Print Organizer
Florida Department of Transportation
Engineering/CADD Systems Office
605 Suwannee Street
Mail Station 69
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450
(850) 245-1626
www.dot.state.fl.us/ecso/
Email: [email protected]
Print Organizer
Print Organizer
Table of Contents
Workshop Overview ........................................................................................................... 0 CHAPTER 1: PRINT STYLES .......................................................................................... 1 Introduction to Print Styles ............................................................................................. 1 Where to Store Print Styles ............................................................................................. 2 Exercise 1: Print Style Location ................................................................................ 3 Creating Print Styles ....................................................................................................... 6 Exercise 2: Creating Print Styles ............................................................................. 15 CHAPTER 2: PRINT ORGANIZER ............................................................................... 21 Introduction to Print Organizer ..................................................................................... 21 Print Organizer Preferences .......................................................................................... 24 Printer Setup.................................................................................................................. 25 Creating Print Sets ........................................................................................................ 26 Hierarchical Print Sets .................................................................................................. 27 Print Definitions ............................................................................................................ 28 Editing Print Definitions ............................................................................................... 28 In-place editing ......................................................................................................... 28 Single- or Multi-edit Properties Dialogs ................................................................... 29 Using print styles to edit print definition properties ................................................. 31 Exercise 3: Creating PSETs: .................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 3: Sheet Navigator PSETs ............................................................................. 41 Exercise 4: Creating a PSET from Sheet Navigator ................................................. 42 Print Organizer
Workshop Overview
Along with Print Organizer you will learn how to create Print Styles, where they are
stored and how they are used. As you will see, this is an essential part of configuring
Print Organizer for optimal use. We will also discuss different approaches to using Print
Organizer so that you can decide the method best suited for your organization. We will
then learn how to use Print Organizer to create print sets and save them for future use.
Upon completion of this workshop you will be able to return to your office with the
knowledge and skills necessary to:

Plan the integration of Print Organizer

Create Print Styles

Efficiently use Print Organizer
Support Contact Information:
Phone support is available by calling 850-245-1600 or send email to:
[email protected]
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Print Organizer
CHAPTER 1: PRINT STYLES
Introduction to Print Styles
Print Styles provide an easy and flexible way of defining default print definition
properties for both Print Organizer and the Print dialog.
Using Print Styles, you can:

store print definition properties so that they can be easily reused

enforce drawing standards by turning on/off display parameters, using a particular
scale, or specifying a pen table

establish properties that pertain to the entire print set, such as printer name or
printer driver configuration file

apply default print definition properties when creating print definitions

save time by reducing the need to navigate through dialogs entirely.
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Print Styles are useful if you frequently use the same print definition properties every
time you print. For example, if you always print at a particular size with a specific pen
table, you can define those print definition properties in a Print Style and apply them
when you create print definitions or when you change printers. This is accomplished by
identifying a Print Style as a default Print Style or by assigning a Print Style to a printer
driver configuration file.
You can also store groups of commonly used print definition properties in a Print Style
and then reference them on-demand. This method of referencing Print Styles is helpful
when you use a group of print definition properties for a specific project or on an
occasional basis.
Where to Store Print Styles
Print Styles can be stored in the open DGN file or in DGN libraries. Print Styles that are
stored in the DGN libraries are shared throughout files and among users. Print Styles
which are stored in DGN files can only be accessed when that file is open. For this reason
it is recommended that Print Styles be stored in DGN libraries.
Care should be taken when working in DGN libraries that unintended information is not
included. For example placing text using a text style will cause the text style to be
embedded in the DGN Library. When the text is deleted the text style will remain
embedded in the DGN library and potentially cause a conflict in the future.
A DGN Library is just a normal DGN file with a .dgnlib extension. For the workspace to
recognize it as a DGN Library and load it when MicroStation starts its location must be
defined in the configuration variable MS_DGNLIBLIST.
The default Print Styles delivered with FDOT2010 are stored on the server in
\FDOT2010\RESOURCES\Dgnlibs
FDOT_PrintStyles.dgnlib.
The
FDOT2010
workspace provides several locations where users can store their own Print Styles without
any special configuration.

