How to import dgn with specific colors

[GeraldThornberry]

We recently upgraded from ArcGIS 10.1 to 10.3.  Before the upgrade, opening Microstation DGN files would display line work in a 3-color scheme that we use for hydrographic survey depths (there are no other features in the drawings except for lines and annotation).  The correct colors would display without making manual adjustments. Now, in 10.3, the colors displayed are random.

I know that I can manually adjust the colors and achieve the same result.  However, this was not necessary in our 10.1 setup.  I also don't remember if customizations had been applied to make this possible in 10.1 (custom style file that is automatically applied?, modified normal.mxt?, etc.)

Does anyone have insights how to, either,:

1.  prevent the Microstation color table from being misread when adding a DGN into ArcGIS?

or

2.  enable an ArcGIS customization that automatically maps DGN layers to defined colors?

Thanks!

[AdrianWelsh]

Hi Gerald,

You likely had a custom style file (or, realistically, a layer file) that was used in order to get the color schemes to show up correctly. Every time I import a dgn into ArcMap (10.3.1), it is always random for me.

Also, it is possible that you had to first export your DGN into a DWG in order for things to look proper in ArcMap 10.1. Since 10.2.2 or so (or maybe 10.3, I can't remember), dgn files are handled better. Maybe you could export your DGN to a DWG and see if you line styles are coming in on the right symbology?

Do you happen to have the old MXDs you used with 10.1? Or have any old folders that might have had a layer file or style files with them? If so, you could likely still use those.

Also, it might be best to place this forum in a more CAD-like place since Community Help is mainly for GeoNet help. Though, I am having a hard time finding a 'generic' CAD place aside from GIS for Hydrographic Surveying​ or ​ (I don't think you would want it here ArcGIS for AutoCAD​ since it is AutoCAD related).

Side note... should we create a CAD/GIS data integration Place?

[GeraldThornberry]

Thank you, @AdrianWelsh.  I interpreted "Community Help" as general help, so I should definitely find a different home for this question.  I think a CAD/GIS Integration Place is a great idea.  The Hydro Survey group was the best fit that I found prior to posting, but that would be extremely limiting due to the small community. 

Our workflow never included export to DWG since we're Microstation-oriented.  We didn't manually symbolizing with a .lyr, either, though I couldn't tell you, at this point, quite how the magic happened.  Perhaps it just read the color table from the .dgn, but I could be wrong.  Unfortunately, the 10.3 install deleted the whole 10.1 directory structure.  I'm curious if there was a custom file in C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.1\Styles that made it happen.

I appreciate your response.  I'll try reposting to a CAD-oriented spot.

[AdrianWelsh]

Gerald,

You do not need to repost. You can just Edit your post (up in the top right there are some Actions and Edit is one of them) and move it to a different place. I just created CAD/GIS Data Integration​ so let's start getting it populated!

If the 10.3 install wiped out ArcGIS Directories, did you have your MXDs saved somewhere else?

[GeraldThornberry]

Thanks for creating the new place!

Yes.  MXDs are saved elsewhere.  When my coworker opened one of them the colors display correctly. 

[AdrianWelsh]

No prob! I hope it works out and we can start coming to a better integration of CAD and GIS data.

If all of your DGNs will have similar values to the one you have in your MXD, could you save that as a layer file, then just repopulate the layer file each time? Or maybe save the styles into a new style file?

[GeraldThornberry]

I've made a new .lyr file to make symbolizing easier.  That should do it for now.  Thanks, Adrian.

[AdrianWelsh · Accepted solution]

Great! I am glad to know this helped. If this answered your question, please mark the thread response as correct.