Hello everyone,
I am working on an application that automatically checks whether a building design meets all the local building codes, laws, etc. As a proof-of-concept, I'm trying to check dormers. As input, the application uses IFC files. Unfortunately, IFC has no definition for a dormer so I have to figure out a way to define one in ArchiCAD.
The criteria are that I can assign properties to the dormer as a whole (overall height, roof overhang, etc.), but that the elements it is made up of (walls, window, etc.) are still individually accessible in the IFC file.
So far I have identified two ways that get close to achieving this, but neither seems to work out.
1) Create a GDL object. This way I can assign properties to the dormer, but I have not been able to find a way to refer to other objects: instead of being able to say the dormer is made up of three standard walls, a window and a roof I have to create the whole geometry myself. Not too much of a problem, but this means that there are no individual components, as it's all one big object.
2) In the Tool Settings dialog I can add my own IFC properties to objects. Unfortunately this only seems to work on individual objects. If you group several objects together and make a new IFC property it will only be assigned to one of the objects.
Hopefully I'm just overlooking an easy solution. Can anyone tell me if what I want is possible and, if so, how to go about it?
Thanks in advance.