Site specific Print Styles can be stored in a file named Custom_PrintStyles.dgnlib
in the FDOT2010\RESOURCES\Dgnlibs directory on the server.

User specific Print Styles can be stored in a file named USER_PrintStyles.dgnlib
in the local \FDOT2010\Workspace/prefs/ directory.

Project specific Print Styles can be stored in the symb directory.
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The recommended method is to create a file named Custom_PrintStyles.dgnlib in the
\FDOT2010\resources\dgnlibs directory on the server and create all of the Print Styles for
your office in that file. The FDOT workspace knows to look for this file so no special
configuration is necessary. Since this file is not delivered with the FDOT software you do
not have to worry about it getting overwritten when future Maintenance Releases (MRs)
are applied.
Exercise 1: Print Style Location
This exercise will provide an example of how the location Print Styles can affect their
availability.
1. Using the FDOT2010 icon, open the file:
2. c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\planrd01.dgn
3. Select File > Print Organizer from the MicroStation menu.
4. In the Print Organizer dialog, select File > Add Files to Set…
5. On the Create Print Definitions dialog click the Add button and browse to
select c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\planrd01.dgn
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6. On the Create Print Definitions dialog click the Browse button (magnifying
glass icon) to select a Print style name.
7. On the Apply Print Style dialog, notice that there is a Print Style named
Roadway Plan Sheets stored in the file planrd01.dgn.
8. Click Cancel on the Apply Print Style dialog to close it.
9. Click Cancel on the Create Print Definitions dialog to close it
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10. On the MicroStation menu select File > Open and open the file:
11. c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\playrd01.dgn.
12. In Print Organizer, click on the Add files to Set icon
13. On the Create Print Definitions dialog, click the Add button and browse to
select c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\planrd01.dgn
14. On the Create Print Definitions dialog, click the Browse button (magnifying
glass icon) to select a Print style name.
15. On the Apply Print Style dialog, notice that there is no longer a Print Style
named Roadway Plan Sheets available. The Roadway Plan Sheets Print Style
is only available when the planrd01.dgn file is the active file, because it is not
included in the configuration variable MS_DGNLIBLIST.
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Creating Print Styles
The basic steps required to create a Print Style are:
1. Open the DGN file or DGN library in which you wish to create the Print Style.
2. Select File > Print Organizer. The Print Organizer dialog opens.
3. Select Tools > Define Print Styles. The Define Print Styles dialog opens.
4. Click the New
icon. A Print Style named New Print Style is created.
5. From the available tabs, define the print definition properties.
6. Click the Save
icon.
7. Exit the Define Print Styles dialog.
8. Save the active DGN file or DGN library.
The Define Print Styles dialog (Tools > Define Print Styles) in Print Organizer is used to
create Print Styles. The Define Print Styles dialog has an icon bar containing five icons.
You can also right-click in the Print Styles list box to invoke a pop-up menu containing
the same commands. The pop-up menu also contains a Rename command to allow you to
rename a Print Styles. This section describes the function of each icon.
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The New icon in the Define Print Styles dialog is used to create a Print Style.
Clicking the New icon creates a Print Style named “New Print Style” and activates the
tabs used to define the print definition properties.
The tabs used to define print definitions are:

