RealDWG and Object Enablers


 Product(s):Bentley Navigator
 Version(s):08.11.09.293, 08.11.09.536
 Environment:N/A
 Area:General
 Subarea:Object Enablers

Overview

An object enabler is a program that is required to interpret custom objects in a DWG file. If the object enabler is missing, some information in the DWG file might not display correctly. Prior to V8i (SELECTseries 1), Bentley Navigator supported object enablers that were rewritten with the Open Design Alliance OpenDWG library, however, there were many object enablers that did not support OpenDWG. As of V8i (SELECTseries 1), Bentley Navigator can directly run object enablers that also run on AutoCAD, so the graphical objects created by these enablers are displayed desirably.

When you open a DWG file containing a custom object, and if the enabler is missing, an Alert window appears. The window lists all the missing enablers, some of which may have detailed information such as the provider of the enabler and the website from which you may find and download the needed enablers. Note that an enabler is not required to open a DWG file. When an enabler is missing, the file still opens and its custom objects become proxy objects.

Object enablers that are written to conform to the guidelines published by Autodesk can also be used in programs that incorporate the RealDWG libraries. This is advantageous because when you have the object enabler for an entity, you no longer have to ask the person who provided the DWG file to save it with “proxies” enabled. Bentley Navigator can instead use the object enabler to obtain the graphics representation of the custom entity.

Custom objects created by Autodesk´s AEC products such as AutoCAD Architecture, MEP, Structural Detailing, Civil 3D and others are displayed in Bentley Navigator with the object enablers either delivered with RealDWG or downloaded and installed by the user. However, if the AEC objects were created in an older version than the version of the object enablers, a message appears in the Message Center saying that the DWG file was last saved in an earlier version of an AEC product; saving this DWG file will update the AEC objects to a newer version, which is incompatible with the version of the software that was originally used to create them. When you try to save the DWG file, an Alert window informs you about the potential problems if the file is opened in the old version of the AEC product that was used to create the file. Click OK to save the file or click Cancel to stop the process.

Note: The editing and saving of custom objects in DWG files is not supported, whether the objects are enabled or not enabled. This includes custom objects created in products such as Bentley's ProSteel or AutoPLANT products, AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD MEP, etc.

Other Advantages of Using RealDWG

There are a number of advantages that result from using the RealDWG technology:

Installing Object Enablers

The object enabler for AutoCAD Architecture is incorporated into the RealDWG delivery, and you do not have to install it. Other object enablers can be downloaded from their respective vendors and installed. Even if you have previously installed the object enabler to work with AutoCAD, you must go through the object enabler's installation process after you have installed Bentley Navigator, so that it can be found and used by Bentley Navigator.

Object enablers from Autodesk can be either for 32-bit operating system or for 64-bit operating system. For AutoCAD, you need to install a 32-bit object enabler on a 32-bit operating system and a 64-bit object enabler on a 64-bit operating system. However, Bentley Navigator supports only 32-bit object enablers. So, irrespective of your operating system, when you are downloading object enablers from Autodesk or other sources, download the Autodesk® RealDWG™ 2013 or 2014 32-bit version. When you are prompted for a host application, select Bentley Navigator V8i (SELECTseries 5). Some 32-bit object enablers may not be configured to be installed on 64-bit operating systems. If the installer of a 32-bit object enabler does not have the option of installing on a 64-bit operating system, you need to check for a work-around with the provider of the object enabler.

If you use object enablers of release 2009, 2012, or 2013, you will have to switch from RealDWG 2014 to RealDWG 2009, RealDWG 2012, or RealDWG 2013 respectively.

RealDWG Support

You can open and save RealDWG 2014 files in Bentley Navigator V8i (SELECTseries 5).

Following table lists the support of RealDWG in different versions of Bentley Navigator:

Switching Between RealDWG 2014, RealDWG 2013, RealDWG 2012 and RealDWG 2009

Bentley Navigator V8i (SELECTseries 5) delivers RealDWG 2009 and RealDWG 2014. By default, RealDWG 2014 is active. RealDWG 2010 and RealDWG 2011 are not supported in Bentley Navigator V8i (SELECTseries 5). If you have RealDWG 2010 installed on your machine, it will not work with Bentley Navigator V8i (SELECTseries 5).

If required, you can use RealDWG 2009, RealDWG 2012, or RealDWG 2013 instead of RealDWG 2014. For example, you may have multiple V8i (SELECTseries 3) products installed and you need to use RealDWG 2009 with one of the products.; or you may discover that a 2014 version of an object enabler that you need is not available, therefore you need to use RealDWG 2009.

You can add the MS_REALDWG_VERSION configuration variable and use it to revert to RealDWG 2009, RealDWG 2012, or RealDWG 2013. This configuration variable can be used to switch back to RealDWG 2014 as well.

To Revert to Using RealDWG 2009, RealDWG 2012, RealDWG 2013

  1. Select Settings > Configuration.
  2. Click New.
  3. In the Variable field, type MS_REALDWG_VERSION.
  4. In the New Value field, type 2009 to revert to RealDWG 2009, type 2012 to revert to RealDWG 2012, or type 2013 to revert to RealDWG 2013.
  5. Click OK twice.
  6. In the Alert dialog, click Yes to save the changes to your configuration file.
  7. Exit the product and restart it to make the configuration variable take effect.

To Revert to Using RealDWG 2014

  1. Select Settings > Configuration.
  2. Select the MS_REALDWG_VERSION configuration variable.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. In the New Value field, type 2014.
  5. Click OK twice.
  6. In the Alert dialog, click Yes to save the changes to your configuration file.
  7. Exit the product and restart it to make the configuration variable take effect.

Object Enablers That Work with RealDWG 2014

The following object enablers can be used with products that have them enabled:

If you require any other object enabler, you can install it separately.

AutoCAD Civil 2014 Object Enabler is not included in the delivery but has been tested on RealDWG 2014. While this object enabler works correctly on 64 bit operating system, some old computers using 32 bit operating system may not work properly.

 Original Author:Darius Rimasauskas