Interoperability is most beneficial when it is implemented to support real world workflows. Workflows must be flexible and must consider the dynamic interaction between groups and among individuals. The ArcGIS connector enables MicroStation users to implement any number of workflows that require the exchange of information with ESRI geodatabases. Typical use cases involve the use of three workflows: “extract from the geodatabase,” “capture and post to the geodatabase,” and “extract, modify, and post.”
Extract from the Geodatabase
Infrastructure projects often require the use of existing information as context. Users may need to extract relevant information from a geodatabase into a Bentley engineering application, perhaps to support decision making. Consider a communications engineering case: the engineer is designing network extensions with Bentley Communications solutions to service a new neighborhood and would like to incorporate the demographic and projected growth information stored in his company’s marketing geodatabase, which would enable him to consider future demands in the area and achieve the optimal network design for the present and future. Using the ArcGIS Connector, the relevant information can be extracted and incorporated into his design environment for use in the engineering workflow.
Capture and Post to the Geodatabase
Capturing infrastructure information in Bentley GIS solutions built on MicroStation is tremendously productive. Often, organizations choose to engineer and manage infrastructure in Bentley GIS solutions while other departments within their organization use ESRI software for planning and other functions. Consider a municipal planning organization working in an ESRI environment who wants to ensure that they take into account utility and other public works initiatives. This information could be periodically posted into the planning geodatabase via the ArcGIS Connector.
Extract, Modify, and Post to the Geodatabase
Consider this case: a utility maintains its utility network, landbase, and other information in an ESRI geodatabase, but its engineering department elects to perform network design in a Bentley application. They want the engineers to be able to update the geodatabase with as-built information about the network, landbase, and any other relevant information from the field.
The ArcGIS Connector allows the engineering users to extract the information needed for the design, update the proposed network information in the geodatabase, and eventually update the information with final as-builts. Modifications made by the engineering users adhere to the schema and validation rules defined in the geodatabase via the intelligence in the extraction process and XML Feature Modeling (XFM) based engineering application. Upon completion of modification, the information may be posted, or if conflicts occur, reconciled with ArcMap Editor prior to final commit.