What is Microstation

[james.eustace]

I see this program mentioned over and over. I see in the wanted adds firms are looking for people with Microstation experience.People I talk about it to sing its praises but no one has anything I can actually see. Everyone used it at the last place they worked. Is there somewhere I can get maybe a limited trial version of this program just to check it out and see if it is something I may want to look farther into?All I get with a search is places to buy it. I can't really see me or my company going from AutoCAD to it but if it is as great as everyone says it is I may look farther into finding some training on it somewhere. especially if I ever plan on moving on fro here.I'm in no way looking for a pirate version of it but I know some companies do offer like I mentioned earlier a short trial version good for a week or a month or something. Hell a couple screen shots would even be more info than I have really been able to get my hands on.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Please note I have *moved* this thread from the Education (http://forums.augi.com/forumdisplay.php?f=245) forum to this one as I feel this particular Forum is a more appropriate place for such a topic.

Thanks, Mike

Forum Moderator

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Try the forum search (http://forums.augi.com/search.php?) facility, you should be able to find quite a bit of information on Microstation here in the forums.

To get you going in the right direction, take a look at the following thread...

Microstation ?'s (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=8575)

Have a good one, Mike

[Brian Myers]

Microstation is a Bentley product and while it can be used in other industries, it's primarily a Civil application in the USA.

Microstation information:
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/MicroStation/

Their local user groups:
http://www.be.org/en-US/BE+Community/Find+a+Community/

It's not better software from Autodesk software... just different. Mostly used for government projects (often required) which is why you'll see it used so often. But yes, it's a good program and many AutoCAD users use both.

[SteveChestnut]

Hello James,

Brian is correct about Microstation except for it being mostly used by civil. Microstation is the PC version of the old Intergraph IGDS system. Many large companies bought into CAD back in the old mainframe days. The Microstation you see now is about 25 years of evolution. I've seen Microstation used for all types of disciplines. Like AutoCAD it is a CAD package and both are good products. You'll come across people on AUGI who cannot type the word Microstation without typing yuk! behind it. Don't let that influence you. Those people who are so quick to put it down have no idea of how it works or how to use it.

AutoCAD is the most widely used CAD program and that is why Microstation has been going out of their way to accommodate AutoCAD DWG files. We use both Microstation and AutoCAD in my office. I've worked with Microstation since 1982. One of the advantages of Microstation in my book is the interface. It works more like Windows and a lot of settings and parameters are controlled through dialog boxes. The "keyin everything" people really dislike this. My own opinion is that AutoCAD reminds me of an old DOS program that still requires you to go through a DOS command window. I personally prefer the Microstation menus and tool pallets. But there are things in AutoCAD like the ability to use the scroll wheel to zoom and pan that are lacking in Microstation. I'd give both programs a B+.

I'd recommend that you take a look at it and make up your own mind if you like it.
Contact a Bentley sales rep and ask for a demo copy. The demo is full Microstation but will only run for 15 minutes at a time. Here's a link to the Bentley website.

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/Contact+Us/

Have fun and write back with any questions.
Steve