Microstation V8i Select Series 3 -

In V8i SS3, workspaces are defined by *.upf (user preference) files and *.cfg configuration files. Unlike CONNECT Edition’s project-centric model, SS3 is user-centric.

Pro tip: Keep your _ustn.cfg file organized. Use %ifdef statements to switch between office and field conditions.

One of MicroStation’s superpowers is native .dwg read/write without conversion. SS3 supported AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 file formats. You could open a DWG, edit it with MicroStation’s toolbox, and save it back without losing any AutoCAD properties—an absolute game-changer for multi-discipline projects. microstation v8i select series 3

While stable and powerful, MicroStation V8i SS3 is no longer supported by Bentley Systems as of 2020. Important limitations for current users:

Migration path: Bentley recommends moving to MicroStation CONNECT Edition (Update 17 or later) for Windows 11 compatibility, modern GPUs, and iTwin interoperability. In V8i SS3, workspaces are defined by *

The reference file system in V8i SS3 is legendary. You can attach hundreds of DGN, DWG, DXF, PDF, and raster images as references. The Nesting Depth control and Live Nesting allowed teams to work on a master file while others edited subsections in real-time—a precursor to today’s cloud collaboration.

While not as advanced as MicroStation’s current parametric capabilities, SS3 included robust solid modeling tools: extrusion, sweeping, lofting, and boolean operations (union, subtract, intersect). It was fully compatible with Parasolid kernel (same as SolidWorks and NX). The reference file system in V8i SS3 is legendary

Bentley packed SS3 with powerful tools that were ahead of their time.