Main tab
The Main tab defines area, paper, layout, and resymbolization options (pen table).
Print area should be set to Fence. A fence will be created based on the Print Definition
created on the Fence tab.
Rasterized should be unchecked unless the style is intended to show Rasterized features
like transparencies. This is recommended because created with the Rasterized option turn
on will be very large and print slower.
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
Advanced tab
The Advanced tab defines workspaces, color, raster, and update options.
It is recommended to leave the “User workspace” and “Project Workspace” fields blank.
If workspaces are left blank, the current workspace in use will be used.
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
Fence tab
The Fence tab defines model selection and fence creation methods.
Create Plot Definitions from Models should be set to “All design models” unless you are
using sheet models.
When defining the fence creation method, define as many search attributes as possible.
These options will reduce the search time by filtering out elements. When using the
FDOT workspace this will not be as important because FDOT has a level
(PlotBorder_dp) exclusively for plot borders.
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The option “Define from shape…” would be used for FDOT sheets.
Master model
If selected, the master model is searched to find the boundary-defining shape. Turn off
the master model to limit the search for the boundary-defining shape.
Reference files
If on, all reference files are searched to find the boundary-defining shape, provided that
no filenames, logical names, or regular expressions are entered in the References list box.
Turn off the reference files to limit the search for the boundary-defining shape.
References
Lets you type: logical names, file names, or regular expressions to identify one or more
references. This limits the search to a subset of the attached reference files.
Type the reference file name, logical name, or regular expression. To remove a reference,
select the reference and press the <Delete> key.
Create one print definition from first matching shape
(Visible only when specifying Print Definition Creation Options.) Specifies using the first
matching boundary-defining shape be used to define the print area.
Create one print definition for each matching shape
(Visible only when specifying Print Definition Creation Options.) Specifies only one plot
be created from each boundary-defining shape.
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Regular Expressions
Border:a.dg
is a Regular Expression
that defines the references
to be searched for print
borders.
Regular expressions are special character combinations that help you perform different
operations, such as searching for variable forms of text and selecting multiple items when
specifying the name of a cell, reference, or level.
Regular expressions that are common for all operations are listed below:
Character
Meaning
^
Beginning of a line or expression. When used at the beginning of an
expression, indicates that a line must start with the following pattern. When
used as the first character in a character class, negates the definition.
$
End of line or expression. When used at the end of an expression, indicates
that a line must end with the preceding pattern.
.
Any single character.
:a
An ASCII alphabetic character (equivalent to character class [a-z or A-Z]).
:d
An ASCII digit (equivalent to character class [0-9]).
:n
An ASCII alphabetic character or digit (equivalent to character class [a-z or
A-Z or 0-9]).
Also, a colon followed by a space matches any punctuation character.
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For example, if you have the following borders available for reference:
BorderPlan1.dgn
BorderPlan2.dgn
BorderPlan3.dgn
BorderPlanA.dgn
BorderPlanB.dgn
BorderProfile.dgn
BorderPlanProf.dgn
The following table shows those file names that are matched when using various
reference file name specifications.
Specify
Border.*
To search in the following
All seven references.
Searches all files beginning with “Border” followed by zero or more
of any other characters.
Three references — named
BorderPlan:d.dgn
Border:a.dgn
BorderPlan3.dgn
BorderPlan1.dgn, BorderPlan2.dgn,
Searches all files beginning with “BorderPlan” followed by a single
digit and then “.dgn.”
Two references — BorderPlanA.dgn and BorderPlanB.dgn
Searches all references beginning with “Border” followed by a
single alphabetic character and then “.dgn.”
BorderPlan2.dgn,
and BorderPlanB.dgn
Finds all references beginning with “Border” followed by a single
alphanumeric character and then “.dgn.”
Five references — named
Border:n.dgn
and
BorderPlan1.dgn,
BorderPlan3.dgn, BorderPlanA.dgn
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
Display tab
