge command lets you interactively merge raster files into the active layer. You can merge files in import/export formats as well as native formats.

 

Merge Dialog Box

 

Parameters

 

Enter a file name:

• File- This parameter is used to identify the file to merge. The file can be a native file, import/export file, or page in an .MPF file.
• Next File- Selects the next file in the specified directory.
• Preview- Select this option to display an overview of the file specified by the File Option.

Choose Opaque or Translucent:

• Opaque- The file background pixels can be opaque or transparent. If opaque, pixels in the merge area are replaced by the merge file background pixels.
• Transparent- If transparent, pixels are OR'ed together.

Choose Invert On or Invert Off:

• Invert Off- The Invert On and Invert Off option specifies whether a merged file will be inverted when merged.
• Invert On- If Invert On is used, foreground and background pixels are inverted as the file is merged.

Choose Undo On or Undo Off:

• Undo On- Undo On and Undo Off enables or disables the Undo command. If undo is On, a Merge operation generates an Undo temporary file, to be used in case you request Undo after the Merge.
• Undo Off- Normally, Undo should be Off to avoid creating large Undo files, unless you anticipate a need to use Undo after a Merge operation. Undo On is ignored if Edit - Undo Mode is disabled (off).

Select Placement option:

• Interactive Placement- The interactive placement option lets you place the merge file with a fixed scaled factor.
• Fixed Scale Factor- The fixed scale factor is used to scale the size of the merge file for interactive placement. A factor greater than 1.0 makes the image larger; less than 1.0 makes the image smaller.
• Interactive Scaling- The interactive scaling option lets you place a dynamically scaled box to specify the location and size of the merge file.
• Interactive Scaling and Rotation- The interactive scale and rotation option lets you draw a dynamically scalable and rotatable box to place the merge file.

How to Use Merge

1. Select Utilities > Merge. Select parameters for the merge.
2. Select a destination area for the merge. The file specified is merged into the destination area.

Size and resolution of the data merged are automatically adjusted to fit into the active layer, without affecting the original file from which the data is merged.

 

Extract

The Extract command instructs MicroStation I/RAS B to save a selected portion of the active layer into a raster file. You can extract into import/export file formats as well as native formats.

 

Extract Dialog Box

 

Parameters

Enter a filename for the raster file to be extracted:

• File- This parameter specifies the raster file to be created. The file can be a native or import/export file, or a page in an .MPF file.

Select source area for extract:

• Rectangle- Rectangle interactively selected with the mouse.
• Polygon- Polygon interactively selected with the mouse.
• Fixed- The Fixed option extracts a rectangle of the exact dimensions specified by Height and Width.
• Height- Specifies height for a fixed area (inches or centimeters).
• Width- Specifies width for a fixed area (inches or centimeters).

How to Use Extract

1. Select Utilities >Extract. Set parameters. Rectangle, Polygon, or Fixed determines how the extract area is selected.
2. Use the mouse to select an area for the extract.

Do not extract into the same filename that was loaded into the active layer, unless you want the portion you extract to replace the original file.

 

Crop

The Crop command instructs MicroStation I/RAS B to copy the selected portion of the active layer into a raster file. You can crop into import/export file formats as well as native formats.

 

Crop Dialog Box

 

Parameters

 

Enter a filename:

• File- This parameter specifies the raster file to be created. This file can be a native or import/export file, or a page in an .MPF file.

Enter a density value:

• Density This command sets the density at which the Crop file is saved.

Enter a height and width value for the file to be created:

• Height- Specifies height (inches, centimeters, millimeters or meters).
• Width- Specifies width (inches, centimeters, millimeters or meters).

Enter a scan line orientation for the output file:

• Horizontal- Specifies horizontal orientation (slo=4).
• Vertical- Specifies vertical orientation (slo=2).

How to Use Crop

1. Select Utilities > Crop. Set parameters.
2. Select an area for the Crop operation.

Crop copies the data at a specified resolution, allowing you to make any desired resolution adjustment. The scan line orientation of the output file is selectable. The area for cropping is identified interactively with the mouse.

Do not crop into the same filename that was loaded into the active layer, unless you want the portion you crop to replace the original file.

Note: The main difference between using Crop and Extract is Crop allows you to change the density of the output file.

 

Resample

The Resample command instructs MicroStation I/RAS B to write the active layer to a file with vertical or horizontal scan line orientation. You can resample into native formats or import/export formats, or a page in an .MPF file.

