Doors and windows missing in IFC exported from Archicad

[Piotr Walerysiak]

We are experiencing an issue with doors and windows not exporting from Archicad to IFC.

As shown in the snippets, windows are missing randomly. All windows share the same settings, classifications, etc.

This issue is occurring across several projects in the practice. The IFC files are relatively large (400–500 MB).

I have reviewed the IFCs in Solibri and Revizto, and the same elements are missing in both, which suggests the issue originates from the Archicad export.

Exported IFC in Solibri:

 

Model in Archicad 29:

 

Regards

Piotr

Operating system used: Windows 11

[CosminF]

Hi,

Do you receive an error when exporting from Archicad? Usually it says that some elements couldn't be exported because the building material has this Participates in Collision Detection checkbox unchecked:

You might want to look here, this checkbox can also be used as a way to only export doors and windows.

[Piotr Walerysiak]

I don’t believe that is the case here:

1. As far as I’m aware, windows from standard Archicad library do not use building materials.

2. The collision detection setting would not explain why the same window is sometimes exported and sometimes not.

[Laszlo Nagy]

My hypothesis is that there is some setting about those non-exporting Windows that prevents them from exporting.

So I would try the following:

Select a Window that is not exporting, and compare it to a Window of the exact same size type that is exporting. Try to find if there is anything that is different between the two Windows.

Another thing you could try: Pick up the parameters (using ALT+click) of a Window that is the same size and type as a non-exporting Windows, and inject the parameters (using CTRL+ALT+click) into the non-exporting Windows, and see if that parameter transfer results in those Windows exporting.

Alternately, you could delete those non-exporting Windows and recreate them by copying a Window with the same size and type that exports correctly. Hopefully, its copy will export as well.

[Piotr Walerysiak]

I’ve carried out a few export tests, and it appears the issue is related to Zones. When zone layer is hidden, all windows export correctly.

However, I need the zones to be included in the export, as the window and door properties rely on information from the associated Zones.

[vlahtinen · Accepted solution]

Hey, I’ve noticed that when the IFC Space Containment option is enabled in the Data Conversion settings of the IFC exporter, some windows and doors don’t always get exported.

In my case, unchecking that option fixed the issue, and I haven’t really looked into other possible workarounds.

Might be something to do with how the windows and doors are linked to zones.

 

[Piotr Walerysiak · Accepted solution]

In the meantime I spoke to GS support and received the same advice.

However that setting is not compatible with FM Handover and COBie MVD.  
So for my case, where COBie deliverable is required, this data conversion setting is suggested:

Thank you All, I learned something today