The Display tab contains controls used to specify various display attributes for print
definitions.
The check boxes have three states.
Checked will force that property ON at print time.
Unchecked and not shaded will force that property OFF at print time.
Shaded will use the properties defined in the design file. (In this case the View
Attributes)
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
Print tab
The Printer tab defines printer driver options.
On the Printer tab you have the option to select a Printer Driver Configuration file
(.pltcfg) . If left blank the .pltcfg can be defined in Print Organizer allowing you to use
one Print Style for many types of output.
If a system printer .pltcfg file is selected you will also be given the option to select a
Windows printer for output.
Other types of .pltcfg files do not require you to provide a “Windows printer name”
because they are defined within the driver.
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You can define default print definition properties in a Print Style and have them applied
when you create print definitions. To do this, you must designate a Print Style as a default
print style. A default Print Style is identified by its icon, which has a check mark on it.
1. Open the DGN file or DGN library that contains the Print Style.
2. Select File > Print Organizer. The Print Organizer dialog opens.
3. Select Tools > Define Print Styles. The Define Print Styles dialog opens.
4. Select the Print Style you want to designate as a default Print Style.
5. Click the Default Print Style icon.
6. Click the Save icon.
7. Exit the Define Print Styles dialog.
8. Save the active DGN file or DGN library
Exercise 2: Creating Print Styles
This exercise will demonstrate how to create a print style in a DGN Library so that it will
be available globally to all users in all files.
1. Start MicroStation using the FDOT2010 icon.
2. On the File Open (MicroStation Manager) dialog, click on the New File icon.
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3. On the New (file) dialog, Navigate to the c:\FDOT2010\resources\Dgnlibs
directory and key in the filename Custom_PrintStyles.dgnlib. After ensuring that
the fdtoseed2d.dgn is the seed file being used, click Save to create the file.
4. Back on the File Open dialog, change the Files of type filter to DGN Library Files
(*.dgnlib), select the Custom_PrintStyles.dgnlib file then click the Open button.
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5. Since you are opening a file that is not in a valid FDOT project directory structure,
you will prompted with a FDOTConfig.ma dialog box warning that reference file
search paths will be incomplete. Click Cancel since reference files will not be
required in this file.
6. When MicroStation opens, select File > Print Organizer, from the MicroStation
menu.
7. From the Print Organizer menu, select Tools > Define Print Styles…
8. On the Define Print Styles dialog, click the New icon.
9. A Print Style named New Print Style will be created. Right click on New Print
Style and select Rename from the context menu and give it the name FLUG
PLANSP.
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10. On the Main Tab, set the properties as shown below:
11. On the Advanced tab, set the properties as shown below:
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12. On the Fence tab, set the Create Print Definitions from Models field to All Design
Models, then click on the Define from shape… link
13. On the Fence – Define from Shape dialog, set the properties as shown below,
then click OK.
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14. On the Display tab, set the properties as shown below:
15. Leave the fields on the Printer tab blank, then click the Save icon to save the
changes to the Print Style.
16. Close the Define Print Styles, Print Organizer, and exit MicroStation.
17. To see the results complete the steps in Exercise 1. You should find that the FLUG
PLANSP Print Style created in Exercise 2 is available in all files where the
Roadway Plan Sheets Print Style is only available in planrd01.dgn.
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CHAPTER 2: PRINT ORGANIZER
Introduction to Print Organizer
Print Organizer is a utility for printing and reprinting sets of files, models, and Project
Explorer links stored in a print set file. The individual files and models within a print set
file are referred to as print definitions and can be hierarchically grouped in folders and
sub-folders.
Print Organizer's main dialog
Print definitions are created when you add files, models, or Project Explorer links to Print
Organizer. Assigning the proper values to print definition properties is an essential part of
creating a print set; therefore, Print Organizer provides several methods to assign print
definition properties and each method is used in a different context. These methods are:

