AC 20 to AC 21 : Where is IFC Scheme Setup?

[Anonymous]

Hello -

Looking high/low for where the IFC Scheme Setup went to from AC 20 to AC 21, with no success.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Eduardo Rolon]

File -> Interoperability ->IFC

[Anonymous]

Yes, that shows up in AC20, but looking for its location in AC21. Did it change names? Posting screenshot for clarification.

[Eduardo Rolon]

In 21 they changed the way IFC works and most of the stuff is done now using Property Manager (which existed under 20( and/or Classification Manager (under Options) with this configured then you map out the way you want to translate them. The concept according to GS is that now we have a "native" system for speed and other goodies and then we "export out" to IFC like saving a PDF or DWG. In this way we don't bog down the AC File.
The problem is that this new system breaks down our AC20 and previous workflows. Look in page 86 of the AC21 Help Guide or in Help Center for the new stuff.

[davdelven]

Hello Eduardo,

Downstreaming your answer, what about COBie 2.4 MVD ? When you apply it after creating a Custom Translator in order to get an IFC Scheme suitable to COBie , the only two available schemes are the default 2x3 and 4.

What's new on this workflow ?

[stefan]

There is a difference between the scheme (Ifc2x3 and IFC4) and the MVD (Coordination View, Design Transfer View, COBie ...).

[Da3dalus]

If it's all supposedly handled in the Properties and Classification Manager in AC21, how are IFC Properties linked to non-Property Parameters in each Element?

For example, when I export IFC to Revit, the recipients don't receive any Building Material information, or the name of the Composite, of a Wall. I'm using the "Revit Export for Reference Model" exporter into Revit 2018.1. Unless I'm going crazy, this was never a problem before; those things used to be mapped to IFC data. Now I don't see any way to see or adjust the data mapping. Something is terribly wrong, since it seems the IFC transfer is actually WORSE than it used to be, and LESS "Information" is getting through. It's critical that my Structural Engineer knows if he's looking at a masonry or frame wall.

This back and forth is leading to a lot of late nights, and honestly, the documentation for IFC setup could be written better. It was obviously devised by Database Programmers, and needs to be translated into Architect-ese. I'm sure the answer is in there, but I can't find it!

[stefan]

Just a shot in the dark, but in Ifc2x3, there is only little material information. Much more with IFC4.

Did you check your model in an IFC viewer before sharing, to rule out the chance that the information is in the IFC but Revit does not use it. There are things which can go wrong at both sides of the transfer.

[Da3dalus]

After some experimentation, we found that the "General Export" and "Revit Structure" translators work best. Materials come through correctly now.

Previously, in AC19-20, we found the General translator was never very good, and "Reference Model Export to Revit" (now "Revit Export for Reference Model") gave us the best set of information, including composites. The tables must have turned. Reference Model is now all about geometry, and has stripped much of the information.

Oddly enough, when the Reference Model is opened in Solibri SMV, the composite names and materials are clearly visible. It says each material is 0" thick, which has been addressed on ArchiCAD Talk, but the point is they are in there. They just don't make it into Revit (even using the GS Improved Import).

I'm still not using IFC4 out of fear that Revit can't handle it. Maybe once all of my projects have been updated to the latest AC21 Classifications (note to GS: why couldn't they Migrate into the new Scheme when an older file is opened? AT LEAST assign elements automatically by Tool!).

I still need to do some experimentation to see if the General translator plays nice with advanced geometry like Complex Profiles and SEO's. But for now, that's our choice.

[Ernest Atanasiu]

hello there

please help me out!

we migrated a v20 file in 21 and everything is now IFCBuildingElementProxy. Is it possible to remap IFC properties back to their place? I imagine it's not gonna be automatic but at least I will avoid starting from scratch.


thank you