Ini Manager for InRoads civil.ini

InRoads Ini Manager

InRoads v8.7

Does anybody have any needs/suggestions for the managing the new XML-based settings in InRoads v8.7? Let me know, maybe it'll wind up in a free tool: service@civilxlr8.com

Ini Manager

Downloads:

Note: I don't bundle anything (spyware, malware, etc.) with any of my stuff. Whatever Visual Basic 6.0 puts in there is all that is in there.

The "Standalone" is a simple executable which works in most cases and requires certain Windows controls which may not be installed on old Windows machines (some NT 4.0 or earlier). It also will not automatically install the Help file. The Setup file installs the support files if they do not exist on the target machine, but as with any script that overwrites system files, could cause problems. Full Instructions

Latest "Standalone" Executable: ini_man.exe or ini_man.zip

Help file: ini_man_hlp.chm or ini_man_hlp_chm.zip (much functionality has been added since this help was written).

Full Setup (rare danger of blue screen!, see instructions): Setup_IniMan.EXE (expires 5/30/04)

Important Notes:

BUG!! I noticed a bug: the Feature Export to .csv apparently shifts the first column. Make sure the Description matches what you have in InRoads. I'll debug this eventually.

Note: InRoads 2004 apparently has a "weight" for point display, which may or may not add a field to the .ini and may or may not affect the Symbology Import/Export.

Note: Please email me if you need Ini Manager right away; I'd like to wait to post a new one until I have the above bug and the new field impact figured out. I still have no idea how many people use this software... Thanks, -jeff

What is Ini Manager

Helps manage the InRoads civil.ini preference file, including a new interface to better manage the named levels available in MicroStation v8/InRoads v8.3+.

Note to InRoads Administrators:

Managing InRoads is a difficult task, but has tremendous production and quality benefits. We provide implementation and management services to get your InRoads Implementation manageable. Call for assistance!

Notes from Jeff:

3/31/04: New Fix! The Import Features from CSV has had problems since I wrote it 22 months ago. It's fixed now. Note: the column order has changed. It is now sequential from "000Symbology=" to "015DisplayAsProjec.." with the "006mystery" column deleted. Export Features to CSV has the format as a header row. Existing CSV's are easily reordered using the Cut Column/Insert Cut Cells option in Excel.

1/9/4: Warning: there has been an error with Importing Text Symbology Justifications from the beginning (InRoads reverts to Top Left) and the Export to CSV button leaves off the last Named Symbology. I'm not sure when I'll get a fix in.

Concerning the Justification, the error seems to be a difference between two formats: the original is of the form "000DefaultLineSymbology..." A newer format is showing itself from within InRoads of the form "000 Default LineLineSymbology". I've done global search and replaces (from the latter to the former) and that seems to take care of the problem. I'll try to figure this out and get it fixed. Email me if you want an email when it's fixed.

old/good	000DefaultLineSymbology...
new/iffy	000 Default LineLineSymbology...

I've added a button to Export Preferences to Spreadsheets. The output is Tab-delimited and in column format rather than row format since Excel only handles 256 columns and some preferences exceed that. I'll be testing it over the first half of January. Be careful until then. Be careful afterwards. I'll try to get some documentation going...

I'm fooling with a lot of new functionality, all of which I am currently doing outside Ini Manager. I don't really have a feel how many people are using Ini Manager and what they are using it for. Please email me (jeff@civilxlr8.com) and let me know what you use Ini Manager for and what additional functionality you'd like to see. I promise not to bother you with phone calls trying to sell services or pass on any information to anyone else.

Spreadsheet Export/Import

Designed to help manage MicroStation v8 and AutoCAD Named Levels (in conjunction with the level numbers of MicroStation/J and earlier). Read the On-Line Help for further information.

Save Time: I was able to create intelligent layer names for over 150 Named Symbologies (over 750 line items) and do thorough QC for Naming Convention Conformity and capitalization, etc., in less than 30 minutes!!

NEW!! Feature Styles can now be Exported/Imported!

Spreadsheet Export/Import has been cleaned up and beautified. Headers have been added defining the format and an additional column has been added to allow sorting by type.

A "Swap" function has been added to the Filter selection process.

The Results form "Save As..." button now will not overwritten existing files.

7/10/02 cut: Import from Spreadsheet: checks for invalid level numbers.

What Ini Manager facilitates:

Designed to manage the mutations from Standards of many civil.ini's across a distributed environment.

Optimized for managing SelectCAD civil.ini's, Ini Manager provides the ability to

segregate file operations by SelectCAD function
filter operations by Preference "themes" or groups
filter Preference themes by keyword or pattern
export to file, filtered by Preference "themes" or groups"
resize text heights, widths, and/or linespacing globally or by filter
sort definitions alphabetically by Header
identify differences between two files
append definitions from one file to another (excellent for building libraries of Feature Filters, etc.) and

Automatically or selectively Overwrite (Clobber) deviant Definitions.

Downloads Instructions

This version of Ini Manager is not yet complete. Thorough debugging and completion of ancillary functionality is still pending. It is made available so that user feedback might be incorporated into its design. Please use caution and verify the results. No warranty is implied; use the software at your own risk.

The full Ini Manager setup can change system files. The advantage to a full set up is that it will load necessary support files (most of which are already available on newer systems), create Start Menu shortcuts and link the help file to the F1 key. This disadvantage is that is can change some system files and hose things up (I have had three reports of Blue-Screens-of-Death). I have updated and cleaned up the install script, but one never knows...

A safe alternative to the full install is to download only ini_man.exe and running it directly. The Help file can (and should) be downloaded and run separately.

Full Setup file

Danger: upon Install you may get a prompt that some systems files are out of date. I HIGHLY recommend that you leave the files alone. Only if Ini Manager does not run successfully, then consider Re-Installing Ini Manager and accepting the prompt to overwrite the system files, Do so Only at Your Own Risk. I have had a couple of people get the Blue-Screen-of-Death after overwriting the system files. I have updated and cleaned up the install script, but one never knows...

Please Call for Help or to Provide Feedback

This is more a labor of love (yes, I know, I need therapy) than anything else. Your feedback is truly appreciated in making this tool useful. Please let me know what you like or don't like, especially with this new ASCII Export/Import functionality.

Email info@civilxlr8.com or call Jeff at 619-890-0675. I promise not to try sell you any consulting or anything (for the first ten or twenty calls, at least).

Why are versions Time Stamped?

I have set expiration dates on the executables, to force users off older obsolete (and/or buggier) versions.

[ Home ] [ No Limits ] [ InRoads ] [ Storm&Sanitary ] [ Training Manuals ] [ Services ] [ Tools ] [ About Us ] [ New Page 1 ]