1. Accessing the iModel Manager

In the Infrastructure Cloud Design project interface, click on the iModels tab in the toolbar.

This takes you to iModel Manager. This lists all the iModels in your project and allows you to perform different actions on them.

2. Create an iModel

To create a new iModel, click on the blue "Create iModel" button at the top left of the iModel Manager page.

3. iModel Title and Description 

Give the iModel a title (required) and optionally type a description and\or upload an image to differentiate it from other iModels  When finished, click the Create button.

 

4. Choose the Connection Method

 

At this stage, you can choose to populate your iModel by creating a Connection:

A- Selecting a file

B- Saved Search (Work Area Connection)

Alternatively, by clicking on the "Add files later." button, the user can decide to setup the Connection content at a later time. Doing so essentially creates an "empty" iModel.

When selecting the Design Files option, the user is presented with a set of folder options from the Documents section of the infrastructure cloud Design project. In this case, all folders (both web Documents and Work Area connection Documents) will be available to select from:

If the user selects the "Saved Search" option, then ONLY PWDI Work Area connections will be displayed, as the web-based PW Documents do not have Saved Search capability.

[Note: See the next section on Saved Search Considerations]

In the example below, the user selects a single design file (which has references) from a PWDI Work Area and selects Ok.

 

5. File Format and Geospatial Data

In the case of neutral file formats, it is best practice to bring those files into a DGN or DWG file (geolocated) before processing. This is related to the geolocation requirement of iModels outlined below.

Next the user needs to select a file to be used as the geospatial root for this iModel.  Every iModel needs to have one file that contains the geocoordinate system.  Often this can (and should) simply be an empty DGN file just for geolocation purposes. This way, the user does not need to worry about that file needing to be unmapped. This is because the file with the geolocation information in it cannot be unmapped.

[Note: that the Connector for this file was automatically selected using a "best guess" based on the application association for this file stored in PWDI.]

[Note: that supported file formats can be found here]

 

The next step asks the user to:

• Give this connection a name,
• Decide whether to process 2D sheets (see note here)
• Select a run schedule (or leave it as manual)
• Click Done when complete.

When finished this connection can be found on the main Connections page.