Print Organizer's in-place editing feature — Allows you to edit individual
p2roperties for one or more print definitions by double-clicking the property in
Print Organizer's right pane to change its value. To edit a property for a group of
print definitions, select the print definitions, and then double-click the property to
change its value.

Single or multi-edit properties dialogs — Allow you to edit a group of print
definition properties for one or more print definitions. To edit a single print
definition, double-click it to open the Properties dialog or right-click it and select
Properties from the pop-up menu. To edit a group of print definition properties,
select the print definitions from the Print Organizer dialog and select Edit >
Properties.

Print Definition Creation Options dialog — Allows you to specify print definition
properties when creating print definitions. To open this dialog, select Manually
Specified Options on the Create Print Definitions dialog.
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Since Print Organizer uses the same printer drivers as the Print dialog, you can create
printed output either directly to the default system printer, or to a file saved to disk for
later submission to a printer.
Using Print Organizer, you can set print definition properties per item. This allows you to
specify different pen tables or use multiple workspaces in the same print set. For
example, suppose you have print definitions in two separate folders: Electrical and
Mechanical. You can specify a different pen table or workspace for the print definitions
in each folder.
Print Set hierarchical view
Print Organizer's left pane displays a tree view that displays folders and print definitions
for the active print set file. Print definitions can be organized inside folders, with
intermingled sub-folders and print definitions inside each folder. By default, the root
folder name is Untitled. The root folder inherits its name from the print set file name. Use
the Add Folder to Set menu item to add additional folders.
If a folder in the hierarchy has print definitions or sub-folders in it, you can:

click on the (+) sign to the left of the folders to open them and to see the print
definitions and subfolders they contain.

select the folder. When you do this, the Print Set list box (right pane) updates to
include only the print definitions and subfolders associated with the selected
folder.

select the print definition. When you do this, the Print Set list box updates to
display the selected print definition.
Print Set (list box)
Print Organizer's right pane lists print definitions, folders, and sub-folders for the selected
item in the hierarchical (left pane) view.
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Status Bar
Displays the name of the printer driver configuration (.pltcfg or .plt) file being used, the
number of items in the Print Set list box, and the number of items selected.
Pop-up menu for folders
If you right-click a folder or sub-folder in the right pane, you can directly access options
that are available in the File and Edit menus, as follows:

Items from the File menu — Print and Print Preview.

Items from the Edit menu — Delete and Rename.
Right-clicking a folder or sub-folder in the tree view (left pane) opens a pop-up menu
with additional choices:

Expand All— Opens all folders and sub-folders below the selected folder to see
the print definitions the folders contain.

Collapse All— Closes all folders and sub-folders below the selected folder.

Add Folder to Set—Adds a new folder to the Print Set hierarchical view.
Pop-up menu for print definitions
When you right click on a print definition, you can directly access options that are
available in the File and Edit menus, as follows

Items from the File menu — Print and Print Preview.

Items from the Edit menu — Delete, Rename, and Properties.
Pop-up menu for columns

Right-clicking a column heading opens a pop-up menu with the following
choices:

Column Headings — To show or hide columns, right-click on the row of column
titles. Use the menu to turn columns on or off.

Show All — Use the Show All menu item to turn on all columns.

More — Use the More menu item to move columns up or down. Selecting this
menu item opens the Show/Hide Columns dialog.
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Print Organizer Preferences
The Print Organizer Preferences are used to adjust printing and print engine settings.
Some of the print settings have associated configuration variables. These configuration
variables are honored and those defined override the corresponding preferences.
Preferences for which an override is in effect are disabled in the dialog.
Opens when Edit > Preferences is chosen in Print Organizer
Thumbnail preview timeout (sec)
Controls how long the thumbnail preview in the Print dialog paints before stopping to
allow the rest of the dialog to refresh. The default is 10 seconds. This is controlled by the
MS_PLT_THUMBNAIL_PREVIEW_TIMEOUT configuration variable.
Open design files in read-only mode
If set, Print Organizer opens all design files in read-only mode to prevent any inadvertent
modifications
to
the
files.
This
is
controlled
by
the
MS_PRINTORGANIZER_OPEN_DGN_READWRITE configuration variable.
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Printer Setup
This manual is using the method of defining the print output device (printer, PDF,
Postscript) using the Printer Setup dialog in Print Organizer. This is why it was
unnecessary to define Print Style properties on the Printer tab in Exercise 2. Print
Organizer will define the output location so that separate Print Styles are not necessary
for each device.
The Printer Setup dialog is used to define the output in Print Organizer. It is used to
select, edit, and reload a printer driver configuration file. To access the Printer Setup
dialog select File > Printer Setup from the Print Organizer menu.
The PLTCFG files used in the MicroStation Print dialog are also used in Print Organizer.
The PLTCFG file defines the output device that will be used.
If a Windows driver is selected additional fields to select the printer and configure it will
be available.
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Creating Print Sets
Print Organizer creates print set (.pset) files as a container for print definitions, folders
that group print definitions, and global set information pertaining to the print set. Each
print definition consists of a reference to a DGN file to be published, like a sheet in a
DGN file, along with properties, such as size, scale, and form name that determine how
the DGN file will be published within the print set.
If you are going to print the same set of files on a regular basis (for example, at different
milestones throughout the life of a project), you can save the set of files as a print set
(.pset) file. A print set is used to identify, save, recall, and print a particular set of files
and models.
You can open multiple instances of the same print set file, but only the first instance has
write access. Subsequent instances of the print set will open in read-only mode. Readonly mode allows you to preview and print the files, but if you make changes you will
need to save the print set with a different name.
To create a new, empty print set file the following steps are required:
1. From Print Organizer, select File > New. Print Organizer clears the window and
allows you to create a new print set file.
(If you have not saved the current print set, you are prompted to save it before
continuing.)
2. Select File > Save As. (The Save Print Set File dialog opens).
3. Navigate to the desired folder and type in the name of the print set.
4. Click Save. (The Save Print Set File dialog closes).
To add files to a Print Set (.PSET) in Print Organizer, you can:

