The Levels of ProjectWise Design Integration Application Integration


The Levels of ProjectWise Application Integration

The Levels of ProjectWise application Integration serve as a common definition for application integration throughout the suite of Bentley Software. The levels are logical divisions for an engineering application to identify and achieve. Quality is inherit in each level, so level 3 is not “better” than level 1, it merely has a different set of capabilities that may meet an application’s common workflows. 

For each level, there is a definition and benefit list that help identify the expected level of ProjectWise Integration. The definition and benefits list for each level is below:

Level 0

Level 0 is the most basic level of integration.  Files can be stored in ProjectWise, and using ProjectWise Explorer, the file can be checked out, opened, edited, and checked back in.  File dependencies, such as reference or linked files are not maintained or managed. 

Benefits of Level 0 – Simply by storing your file in ProjectWise, the user has many of the benefits of the ProjectWise system, including:

Common Workflows that are supported with Level 0 Integration

  1. A user wants to archive a deliverable or project data for secure storage
  2. A link to the document is sent to a reviewer, and when the review is finished, the workflow state for the document is moved from draft to final, and the security on the document is automatically set to read-only to prevent changes
  3. Each time the document gets to a milestone, a new version of the document is created to preserve the integrity of the milestone document delivery
  4. A user searches for a set of documents using custom metadata that is assigned to the documents
  5. A project manager can check to see who last accessed a document and when the action took place
  6. A user wants to simply store a file in ProjectWise and open it using ProjectWise Explorer

 

Level 1

Level 1 extends the interaction with ProjectWise to the application session.  When a user performs an action that interacts with the applications File Open Framework, ProjectWise can intercept the call and present the user with the corresponding ProjectWise dialog.  This allows the user to work in the application, and efficiently interact with files that are stored in ProjectWise.  ProjectWise has a user setting “Use Captive Environment” which controls whether or not the use has access to the standard application File Open Dialogs, allowing for files to be accessed from the local drives.  If this is not set, dismissing the ProjectWise dialogs will present the user with the equivalent application dialog.  The dialogs ProjectWise provides are the following:

 

Additional workflows are supported by these dialogs, for example, inserting documents can use the Open dialog to access the correct file for insertion. 

Level 1 also affords the user the ability to synchronize ProjectWise properties (document, folder, project, or custom-defined environment properties) with content in the file.  In MicroStation-based sessions, properties are synchronized with items or tags in the DGN file, in AutoCAD-based sessions, blocks with attributes are used to synchronize with ProjectWise metadata, and with Microsoft Office documents, the document properties are synchronized with ProjectWise metadata. 

Level 1 focuses on working within the application, and being able to access ProjectWise content efficiently and easily.  This can also be accomplished with the delivery of a ProjectWise-specific menu and\or toolbar within the application.  Additionally, since the integration is product specific, solutions that interact with the application-specific content stored in the files in ProjectWise              

Benefits of Level 1 – By achieving Level 1, the application can interact with ProjectWise from within the application session, and:

 

Common Workflows that are supported with Level 1 Integration

  1. A user wants to open a file from ProjectWise from within the design application
  2. A user wants to save a file from the application into ProjectWise
  3. A user is working on a document but wants to save his changes to the server, so another project team member can see what the current document contents are
  4. A user wants to insert an image (or other file content) that is stored in ProjectWise into a document from within the application session
  5. A user wants to automatically log-in to ProjectWise and open a file from the integrated application, by-passing the need to interact with ProjectWise Explorer
  6. Using the ProjectWise metadata to update the titleblocks of CAD sheet files
    1. Changing the project property from “DRAFT” to “FINAL” and updating the tag on all sheets within the project
    2. Changing the document title and having the drawing name updated in the sheet model

 

Level 2

Level 2 integration focuses on the typical workflows of CAD design, and this level’s primary focus is the management of dependant document sets, particularly CAD references.  In Level 2 applications commonly use compound document workflows.  ProjectWise records and tracks the parent-child relationships, ensuring that when a user opens a parent (or master) document, the correct versions of the related child documents are also brought into the user session.  ProjectWise “manages” such file relationships by assigning each document a globally unique identification (GUID), and internally, tracking document relationships using the GUIDs.  This relationship is also used as the foundation of the following delivered functionalities:              

 

Benefits of Level 2 – By achieving Level 2, compound document workflows are supported, and:

 

Level 2 would also extend to the management of “linked” documents with no parent-child structure.

 

Common Workflows that are supported with Level 2 Integration

  1. MicroStation CAD design that uses V8 DGN, V7 DGN, DWG, PDF, or raster references
  2. AutoCAD CAD design that uses DWG, V8 DGN, V7 DGN, (AutoCAD version dependant), DWF, PDF, and image references
  3. Renaming project reference files to comply with emergent project standards without breaking reference paths and relationships
  4. Importing CAD data and maintaining reference relationships
  5. Exporting CAD data and maintaining reference relationships
  6. Generating intelligent PDF-format plot sets
  7. Generating AutoCAD sheet sets
  8. Linking Excel data to AutoCAD tables

 

Level 3

Level 3 is the highest level of ProjectWise integration, both in terms of capability and effort to achieve.  In Level 3, all data related to application workflows is stored in and accessed from ProjectWise.  This includes documents that are opened for editing within the application session, such as resource data as well as environmental controls, such as workspaces or profiles.  Any output (reports, design\drawing files, visualization, analysis, etc.) generated by the application is captured in the correct project folders in ProjectWise.  

Benefits of Level 3 – By achieving Level 3, deep integration is established allowing for:

Common Workflows that are supported with Level 3 Integration

  1. Management and control of MicroStation workspaces on ProjectWise projects
  2. Automating the creation of imodels
  3. Managing project standards
  4. Supporting detailed automated workflows, such as those that comprise dynamic views
  5. Embedded application-specific or custom projects