Bentley has released the fifth update to MicroStation CONNECT Edition.  Like many of the previous updates, this release is primarily bug fixes with a few operational enhancements.

Perhaps the biggest change in Update 5 is in the software installation. You will notice that the download is much smaller, less than 1GB (the Update 4 download is 1.6GB). Bentley has streamlined the installation so that only the basic components are included in the download. Other options are downloaded as needed during the installation. As a result, the initial download is much quicker, but the installations on individual computers are much longer.

That’s OK if you are installing MicroStation CONNECT Update 5 on only one or two computers, but what if you have to install this on 10, 20, or more computers? You will want to create a deployment image where everything you need is pre-downloaded. Once created you can then install from your deployment image.

There is a new option to create a deployment image. To create the image in MicroStation CONNECT Edition Update 5 do the following:

1. Open a Command Prompt window

2. Navigate to the folder where the downloaded .exe file exists

3. Enter the following command key-in: ms10050040en_updt5.exe /Layout

Note: Instead of steps 1-3 you may also create a desktop shortcut to the downloaded file, then add /Layout to the end of the Target field in the shortcut properties.

4. Go through the install wizard to configure the options you would like to install as you would for a single install.

5. Select the location where to create the deployment image

6. Once configured select the Layout button on the first page of the wizard.

After clicking on the Layout button sit back and wait, or find something else to do. It may take an hour or more to download everything and build the deployment image.