drag and drop DGN files from Windows Explorer into Print Organizer

drag and drop a DGN file, model, or saved view link from Project Explorer into
Print Organizer

drag and drop models from the Models dialog into Print Organizer

right-click a DGN file, model, or saved view link in Project Explorer and select
Print Organizer

from Print Organizer, select File > Add Files to Set.
Regardless of which method you use to add files, models, or Project Explorer links to
Print Organizer, the Create Print Definitions dialog opens to help you create print
definitions
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Hierarchical Print Sets
Print Organizer allows you to define hierarchical organized print sets that best reflect the
ordering of their published output. To define this type of print set, you first create folders
and sub-folders below the root folder. Print definitions, which are created when files are
added, are then organized in the folders and sub-folders.
By default, the root folder gets its name from the print set name. When you save the print
set with a different name, the root folder name changes accordingly.
The folders also make it easier to print all of its contents without manually selecting the
files. To do this you can select the folder and click the Print icon or right click on the
folder and select Print from the context menu as shown below.
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Print Definitions
Print definitions are created when you add files to Print Organizer. Each print definition
consists of a reference to a DGN file to be published, along with properties, such as size,
scale, and form name that determine how the DGN file will be published within the print
set.
Editing Print Definitions
Print Organizer provides several methods to edit print definition properties and each
method is used in a different context. These methods are:

Print Organizer's in-place editing feature — Allows you to edit individual
properties for one or more print definitions by double-clicking the property in
Print Organizer's right pane to change its value.

Single or multi-edit properties dialogs — Allow you to edit a group of print
definition properties for one or more print definitions. To edit properties for a
single print definition, double-click it to open the Properties dialog or right-click
it and select Properties from the pop-up menu. To edit properties for multiple
print definitions, select the print definitions and select Edit > Properties.

