Connecticut State Department of Transportation

CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 1 - OVERVIEW


Module 3 - CTDOT Employee DDE Sync


Description

This module will instruct CTDOT Employees on how to set up the CTDOT CONNECT DDE for use with OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler and OpenBuildings Designer within the Compass/SharePoint environment.

Users will sync from both their personal location and the State of Connecticut Enterprise location.

After syncing two icons will appear in Windows Explorer:

OneDrive Icon

  

The blue cloud labeled OneDrive - State of Connecticut (OneDrive - <Tenant>) contains files and folders synced from the user’s personal OneDrive on the State of Connecticut Office 365 Tenant. No one can see or access these files unless the user specifically shares them with others.

 

Enterprise Icon

 

The blue building labeled State of Connecticut contains data synced from the tenant outside of the user's personal space. This includes COMPASS projects and other SharePoint sites. Access is given through site permissions set up by the SharePoint site admin.

 

There are three sub-modules designed to set up the CTDOT CAD Environment:

  • M.3.1 Syncing the SharePoint DDE – This is equivalent to the old network W:\ Drive storage location for the CAD Workspace and when synced will show up under the Enterprise icon.
  • M.3.2 Syncing a COMPASS Project – This is equivalent to the old network P:\ and X:\ Drive project locations and when synced will show up under the Enterprise icon.
  • M.3.3 Creating a Non-Projects CAD Work Area – These areas are set up for Non-Project work (i.e. creation of agency-standard drawing or training files). Non-Project work can be stored in two main locations:
    • In a user's personal OneDrive (when synced will show up under the OneDrive icon)
    • On a Non-COMPASS SharePoint site (when synced will show up under the Enterprise icon)
Objectives:
  • Sync the DDE from SharePoint
  • Integrate CAD files with O365 and COMPASS

Before beginning the workflow, please ensure the needed CONNECT Edition applications have been installed. The CTDOT CONNECT DDE is configured to work with:

  • OpenRoads Designer® (ORD) is Bentley’s civil design software solution for surveying, roadway, drainage, subsurface utilities, and site design. ORD supersedes Bentley’s previous design software packages InRoads, GEOPAK, MX, and Power Civil.
  • OpenBridge Modeler® (OBM) is Bentleys’ 3D bridge modeling software. OpenBridge Modeler is part of the OpenBridge Designer® suite of products. OpenBridgeModeler® will be installed along with LEAP Bridge Steel®, LEAP Bridge Concrete®, RM Bridge® when OpenBridge Designer® is installed.
  • OpenBuildings Designer® (OBD) is Bentley’s building design and energy analysis software.

All three products contain the functionality of MicroStation CONNECT Edition along with added specific design capabilities.  Note that OpenBridge Modeler is the CAD component of OpenBridge Designer. CTDOT will not support the use of plain MicroStation CONNECT Edition with our standard configuration files as only OpenRoads Designer, OpenBridge Modeler, and OpenBuildings Designer align with the Building Information Modeling (BIM) functionality needed to move design data through its lifecycle.

Based on your unit, you will need one of the above applications installed. If the needed applications are not installed, you will need to contact the DOT Help Desk via email at DOT.Helpdesk@ct.gov.