File Extension DGN

File type: MicroStation Drawing File

About the DGN file type:

If Windows cannot find the appropriate program associated with .DGN files, then your registry may have errors. Check your Windows registry for errors (includes file association errors).

The drawing file created by the MicroStation application developed by Bentley Systems uses the DGN file extension by default. This file supports the two- and three-dimensional drawing format normally deployed for use by the construction design application. This format file is based on the ISFF (Intergraph Standard File Format) or the newer V8 DGN specification standards. Due to the proprietary nature of the DGN file extension, the user is provided with the option of converting it to the more commonly used DWG file type recognized by AutoCAD LDT. The MicroStation software is a CAD software package that is commonly applied to drafting and designing tasks. This application is distributed exclusively for use under the Microsoft Windows Operating System platform although earlier versions were made available to the Macintosh environment with a few geared towards the UNIX Operating System. This application is one of the few engineering and architectural packages developed by Bentley that adhered to CAD standards and has the inherent ability of reading and writing formats in the DXF and DWG file formats. The DGN file extension is also associated with the production of media outputs in the form of rendered image files, 3D Web pages in VRML, and animations. In this context, the application is closely associated with the BMP, AVI, JPEG, PDF, and VRML file formats.


Detailed information for file extension DGN

Category: Vector Image Files
File format: Proprietary
Open with Windows: Bentley View, Bentley Systems MicroStation, Cimmetry Systems AutoVue, Autodesk AutoCAD LDT, IMSI TurboCAD, ESRI ArcGIS, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2
Open with Linux: N/A
During its early stages, MicroStation was limited in the fields of architecture and engineering and was used specifically for the creation of construction drawings. With the evolution of its technology, it was able to advance into the field of rendering and modeling with feature sets such as keyframe animation, raytracing, and Boolean solids. The DGN file extension supports the delivery of specialized environments that are extremely useful in plant design, mapping, civil engineering, and architecture. Bentley re-engineered the DGN format file in 2000 to include functionalities like Design History and Digital Rights. These new features are considered as revision controls providing the ability to reinstate previously applied revisions either by selection or globally. This innovation allows for better support for importing and exporting the DWG format of AutoDesk. In addition to the revisions, many of the data restrictions that were enforced in earlier versions of the application were removed from the V8 format file. Some of the removed restrictions include limited drawing area and design levels.