Overview

When opening a DWG file in MicroStation, a message is displayed in the statusbar:
One or more Object Enablers is missing

Background

In the AutoCAD file format a number of standard object/element definitions are available, such as lines, texts, etc.
Autodesk allows application developers to create additional object definitions to better suit their application (you may think of them as "smart objects").  An application that creates these objects may also provide a so called Object Enabler that runs on a RealDWG host program different than the application itself.
Such additional objects are called Custom Objects, when their object enablers are present, or Proxy Objects when their object enablers are missing.

In order to display custom objects the related application Object Enabler needs to have been installed on a RealDWG host program such as AutoCAD or MicroStation.

Custom or Proxy objects on MicroStation

Following Bentley's agreement with Autodesk, RealDWG libaries were available for use in MicroStation. Thus versions of MicroStaton V8i Selectseries 1 or later, DWG files are opened with Autodesk's RealDWG and custom objects with their object enablers are better displayed.  Therefore, it is recommended that you get an object enabler for DWG files that contain custom objects.  If you do not have these object enablers, you will see the message: “One or more Object Enablers is missing” in the status bar after you opened such a DWG file.  In such a case, as described above, these objects become proxies, which may or may not be displayed correctly depending on:

(a) if the DWG file as last saved with system variable PROXYGRAPHICS on AutoCAD,
(b) if the object enabler is designed to save the graphics in response to this system variable, and
(c) if the information/geometry saved in the proxies is as good as you expect (wireframe or mesh, for example). 

If the answer to all three questions is positive, then your proxies may display correctly.  Otherwise you may see problems with them.

Which Object Enabler to download/install

Object enablers are available for 32bit and 64bit operating systems. 64bit object enablers versions cannot be used in a 32bit environment. A number of 32bit object enablers are suitable to be used on a Windows 64bit operating system.

Object enablers also require an equivalent 32bit or 64bit CAD application.
MicroStation is a 32 bit application and therefore requires 32bit object enablers.
In short:

In order to handle DWG files that include custom objects in the best way, you will need to have MicroStation V8i Selectseries 1 or higher on a 32bit or 64bit Windows operating system with the appropriate 32bit Object Enablers installed.

You will also need to know what version of RealDWG is installed with your current version of MicroStaion. To check this go to Control Panel>Programs>Uninstall a Program, this will show you want version you have installed.

i.e. if you are installing an Object Enabler for Autodesk Civil 3D you would need to install either the version for 2010 or 2014 based on the version of RealDWG that is currently installed.  

Notes

• If a DWG file has to be edited later on with the application with which it was built, be sure to make a backup copy of the original file first before opening it in MicroStation. Also, before opening a file that includes custom objects, make sure that exactly the same DWG file format is set.
  For example consider that a file has been created based on the AutoCAD version 2009 then you define MS_REALDWG_VERSION = 2009 before opening the file.
  If you would open such a file having the AutoCAD 2010 version active, the data in the file will be upgraded to the 2010 format the custom objects however will not.
  The result is that the original application will not be able to edit the file anymore.
• Bentley V8i (SELECTseries 1) - Autodesk® RealDWG™ 2010 includes the following object enablers, which can be used with products that have then enabled:
  • AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP 2010 Object Enabler
  • AutoPLANT V8i (SELECTseries 1) Object Enabler
  • ProSteel V8i for AutoCAD 2010 Object Enabler
• True object enablers are developed with ObjectDBX. If an object enabler has the file extension .DBX, it should be loadable using MicroStation V8i SELECTseries 1 or 2 with RealDWG installed. If the object enabler has a file extension of .ARX, it was not developed using ObjectDBX and most likely cannot be loaded using MicroStation V8i SELECTseries 1 or 2. Bentley Systems Inc. cannot do much here as for a fix we depend on Autodesk or the related Application vendor who created the enabler.
  A known enabler that does not conform to Autodesk's own definition of Object Enablers is:Autodesk Raster Design 2010  (TR# 299032). 
• Upon installation of an Object Enabler, a window may pop-up asking for which application the enabler should be activated, in such a case, the installed platform product should be selected (MicroStation V8i Selectseries 1 or up).  However, not all object enablers offer such an option (CADDuct serves as such an example).

Many thanks to Don Fu and Lily Wong for the much appreciated help and suggestions.

See also:

RealDWG(TM) [TN]

External Links

Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase

Bentley LEARN Server

Comments or Corrections?

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