	Product(s):	MicroStation
	Version(s):	10.11.00.36
	Environment:	N\A
	Area:	Text
	Subarea:	General

Problem

How to change all numeric Text elements within a file from 4 to 2 decimal places.

Solution

The following workflow demonstrates one method, which involves a combination of techniques to identify the Text elements and their coordinate position, before exporting them to a third party application for reformat (Change the # of decimal places) followed by reimporting.

STEP 1 - Identifying and selecting the element to be modified.

There are various methods that could be used here such as using tools like Element Selection, Select By Attributes, Reports .. In this instance the Explorer's Advanced Search will be used.

Open the Explorer (Drawing > Home > Primary > Explorer)

Under the ‘File‘ Section, select the ‘ Advanced Search' tool.

In the Advanced Search dialog search for 'Text' by defining the parameters required to select the Text to be changed. (See the Help for further detail) and ‘Add to Search’ and click OK.

The search results will appear in the Explorer dialog and the elements in the View will be selected.

STEP 2 - Exporting the Text and their corresponding coordinates

Right Click on the Search Results and select ‘Save As Report Definition'

In the Reports dialog that opens with the Text Search Results add columns for the Text String and the x,y (Optionally Z) coordinates of their origin.

For the Text String, expand Text > Contents and toggle on ‘Text String’

Expand Text > Geometry and toggle on ‘Origin’ and select ‘OK‘

To specify the Test Origins X coordiante right click on the Origin column and select 'Add Formatting'and in the Properties select the X coordinate.

Right Click on the Column ‘Origin’ and select ‘Rename’ and give it an appropriate name ‘X’

Copy and paste the Column 'X' and rename the copy to 'Y' and change its Format properties to pick up the 'Y' coordinate. (Repeat this step for 'Z' if required)

Verify the results using the Reports Preview tool before Exporting them to Excel or other format.

STEP 3 - Reformat the Text to 2 Decimal places in the exported file

Open the exported file in Excel or other application, and reformat the cells in the column 'Text String' to show 2 decimal places and remove Row 1 (Rremember the column order) before saving the file to csv format.

STEP 4 - Importing the modified Text from the CSV file

RECOMMENDATION : Before importing the Text take a backup of the Design file.

Start by removing the Text element from the Design file, to do this in Explorer select the search created earlier, all the elements should now be selected and can be deleted using the Delete tool.

Select the Import Coordinates Tool ( Drawing > Annotate > Terrain Modelling > Import Coordinates )

In the Tool Settings browse/select the CSV file created earlier.

Change the Import Type to ‘Text’

Change the Order to match the CSV columns order (T stands for Text to be imported)

Select Process.

The Text elements should now appear in the Design reformated showing 2 decimal places.

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Note: For Dimension elements containing 4 decimal places, these can be changed by modifying the Dimension Style used to place the dimension, or alternatively by defining a new Dimension Style with the Unit formatting required. This in turn can be applied to the dimensions using the Change Dimension tool.

How to change all numeric Text elements from 4 to 2 decimal places

Problem

Solution

See Also