topic Re: Classification Manager: Actual Masterspec Divisions and Sections file in Project data & BIM

Classification Manager: Actual Masterspec Divisions and Sections file

UenglishmanS — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:33:18 GMT

Greetings,

I am working in ArchiCAD 27 and I am struggling with understanding the architecture of:

Classification Manager --> Classification System Definition --> Available Properties.

When going through these pre-canned items, there are so few that are actually pertinent to anything we work on.

Firstly the Classifications themselves: Site; Space; Element Assembly, Elements; Materials; Construction. seem to be severely out of sync with how the MasterSpec format is created.

Then digging in, Elements: Construction Element; Element Component, etc. etc. These items seem to have been haphazardly added as a list, and no organization process given.

Has the classification system been developed in Europe? If so is there a place we can download a version that is built in the fretwork of the MasterSpec format?

just wondering as I am pulling my hair out, as the architecture of the system is crazy at best. We do not have time to reinvent this wheel, but it takes 20 times longer than it should to fix all of our elements to be put items in useable schedules.

Cheers,

Richard

Operating system used: Mac Apple Silicon

Re: Classification Manager: Actual Masterspec Divisions and Sections file

Laszlo Nagy — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 22:21:32 GMT

As far as I know, the Archicad Classification system closely follows the object hierarchy of the IFC Schema, which was developed by non-profit organization buildingSMART International.

Re: Classification Manager: Actual Masterspec Divisions and Sections file

Miha_M — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:48:36 GMT

As @Laszlo Nagy said, the Archicad Classification is based and structured upon the IFC schema. The IFC Schema is not fully integrated though, so you might find some missing there. But this is only one of many classification system available. Most of them are already available in Archicad, but you might want to look at BIM Content packages – Graphisoft, where you can download individual classification XML files.

Many localized versions of Archicad and local representatives have Archicad templates available, which are pre-set to the local environment. The UK based template offers a Uniclass and COBie based Template file. The GER localization has a more DIN standard oriented template and has customized pre-set properties. I don't know about MasterSpec, but I guess it's the Masterformat classification system. I believe this one is more often used in the US, so I would suggest you try to find a US based template file, which will be much easier to work with then going through building your own and setting all the properties with classification mapping from scratch.

If GS US doesn't have such a template available for its user base, there are also commercial offers out there. I see MSBIM has one which mentions Masterformat Classification integration, but I don't know how good the properties - classification mapping is set.