CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 1 - OVERVIEW

M.5.1 Managing User Preferences

Deleting User Preferences

Viewing User Preferences

» What are User Preference Files?

CONNECT Applications store user settings in several preference files. These files contain information such as user settings in the Preferences dialog box, your button assignments, the location of opened toolboxes, key-in history and much more.

1. On the bottom of your (Windows) screen select the Folder Icon.

2. On the View tab select Options.

3. On the folder Options dialog box select the View Tab.

Show Hidden files, folders and drives should be toggled on.

Hide extensions for known type should be off.

4. Click Apply to all Folders, OK and Cancel.

5. Browse to one of the following locations and explore the files and folders. Please note: Most CTDOT Computers will point to the C Drive,but older desktops may still point to the D Drive location. Consultants should search for their installed Windows user location as this could vary from how internal CTDOT Computers are configured.

C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenRoadsDesigner

C:\Users\YourName \AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenBridgeModeler

C:\Users\YourName \AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenBuildingsDesigner

Warning:

When OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler or OpenBuildings Designer Application is upgraded users will need to wipe out all their old User Preference folders and files. If users try to use older files they will most definitely run into issues.
User Preference folders and files occasionally become corrupt. This can happen after a crash or for no apparent reason dialog boxes are missing, example Tool Settings Dialog box. They appear open under the Window List but are not visible on the screen. When this happens, it is necessary to delete all your user preferences files and folders.

Deleting User Preferences

Say OpenRoads, OpenBridge or OpenBuilding is behaving strangely. For example, Toolboxes aren't where you left them, views won't tile, cannot access certain tools, getting error messages, the application is locking up… These all could be indications that your User Preference Files are corrupt.

» Why do these files tend to get corrupted?

The applications write to these files every time you open or move a tool window, or when you change any other setting that is kept in the UPF or programed though an XML. These files are dynamic and will grow in size as your preferences change; in some instances when the files become too large, they may become unstable or even corrupt.
Corruption may occur from running two or more copies of the same application at once. Each copy is writing to the same local user preference folders. They can get out of sync with each other and end up corrupting the files.
If you were prematurely booted out and did not get the opportunity to exit properly.

» How can I diagnose the problem?

The user preference files are some of the most important files the applications depend on to run correctly; that is why these files are always a suspect when one of the applications fails to work as expected or fails unexplainably. The list of problems possibly caused by a corrupted user preference files are too extensive to list, but fortunately these problems are fairly easy to diagnose and easy to fix.

If a specific problem is experienced simultaneously by several different people, it is MOST LIKELY NOT caused by your personal user preference files (each login ID has a separate local user preference storage area). If anyone’s user preference files are corrupt and causing a problem, it is not likely this exact problem will be experienced simultaneously by other users.
If the problem is experienced in only one particular DGN file but not in other files, it is MOST LIKELY NOT due to bad user preference files. The user preference files control the behavior of application regardless of the file being accessed; therefore, problems evident in only a single file usually indicate a problem with that particular DGN file. If the same problem occurs in multiple DGN files opened by a single user, this is a likely indication of user preference file corruption.
If the problem is experienced by the same person on more than one computer, it is MOST LIKELY NOT caused by corrupted user preference files. User preference files reside on the local hard drive and will not be carried over to another machine.
If the problem is experienced by only one person, on a single computer, regardless of the file being accessed, then this is MOST LIKEY caused by a corrupt user preference file.

» How can I fix the problem?

It is important to know that a User Preference Files (UPFs) cannot be fixed; if they get corrupt you will need to wipe them out and create new ones from the files provided with the software installation. The UPF problem can be fixed but the UPFs themselves cannot be recovered. It is a good idea to keep a log of settings you regularly change when you get new UPFs.

To create a new User Preference Files follow the steps below:

Exit OpenRoads, OpenBridge or OpenBuilding - The User Preference Files are accessed each time the application is started so to remove them you will need to be out of each program.
Browse to the location of the application you are having issues with. Please note: Most CTDOT Computers will point to the C Drive,but older desktops may still point to the D Drive location. Consultants should search for their installed Windows user location as this could vary from how internal CTDOT Computers are configured.
C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenRoadsDesigner

C:\Users\YourName \AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenBridgeModeler

C:\Users\YourName \AppData\Local\Bentley\OpenBuildingsDesigner
Delete all of the files and folders under the specific program folder.
Restart the application - All of these needed files will automatically get recreated when you open the program.
If the problem is gone, the old user preference files were at fault. If the problem is not gone, it was not caused by the old User Preference Files. Fill out the AEC Support Form and remember to mention that you have already tried recreating the User Preference Files and it did not help.