Beyond MicroStation VBA

1
Beyond MicroStation VBA
Vince Thompson Geometric Technology
2
VBA Project Manager

• MicroStation Menu Command
• Utilities-gtMacro-gtProject Manager
• VBA Macros use mvba file name extension.

3
MicroStation VBA Examples

• Sample MVBA files found in folder
• \Program Files\Bentley\Workspace\System\
• vba\examples
• Other example sources
• Bentley Select
• Bentley Developer Network (BDN)
• Upcoming MicroStation VBA Book

4
Where To Find Help

• MicroStation Readme File.
• MicroStation VBA Help File.
• Bentley Newsgroup discussion.bentley.com
• Bentley.microstation.v8.vba
• Bentley Select Support
• Bentley Developer Network

5
VBA Limitations

• VBA is not compiled
• VBA Protection is Limited (Google VBA Crack)
• VBA meets .NET
• Two Solutions Examined
• Move VBA to Visual Basic.
• Native Mode MicroStation Programming

6
Programming Style

• Programmers Buzz Words
• Thick Client vs. Thin Client
• Business Rules
• N-Tier Programming Techniques
• Object Oriented Programming
• (VBA supports all of the above techniques)

7
Thick vs. Thin Clients

• A programmers view of code organization.
• Thick Clients
• All computational code placed in with the Form.
• Thin Clients
• Separate user interaction code from computation
  and Business Rules.
• GUI displayed as Form, Web Page, etc.

8
Business Rules

• Collections of computational procedures placed in
  modules separate from the user interface code.
  For example
• Routines that might lookup data from tables when
  placing elements in a model.
• Routines that scan a design file looking for
  elements with a certain level, color, weight
  criteria.
• These modules may run outside of a VBA Macro.

9
N-Tier Programming

• Move logical grouping of code to separate
  modules.
• Program modules could run on separate computers
  or all on the same.
• VBA Forms run on local computer
• Business Rules run on Department Server
• Engineering Analysis Modules run on Engineerings
  Server
• Database code run on Database Server

10
Object Oriented Programming

• This opens up a world of possibilities
• Develop code around real world features.
• Each feature is defined as a class with methods,
  properties, and events.
• Design classes as if theyre experts whom you
  would ask questions from. (How many, how tall,
  what elevation, calculate volume, etc.)

11
VBA Conforms

• VBA Supports these programming techniques in
  stand-alone MVBA applications.
• However
• New options emerge allowing Business Rules and
  Object Oriented code to become part of a compiled
  program using Visual Basic or other languages.

12
External Programs

• Stand-alone program (exe).
• ActiveX component (dll).
• Compiled programs hide your intellectual property
  from theft or unauthorized modifications.

13
COM Programming

• ActiveX components (EXE and DLL) are COM Objects.
• Visual Basic, C/C and other languages are
  capable of building COM Objects.

14
VBA vs. VB.NET

• More Source Code Changes In Your Future?
• Significant Changes to the Visual Basic language.
• Rewrite VBA code to comply with .NET
  requirements.
• Increased Object Oriented capabilities.
• Using .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR)

15
MicroStation Native Mode Programming

• Visual C/C programming using Visual Studio
• Use Visual C Debugger
• Runs in same codespace as MicroStation
• Can call MDL functions directly unlike VBA
  wrapper functions.
• Compiled programs.

16
Native Mode Program Structure

• Executables
• Requires .MA file to load resources and identify
  .DLL program.
• DLL program identified in .MA application.
• Other Advantages
• Build custom key-in commands.
• Access to internal MDL resources.

17
Geometric Technology

• VThompson_at_SomeoneKnows.com
• Custom MicroStation VBA, MDL, and Native Mode
  Development.
• Database Development
• Bentley GeoGraphics Spatial Development.