SNUTTAR IN ENGLISH

GLOSSARY & FILE TYPES

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glossary

Platform

Assumed Microstation-version is 95 unless otherwise stated. Win= Win 95/NT. 3.11=the old Windows. Pmac=Power Macintosh.

Compressed files..

All downloadable files at this site are compressed archives, most of them by the ZIP method.

Zipped.zip

The filename extension .zip implies that the archived files can be extracted and expanded with Winzip, Gzip, PKzip or such programs (some variety is usually delivered along with Windows). On the Macintosh, the shareware utility Zipit is recommended for opening these files. Please note thet Zipit also will open "self-expanding" ZIP archives (with an .exe filename extension) - some utilities in other sources are stored in this form.

Stuffed.hqx

The filename extension .hqx (as used on this site) implies that this download (in it's present compilation) can be used on the Macintosh platform only. Open by using Stuffit Expander. With Expander Enhancer installed, Stuffit will also open .zip archives.
There is also a Stuffit Expander for Windows - it can open both .zip files and files "stuffed" on Macs.

How to use the files

After downloading a file, put it in the appropriate folder within the Microstation folder and use it according to its Filetype . See also More Tips.

Restricted access

The software downloadable from this site is freeware, unless otherwise stated. If software is Shareware or Commercial, it has a prize, and payment to the copyright owner is obligatory.
Please note that certain utilities are available from Bentley (Select Online or Vault CD:s) with restricted access only - you need a Select user account and password. However, some of these utilities are available only for a limited range of platforms from Select Online. As a service to our members, a limited number of those utilities are supplied here in user-compiled versions for OTHER platforms than Bentley currently supports. Please be aware that using these utilities without a Select license might violate copyright rules.

06-02-99 th

file types used

filname.ma

This is an MDL-program. Normally, put it in the mdlapps folder within your Microstation folder.
Start within MS by Utilities > MDL applications > choose > click Load or
Keyin: mdl l filename

Files with the extension .ma are MDL-programs, written and made to run within Microstation. They can be big or small. They are compiled (assembled and translated) for a specific platform (mach.ine type, processor and operating system) when they're written. They cannot run on any other platform than they were compiled for.
If you have access to the source code, you can compile the program for your own platform using the tools supplied with Microstation. See the docs. This is not trivial.
Also please note that the MDL language and development tools within Microstation will eventually be replaced with the "object-oriented" and platform-independant Java language, introduced in Microstation/J. This implies that for smaller utilities development, Microstation Basic is currently the recommended tool - se below.

filename.bas
or
filename.ba

This is a Basic macro program. It's usually platform-independant and is normally put in the macros folder within your Microstation folder.
Start within MS by Utilities >Macros > choose > click Run or
Keyin: macro filename

The files with the extension .bas are text files with Microstation Basic source code. They can be used in Microstation 95 on all platforms. Instructions are usually present in the beginning of the file - read it with Notepad, Simple Text or the like.
The text file is automatically interpreted and translated into a Microstation-specific program with filename extension .ba when it's run for the first time within Microstation.
It's easy to "record" your own macros - it's not necessary to write them..

filname.ucm

This is a "user command". It's normally put in the ucm folder within your Microstation folder.
Start within MS by Utilities >User Command > Run > choose > click OK or
Keyin: usercommand filename
Also see More tips , about shortcuts, customized commands, filetypes, platforms, etc.

Small programs with the extension .ucm are text files that can be used on all platforms, also with earlier Microstation versions. Instructions are usually present in the beginning of the file.
A very simple example can be found above: backup.ucm

This is an older kind of macro, with roots far back in the Intergraph IGDS era. In principle, they consist of a list of key-in commands. Please note that Bentley has warned that his kind of macro may not work in future Microstation releases. Therefore, it's better to use Microstation Basic for new macro utilities.

snuttar the list sources glossary tips svenska

Link to the MAF website (the Microstation TMC group of Sweden). Most of the content is written in Swedish.

