MicroStation

MicroStation is a CAD software platform for two- and three-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems and used in the architectural and engineering industries. It generates 2D/3D vector graphics objects and elements and includes building information modeling (BIM) features. The current version is MicroStation CONNECT Edition. MicroStation was initially developed by 3 Individual developers and sold and supported by Intergraph in the 1980s. The latest versions of the software are released solely for Microsoft Windows operating systems, but historically MicroStation was available for Macintosh platforms and a number of Unix-like operating systems. From its inception MicroStation was designed as an IGDS (Interactive Graphics Design System) file editor for the PC. Its initial development was a result of the developers experience developing PseudoStation released in 1984, a program designed to replace the use of proprietary Intergraph graphic workstations to edit DGN files by substituting the much less expensive Tektronix compatible graphics terminals. PseudoStation as well as Intergraph's IGDS program ran on a modified version of Digital Equipment Corporation's VAX super-mini computer. In 1985, MicroStation 1.0 was released as a DGN file read-only and plot program designed to run exclusively on the IBM PC-AT personal computer. In 1987, MicroStation 2.0 was released, and was the first version of MicroStation to read and write DGN files. Almost two years later, MicroStation 3.0 was released, which took advantage of the increasing processing power of the PC, particularly with respect to dynamics. Intergraph MicroStation 4.0 was released in late 1990 and added many features: reference file clipping and masking, a DWG translator, fence modes, the ability to name levels, as well as GUI enhancements. The 1992 release of version 4 introduced the ability to write applications using the MicroStation Development Language (MDL). In 1993, MicroStation 5.0 was released.