 

Resample Vertical Dialog Box

 

Parameters

Select horizontal or vertical scan line orientation:

• Horizontal- Resamples raster data horizontally (slo=4).
• Vertical- Resamples raster data vertically (slo=2).

How to Use Resample

1. Select Utilities > Resample > Horizontal for horizontal resampling.
2. Select Utilities > Resample > Vertical for vertical resampling.

Resampling reorganizes the data itself. This is not the same as changing scan line orientation of the active layer, where a value in the file header instructs MicroStation I/RAS B how to display a file. Resampling is effectively the same as rescanning a document with a 90 degrees turn.

Resampling may be useful when you need to turn a raster data file 90 degrees. Sometimes you may adjust scan line orientation of a file to get the correct screen appearance, but then discover that your plotter or application software will not recognize the adjusted scan line orientation. You can use the Resample feature to solve this problem.

The resample command operates on the raster data in the active layer and saves the data in the specified file name. The active layer is not affected. The output file can be any native or import/export raster format or a page in an .MPF file. The raster transformation and placement with respect to the MicroStation design file is preserved in the output raster file header.

 

Raster To Vector

The Raster To Vector option provides a method to convert files between native and import/export raster formats to IGDS Type 87/88 format. This may be used to view raster data on machines that do not have MicroStation I/RAS B. This provides a non-modifiable MicroStation element. (See the Ras2Dgn vs Engineer Tools Technote).

 

RAS2DGN Dailog Box

 

Parameters

Enter a filename:

• File- By default, the filename is irasb.plt. It is recommended you give a specific directory path and filename for output.
• Create- Requests you place a rectangle around the area to be converted.
• Attach- Attaches the created .plt file to design file as a MicroStation element.
• Detach- Detaches the element.

How to Use Raster To Vector

1. Select Utilities - Raster To Vector. Enter directory and filename.
2. Select Create and place rectangle around area to be converted.

Output.plt files created with the Raster To Vector command can be renamed with .dgn extensions and MicroStation will read them as a design file, however, they are still non-modifiable files.

 

Convert

The Convert option provides a method to convert files between native and import/export raster formats.

 

Convert Dialog Box

 

Parameters

Enter filename:

• Input File- Manually enter path and filename or use the Browse button to select file to be converted.
• Output File- Manually enter path and filename or use the Browse button to select output path and filename.

Select the method of conversion:

• RLE- run length encoded
• CIT- CCITT Group 4
• TG4- tiled CCITT Group 4
• GP4- CCITT Group 4
• RT4- untiled CCITT Group 4
• TIF- TIFF bi-level raster format
• CAL- CALS type 1 untiled CCITT Group 4
• RLC- Image Systems run length encoded
• LRD - run length encoded

How to Use Convert

1. Select Utilities > Convert. Enter Input File.
2. Select Format for File Conversion. Enter Output File.

The Convert utility automatically chooses a default Option when converting files, however, you can set the Options manually if you choose.

 

Multi-Page File

The Multi-Page File option provides a file management utility for multi-page files. Multi-page files are image collections saved as a single file. Internally, a multi-page file contains multiple image files. There is no limit to the number of images that can be stored in a multi-page file, except the practical limitations of disk space.

Multi-page files consist of multiple images, or pages. Pages typically originate as a set of scanned images which are merged into an .MPF file for archival or document management purposes. Pages can be files of type .RLE, .CIT, .TG4, .CRL, or .T29. (At this time MicroStation I/RAS B does not support Multi-page tiff files. There is a Change Request logged for this issue).

 

MPF Dialog Box

 

Parameters

• MPF File- The location of the .mpf file.
• Append Page- Adds a new page to an .MPF collection.
• Delete Page- Removes a page from an .MPF collection.
• Extract Page- Saves the contents of an .MPF page to a standard, single raster file.
• Insert Page- Adds a new page before the current .MPF selection in the Multi-Page File Info dialog.
• Replace Page- Deletes an .MPF page and substitutes a new file into the page.

How to Use Multi-Page Files

1. To create a new multi-page file, load a new, blank raster file, then use the key-in command IRASB SAVE AS <directory\filename.mpf>.
2. Select Open > File. Open the .mpf file just created.
3. Select Utilities > Multi-Page Files...
4. To add a new page to an .MPF collection, use the Append Page selection in the .MPF dialog.

See Also

Product TechNotes and FAQs

Raster Product TechNotes And FAQs

External Links

Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase

Bentley LEARN Server

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