Introduction

AreaAnnotator is the solution to a common question posed by MicroStation users: "How do I measure an area and have that measurement updated automatically?".

Area Measurements

AreaAnnotator is an area annotation tool for MicroStation 2004 Edition and later. It lets you annotate an area feature, such as a shape or complex shape element, using a tag set. AreaAnnotator observes changes to the shape and updates the area tag in the tag set automatically.

Length and Volume Measurements

AreaAnnotator also measures length and volume (3D only, of course).

You can read about AreaAnnotator at Eat Your CAD.

Other Features

Perimeter Measurement

You can use AreaAnnotator to annotate the perimeter measurement of a shape. That is, you can measure and annotate both area and perimeter.

Number Formatting

If you want to see the annotation as something more informative than just a number, AreaAnnotator can format the measurement into human-readable text. For example, if an area measures 134.567890432, you are entitled to ask the question, "134.567890432 what? Miles, metres, square cubits? A number is meaningless without its units! And what's the use of nine decimal digits to anyone?"

In answer to your perfectly valid point, AreaAnnotator can render that area in a more digestible form, such as Area: 134.57 sq metres.

Object IDs

AreaAnnotator can help you to annotate object IDs. If you are annotating rooms you may want a consistently-numbered room ID. For example, room numbering in your current model may start with room 100 and continue in increments of five. What's more, you can add explanatory text around the ID, so your sequence would look something like Room 100, Room 105, …, Room 125, Room 130.

Platforms

Bentley Systems flagship CAD platform is MicroStation. PowerDraft provides all the 2D and most of the 3D functionality of MicroStation, but at lower cost.

MicroStation V8 2004 Edition

LA Solutions provides AreaAnnotator software for MicroStation V8 2004 Edition and later. It has been developed and tested on MicroStation V8.05.02.35. We believe that it works satisfactorily with MicroStation XM.

PowerDraft V8 2004 Edition

We have not tested AreaAnnotator with PowerDraft, but believe that it should work correctly. Let us know!

Area Reports

AreaAnnotator is a silent utility. It does a very specific job, which is to monitor shapes and record their areas. It won't help you create schedules or reports. However, our product FlexiTable™ is a great tool for extracting information from tags. FlexiTable will help you create impeccable reports, tables, and even pie or bar charts.

There is more information about FlexiTable™.

How much is AreaAnnotator?

Nothing! It's free; gratis; nada. Download it and start using it.

License Terms

LA Solutions provides AreaAnnotator software as is for MicroStation V8 2004 Edition and later. No warranty of fitness for purpose is provided. Use at your own risk.

LA Solutions Ltd grants you a zero-cost license to use AreaAnnotator on one or more computers. You will not sell loan or copy AreaAnnotator to any third-party. You will not purport AreaAnnotator to be the intellectual property of any entity other than LA Solutions Ltd.

How to Obtain AreaAnnotator

The simplest way is to use the form below. You will be forwarded to a page where you can download AreaAnnotator.

Click the request AreaAnnotator link, then complete the form. You can then download a ZIP file containing the AreaAnnotator MDL application for MicroStation.