Snuttar copyright © 1997-99 Thomas Holm . All rights reserved. Sponsored by Arkitur Arkitektkontor AB.

glossary
Platform	Assumed Microstation-version is 95 unless otherwise stated. Win= Win 95/NT. 3.11=the old Windows. Pmac=Power Macintosh.
Compressed files..	All downloadable files at this site are compressed archives, most of them by the ZIP method.
Zipped.zip	The filename extension .zip implies that the archived files can be extracted and expanded with Winzip, Gzip, PKzip or such programs (some variety is usually delivered along with Windows). On the Macintosh, the shareware utility Zipit is recommended for opening these files. Please note thet Zipit also will open "self-expanding" ZIP archives (with an .exe filename extension) - some utilities in other sources are stored in this form.
Stuffed.hqx	The filename extension .hqx (as used on this site) implies that this download (in it's present compilation) can be used on the Macintosh platform only. Open by using Stuffit Expander. With Expander Enhancer installed, Stuffit will also open .zip archives. There is also a Stuffit Expander for Windows - it can open both .zip files and files "stuffed" on Macs.
How to use the files	After downloading a file, put it in the appropriate folder within the Microstation folder and use it according to its Filetype . See also More Tips.
Restricted access	The software downloadable from this site is freeware, unless otherwise stated. If software is Shareware or Commercial, it has a prize, and payment to the copyright owner is obligatory. Please note that certain utilities are available from Bentley (Select Online or Vault CD:s) with restricted access only - you need a Select user account and password. However, some of these utilities are available only for a limited range of platforms from Select Online. As a service to our members, a limited number of those utilities are supplied here in user-compiled versions for OTHER platforms than Bentley currently supports. Please be aware that using these utilities without a Select license might violate copyright rules.
	06-02-99 th

file types used
filname.ma	This is an MDL-program. Normally, put it in the mdlapps folder within your Microstation folder. Start within MS by Utilities > MDL applications > choose > click Load or Keyin: mdl l filename
	Files with the extension .ma are MDL-programs, written and made to run within Microstation. They can be big or small. They are compiled (assembled and translated) for a specific platform (mach.ine type, processor and operating system) when they're written. They cannot run on any other platform than they were compiled for. If you have access to the source code, you can compile the program for your own platform using the tools supplied with Microstation. See the docs. This is not trivial. Also please note that the MDL language and development tools within Microstation will eventually be replaced with the "object-oriented" and platform-independant Java language, introduced in Microstation/J. This implies that for smaller utilities development, Microstation Basic is currently the recommended tool - se below.
filename.bas or filename.ba	This is a Basic macro program. It's usually platform-independant and is normally put in the macros folder within your Microstation folder. Start within MS by Utilities >Macros > choose > click Run or Keyin: macro filename
	The files with the extension .bas are text files with Microstation Basic source code. They can be used in Microstation 95 on all platforms. Instructions are usually present in the beginning of the file - read it with Notepad, Simple Text or the like. The text file is automatically interpreted and translated into a Microstation-specific program with filename extension .ba when it's run for the first time within Microstation. It's easy to "record" your own macros - it's not necessary to write them..
filname.ucm	This is a "user command". It's normally put in the ucm folder within your Microstation folder. Start within MS by Utilities >User Command > Run > choose > click OK or Keyin: usercommand filename Also see More tips , about shortcuts, customized commands, filetypes, platforms, etc.
	Small programs with the extension .ucm are text files that can be used on all platforms, also with earlier Microstation versions. Instructions are usually present in the beginning of the file. A very simple example can be found above: backup.ucm This is an older kind of macro, with roots far back in the Intergraph IGDS era. In principle, they consist of a list of key-in commands. Please note that Bentley has warned that his kind of macro may not work in future Microstation releases. Therefore, it's better to use Microstation Basic for new macro utilities.