Print Styles — Allow you to define and reuse named collections of print
definition properties that are stored in a DGN library. You can apply a print style
when creating print definitions or reference them on-demand.
In-place editing
Using Print Organizer's in-place editing feature, you can edit individual properties for one
or more print definitions by double-clicking the property value in Print Organizer's right
pane to change its value. In Details mode, Print Organizer's right pane displays print
definitions in tabular form , where each row is a print definition and each column is a
print definition property. To edit a property for one or more print definitions, select the
print definition(s) and double-click the property value to change its value.
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Some properties require you to type the property value while others display a list box you
can choose from. Properties that provide a list box are View, Print Area, Units, Paper
Size, Mirror, Rasterized, User/Project Workspace, Model, View Group.
If the property you want to modify is not listed in Print Organizer's right pane, you can
use the Show/Hide Columns dialog to turn on or off columns and to reorder column
headings.
Single- or Multi-edit Properties Dialogs
In addition to the in-place editing feature that allows you to edit individual properties for
one or more print definitions, you can edit a group of print definition properties for one or
more print definitions using the single- or multi-edit properties dialogs.
To edit properties for a single print definition, double-click the print definition name to
open the single-edit Properties dialog or right-click it and select Properties from the popup menu. The single-edit Properties dialog displays detailed information about the
selected print definition and allows you to edit the displayed information. As you change
print definition property values, related property values also change. The properties for
each print definition are organized into four tabs: Main tab, Advanced tab, Fence tab, and
the Display tab. A thumbnail preview is also included on the Main tab of the Properties
dialog.
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To edit properties for multiple print definitions, select the print definitions and select Edit
> Properties to open the multi-edit Modify Properties dialog. Unlike the single-edit
Properties dialog, the multi-edit Modify Properties dialog does not display any
information about the selected print definitions. Instead, it operates as a fill-in-the-blanks
form. Any properties specified are applied to each of the selected print definitions when
you click OK to dismiss the dialog. The Modify Properties dialog also contains four
tabs: Main tab, Advanced tab, Fence tab, and the Display tab.
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Using print styles to edit print definition properties
Print styles allow you to define and reuse named collections of print definition properties.
In addition to applying print styles at print definition creation time, you can reference
them on-demand. This method of referencing a print style is helpful when you use a
group of print definition properties for a specific project or on an occasional basis. For
example, if you always print at a particular size with a specific pen table, you can define
those print definition properties in a print style and have them applied to one or more
print definitions.
While you are working in Print Organizer you can apply a print style to one or more print
definitions. After you have selected the print definitions, you can select Tools > Apply
Print Style to open the Apply Print Style dialog. This dialog displays the print styles in
the open DGN file and in the configured DGN libraries. Print styles that display with
bold text reside in the active DGN file. To apply a print style, select the print style and
click OK.
WARNING: The Print Styles method should not be used to edit the print definitions of
files that contain multiple sheets. Print Organizer does not rescan the file to find fence
locations so the first sheet in the file is replotted for every sheet.
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Exercise 3: Creating PSETs:
This exercise will demonstrate the steps used to create and save PSETs.
1. Using the FDOT2010 icon, open the file:
c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\cliprd01.dgn
2. Select File > Print Organizer from the MicroStation menu.
3. Select File > Save As from the Print Organizer menu.
4. On the Save Print Set File dialog, navigate to c:\e\projects\19728125201, enter
the File name Manual.pset and click Save.
5. Right click on the Manual folder and select Add Folder to Set.
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6. Enter the folder name Roadway.
7. Select the Roadway folder, then click on the Add Files to Set icon
8. On the Create Print Definitions dialog, click the Add button to add files to the
print set.
9. On the Select Files dialog, navigate to the c:\e\projects\19728125201\roadway
folder and while holding the Crtl key down select the following files:

