Bentley View CONNECT Quick Guide

Bentley View CONNECT is a DGN viewer. MicroStation design files may be opened (read-only), reviewed
and printed using Bentley View CONNECT.

Opening Bentley View CONNECT

If Bentley View CONNECT is the application that is installed on your computer and assigned as the
default application for DGN files, double-clicking on a .dgn file in File Explorer or ProjectWise Explorer
will open the DGN file with Bentley View CONNECT.

Bentley View CONNECT may also be launched by double-clicking the program icon on your desktop.

Note: You need to sign-in to the CONNECTION Client to start Bentley View CONNECT. If you are not
signed into CONNECTION Client, the Sign-In window will open.

If ProjectWise Explorer is installed on your computer, the ProjectWise Login dialog may appear, or you
may have auto-login selected. The [Cancel] button may be used to access files on your desktop or
server share.

The initial Bentley View CONNECT interface is the Work Page and appears as below. The center area,
outlined in red, will contain shortcuts to recently opened DGN files and a [Browse] button that may be
used to navigate to other locations on your computer, a server, or in ProjectWise if you are logged in.
When the [Browse] button is selected, an Open dialog using File Explorer is displayed with a “CAD Files”
filter set. Select a CAD file and click [Open].

After a few seconds, the CAD file will open and be displayed in Bentley View CONNECT.
The Ribbons
The View workflow provides four (4) ribbons which appear as tabs at the top of the interface: Home,
Utilities, Viewing Aids, and CONNECT Services. The File tab opens a back stage which allows you to
“Open” a different file, “Print” the file that you are
viewing, or access “Help” (the Help Contents are
similar to other software Help documentation).

This guide will focus on a quick workflow that uses tools on the Home ribbon to adjust the view and
measure, and create a PDF using File>Print.

Adjusting the View

Mouse Controls
Left-click (Left mouse button press and release) = "Accept" a command or select an element
Right-click (Right mouse button press and release) = "Reject" to reset or exit a command
Right-press (Right mouse button press down until pop-up menu appears, then release)
Scroll Wheel-press (Middle Button press down) = drag for view panning
Middle Button-click (press and release scroll wheel) = Pan command, Middle Button-click to end
Scroll Wheel-Roll Push = Zoom in 1.75 times
Scroll Wheel-Roll Pull = Zoom out 1.75 times

View Controls
It might be easiest to use the mouse scroll wheel
to adjust the zoom level and location of your
view.

The larger icons are the view controls that are typically used. Fit View is used to set the zoom level such
that all graphics, whose level is turned on for display, can be seen in the view window.

View Attributes
Use View Attributes from the Presentation group to turn on/off
the display of Constructions (construction class elements), Text,
Fill, Pattern, etc. Construction class elements are often used in the
assembly of plans. Their display may be turned off for viewing or
printing.
Select a Model
A model in a MicroStation design file (DGN) is like a page in a notebook. Just as you must turn a page to
see more information, you may need to open a different model to see other drawings. To select which
model to view, open the Models dialog with the Models icon in the Primary group on the Home ribbon
(outlined in red below). Double-click on a model name to make it the actively displayed model.

Level Display
Each element in a model is assigned to a level name. Levels may be turned on or off to change the
display of the elements. Open the Level Display dialog with the Level Display icon in the Primary group
on the Home ribbon (outlined in red below). Click on a level
name in the lowest window to change the highlight of the level
name. Highlighted level names (blue background with white
text) are levels that display the elements. Level names without
highlighting (white background and blue text) are turned off for
display.

The upper window of the Level Display dialog is the reference

target tree. For more information about controlling the level
display of referenced elements, see Help>Help Contents on the
back stage (File tab).
Accurately Clicking on Key Points
AccuSnap is already running with the snap mode set to Keypoint. When you use a tool that allows
precision clicking, like Measure Distance, you will see a yellow "X" appear near your mouse cursor when
you get close to a Keypoint. If you left-click when you see the yellow "X", your mouse cursor will jump to
the location of the yellow "X" and accurately select the Keypoint.

Measuring Tools
The Measure Distance tool is found on the Home ribbon in the Measure group. When a measuring tool
is selected, the Tool Settings dialog will allow you to adjust settings and will display results. The steps to
run the command will be displayed in the Bentley View CONNECT status bar in the lower left corner.
Printing
Please note: Bentley View CONNECT remembers the last driver that you used to print. If you have
chosen to create a PDF first and then print to paper afterwards, you will need to select printer.pltcfg as
the printer driver configuration file from the pick list on the Print dialog.

Print to Paper
To print exactly what you see in your view to paper, launch the Print dialog by clicking the Print icon on
the Quick Access Toolbar in the title bar of Bentley View CONNECT. (Or type Ctrl+P or select File >
Print>Print).

In the picture below, the Print icon is outlined by a red circle. The Print dialog has opened and a
thumbnail preview in the upper right side displays what will be sent to the Default printer. Verify that
printer.pltcfg is being used and your default printer appears on the print dialog. This information is in
the Printer and Paper Size area outlined by a red rectangle.

Clicking the printer icon in the upper left corner of the Print dialog or clicking the [Print] button in the
lower right corner will send this information to the printer.

Print to PDF
To create a PDF of exactly what you see in your view, launch the Print dialog by selecting File >
Print>Print to PDF).

In the picture below, the Print dialog has opened and a thumbnail preview in the upper right side
displays what will be saved to a PDF file. Notice that the printer driver configuration file is set to use
odotSizes_pdf.pltcfg, a “Bentley PDF printer driver” with a paper size of 11 x 17. This information is in
the Printer and Paper Size area outlined by a red rectangle in the image below.

Clicking the printer icon in the upper left corner of the Print dialog or clicking the [Print to File…] button
in the lower right corner will open a Save Print As dialog that uses File Explorer. The PDF will
automatically open after it is created.

Placing Fences for Accurate Scales When Printing

Set up AccuSnap to function when the Place Fence command is chosen.

Click the AccuSnap Settings dialog launcher icon in the

lower right corner of the Snaps group on the Viewing
Aids ribbon.

Check the box “Enable for Fence Create”.

Close the AccuSnap Settings dialog.

Select the Place Fence command from the Home ribbon, Selection group, Fence Tools and set the Fence
Type to Block in the Place Fence dialog. Move the mouse close to a corner of the yellow plan sheet
outline.

Left-click when you

see the AccuSnap
yellow "X" appear to
place the fence
corners exactly on
the yellow plan
sheet outline.

Once the fence is

placed, click the
Print icon on the
Quick Access
Toolbar in the title
bar of Bentley View
CONNECT.

This fence will cause the PDF or print to be created using the correct drawing scale.