MicroStation Tip: Copy/Increment Text Tool

The Copy/Increment Text tool in MicroStation is used to copy text elements containing numerical values and increment those values systematically. It’s ideal for numbering objects in a drawing, such as labels for components or grid lines.

You can get to the dialog box in the Ribbon (Drawing > Annotate > Text > More) or Text toolbox.

Functionality:
Select a text element with a number (e.g. “Item 1”).

Specify an increment value (e.g. 1, 2, or -1) via the Tag Increment setting or the key-in command ‘TI=<value>’ (e.g. ‘TI=2’ for incrementing by 2).

Copy and place the text, and the numeric part increments automatically (e.g. “Item 1” becomes “Item 2,” “Item 3,” etc).

Placement Options:
Control the distance and direction of copied text, with options for multiple repetitions.

Constraints:

• Works with single-line text elements only; multi-line text nodes may cause issues
• If the text lacks a numerical portion, no increment occurs
• For errors like “Element Type not valid,” use the Drop Element command to convert text nodes to single-line text

Example Workflow:

1. Create a text element: “Room 101”
2. Set the increment value (e.g. ‘TI=1’)
3. Use the tool to copy and place the text; it becomes “Room 102,” “Room 103,” etc
4. Adjust placement as needed for alignment

Steve Meyer

Steve joined EnvisionCAD in September 2024 and has over three decades of experience working in the CADD industry. Steve was the driving force behind the DOT’s implementation of ProjectWise, including appearing before the State of Iowa Technology Review board to explain the advantages of ProjectWise.