keysrd01.dgn

playrd01.dgn

sumqrd01.dgn

typsrd01.dgn
10. When the files have been selected, click Done.
11. The select files have been added to the Create Print Definitions dialog. Click the
Browse button (magnifying glass) to select a Print style name.
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12. On the Apply Print Style dialog, select FDOT PDF and click OK.
13. On the Create Print Definitions dialog, click OK.
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14. Right click on the playrd01 Print Definition and select Print Preview from the
context menu.
15. Note the sheet number (sheet 7 in this case) and then close the preview dialog.
16. Click playrd01 once to select, pause, and then click it a second time to edit the
name, inserting 07- before playrd01.
17. Repeat steps 16-18 for the other Print Definitions.
18. Use the Up and Down icons to organize the Print definitions in the proper order.
19. After all Print Definitions have been ordered, right click on the Roadway folder and
select Print Preview from the context menu.
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20. Notice that all of the Print Definitions in the Roadway folder are displayed
previewed in the proper order. Use the Print Definition (drop-down list box) or
Next and Previous buttons to explore the print previews before closing the
Preview dialog.
21. In Print Organizer, right-click the Manual folder and select Add Folder to Set
from the context menu, naming it Signing and Markings.
22. Select the Signing and Markings folder.
23. From the FDOT menu, select Standard > Explore Current Working Directory.
In the Explorer window, navigate to the C:\e\projects\19728125201\signing
directory.
24. Organize the dialogs so that you can see both the Explorer window and Print
Organizer.
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25. In Explorer, while holding the Ctrl key, select keyssp01.dgn, gnntsp01.dgn,
plansp01.dgn, plansp03.dgn and then drag them to the Signing and Marking folder
in Print Organizer.
26. The files will be added to the Create Print Definitions dialog. Click on the Browse
button (magnifying glass) icon to select a Print style name.
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27. On the Apply Print Style dialog, select the FLUG PLANSP style and click OK.
28. On the Create Print Definitions dialog, click OK.
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29. Now that the Print Definitions have been created, use the process learned earlier in
this exercise (steps 14-18) to preview each signing sheet and rename it with the
sheet number as a prefix.
30. Use the Up and Down arrows to organize the Print definitions in the proper order.
31. Select the Signing and Markings folder, then click the Print Preview button to
ensure everything is in order. When finished close the Preview window.
32. In Print Organizer, click the Save icon to save the PSET.
33. Select File > Printer Setup from the Print Organizer menu.
34. On the Printer Setup dialog, select the FDOTPDF.pltcfg file and click OK.
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35. In Print Organizer, select the Manual folder and click the Print icon.
36. On the Print dialog, select Open print file after creation and click OK.
37. When the PDF open review the sheets and notice how it is printed in the order
defined in the PSET.
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CHAPTER 3: Sheet Navigator PSETs
This chapter will show the first phase of an enhancement to Sheet Navigator that will
automate many of the steps preformed in the manual creation of a PSET as described in
Exercise 3. This enhancement to Sheet Navigator is available in FDOT2010 MR1.
Sheet Navigator can be used to create an index of a project as shown in the image above.
In this process Sheet Navigator mines all of the design files in a project to determine
which files contain sheets. It uses the information mined from the sheet borders, file
names, and the folder the files are stored in to determine to component the sheet belong
to. It then organizes the sheets in the proper order to complete the index.
This index can now be used to generate a PSET with sheets in the same order and with
Print Definitions named to match the sheet descriptions in the Sheet Navigator index. As
you can see in the image below, it is much easier to read and know which sheet is stored
in the Print Definition.
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Exercise 4: Creating a PSET from Sheet Navigator
This exercise will demonstrate the process of creating a Print Organizer PSET from Sheet
Navigator.
1. Using the FDOT2010 icon, open the file:
c:\e\Projects\19728125201\roadway\planrd01.dgn.
2. Start Sheet Navigator by clicking on the last button on the FDOT Menu.
3. When Sheet Navigator opens, select File > Open Project Index from the menu.
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4. When the index loads, select File > Generate Print Set from the menu
5. On the Save Print Set As dialog, enter the name SheetNavigator and click Save.
6. Print Organizer will open with the SheetNavigator PSET loaded.
7. Close Sheet Navigator.
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8. In Print Organizer, right click on the Seed Print Definition and select Delete from
the context menu.
9. Select File > Printer Setup from the Print Organizer menu.
10. On the Printer Setup dialog, use the Browse button (magnifying glass) to select
the FDOTPDF.pltcfg file and then click OK.
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11. Select the Roadway folder in the left pane and then select all of the plan sheets in
the right pane. Right click and select Properties from the context menu.
12. On the Modify Properties dialog, select the FDOT_GrayExisting,tbl pen table
using the browse icon (magnifying glass) and then click OK.
13. Notice that the pen table for the select files was updated appropriately.
14. Click the Save icon to save the change to the PSET.
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15. Right click on the Print Organizer folder and select Print from the context menu.
16. On the Print dialog, select Open print file after creation and click OK.
17. Review the resulting PDF file.
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