CAD for MX V8 XM

DWG-DGN terminology
AutoCAD Term

MicroStation PowerDraft Term

Notes

Cell libraries

ACIS

Parasolid

Attributes

Tags

Balloon

Callout bubble

Bind XREF

Merge into Master

Blocks

Cells: shared and normal

ByLayer setting

ByLevel setting

Command line

Key-in

Drafting Settings

View Attributes

Drawing layout (paper

space)

Sheet model

Drawing units

Working units

DWG file

DGN file

Explode

Drop Element

Freeze layers

Global Freeze

No analogous AutoCAD term.

Native 3D modeling kernel for
each program.
In AutoCAD, attributes must be
part of a block.

Inserting an external reference

into the current drawing.
In AutoCAD, all blocks behave
like shared cells. There is no
analogy to a normal cell.
Setting that controls whether
color, line weight, and line style
are set for each level (layer).
Place for entering
commands/variables manually.
In AutoCAD, there is no
analogy to View Attributes.
Some settings are found in the
taskbar/drafting settings area.
Unlimited sheet models
(drawing layouts) allowed in
both programs.
MicroStation PowerDraft has a
setting on the DWG Open
dialog box for Design Center
Units. This corresponds to
AutoCAD's setting for Drawing
units for DesignCenter blocks.
Native file format for each
program.
Command used to demote
element/object types to lower
level. For example, cells/blocks
can be demoted to geometry.
In MicroStation PowerDraft, pay
attention to the Mode setting in
the Level Display dialog box.

Viewport Freeze (DWG workmode

only)
Grips

Handles

Hatching

Patterning

Layers

Levels

Vertices on geometry that can

be selected and manipulated.
AutoCAD hatching relies on
predefined patterns.
Both programs have a
Manager style dialog box for
controlling level/layer
symbology. MicroStation
PowerDraft also has the Level
Display dialog box for quick
on/off settings.

CAD for MX V8 XM

DWG-DGN terminology
AutoCAD Term

MicroStation PowerDraft Term

Linetypes

Line styles

LTSCALE

ACTIVE LINESTYLESCALE

Model space

Design model

Nested references

Nested references

Objects

Elements

Osnap

AccuSnap

Plot

Print

Plot styles

Pen tables

Polyline

Smart Line

Properties

Element Information

Rectangle

Block

References:
attachments and
overlays

References

Region

Shape

System variables

Configuration variables

Template drawing
files

Seed files

Text window

Message Center

UCS

ACS

Viewports

View

Zoom extents

Fit View

Notes
MicroStation PowerDraft
standard line codes are not
available in DWG workmode.
Configuration/system variable
used to define the scale of line
scale/linetype patterns.
DWG workmode and AutoCAD
allow only one model.
MicroStation PowerDraft DGN
workmode allows multiple
models.
MicroStation PowerDraft lets
you control levels of nesting;
AutoCAD does not.

Drafting tool for automatic

snaps.

AutoCAD CTB and STB files

can be imported into
MicroStation PowerDraft.
Polylines can have variable
width, as opposed to constant
line weight.
Title for current symbology of
elements/objects.

AutoCAD references are also

known as XREFs (for eXternal
REFerences). MicroStation
equivilant of an overlay is to set
No Nesting.

It is recommended that you not

insert AutoCAD system variable
values in fields in a DWG file
that you expect to save to DGN
format.
These files are used as a
starting point for newly-created
files. They store standard
settings.
Place for viewing text
messages of program
feedback.
Coordinate system acronyms.
ACS = Auxiliary Coordinate
System; UCS = User
Coordinate System.
MicroStation PowerDraft views
are more flexible in terms of
display attributes and number.
Command for zooming in on all
elements currently in the
drawing.