Export IFC translator for use in other projects?

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

Apologies if I am just being dim, but I cannot seem to find a means to export an IFC translator setting to XML so that we can import it to another project file.

Screen grab from IFC translator dialogue box attached, could someone point out where to click (or let me know if it is some other options menu)?

[Anonymous]

There you got.

[Anonymous]

Isn't that only allowing me to import/export that particular sub-set of conversion presets? e.g. the property mapping?

[Barry Kelly]

I have had no reason to play with this so forgive me if I lead you down the wrong path.

The import button is at the bottom of the IFC Translator dialogue.

This will allow you to import from any other file - just browse for it (you may need to change the file type to see it).

So no need to export any settings - just set up the original file as you want it.
Then you can import these settings into any other file just by browsing for the original file.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

"...no need to export any settings - just set up the original file as you want it.
Then you can import these settings into any other file just by browsing for the original file."

That is correct, and the easiest way to work around it.

In any case, XML exporting has changed considerably in release 21, take that into account.

Also keep it in a template.

Regards.

[Anonymous]

"...no need to export any settings - just set up the original file as you want it.
Then you can import these settings into any other file just by browsing for the original file."

Sorry, I don't understand this bit. Are you talking about setting up an original file outside of ArchiCAD somewhere? I'm really struggling to understand why it isn't treated the same as DWG translators - e.g. you set up the translator as you want it, in ArchiCAD, and then export the file for import to other ArchiCAD projects. Are we suggesting that the only way to accurately re-create the setup of an IFC translator is to set it up manually in each new project assuming that we cannot generate an xml file outside of ArchiCAD?

My apologies if I am just not getting it.

[Anonymous]

IFC Translators in ARCHICAD 21 are now stored with the project (.PLN/.TPL) as opposed to previous versions where IFC Translators were stored as .XML files in the users folder.

An example of how this works would be if you start ARCHICAD 21 with the standard AC21 Template you will see the out of the box IFC Translators available. If you save this file as a .PLN or .TPL file you can then open your main project file open the IFC Translators dialogue and click the import button to choose the .PLN/.TPL file in which you can pick which IFC Translators you would like to import.

Therefore a good workflow would be to create the IFC Translators in your company template (.TPL) that way everytime a new project is created the IFC Traslators are readily available.

DWG Translators however are still stored as .XML files in AC21.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

"Are you talking about setting up an original file outside of ArchiCAD somewhere?"

Yes. Set up your IFC translator somewhere else and import it, forget about exporting it.

As you said, exporting allows "import/export that particular sub-set of conversion presets", that workflow requires too many steps.


Also, as a very good practice, follow Marcus' proposal: "...create the IFC Translators in your company template (.TPL) that way everytime a new project is created the IFC Traslators are readily available."

[stefan]

Can be very elaborate... as the IFC Translator is also tightly integrated into the Properties and Classifications. Better be sure to have a very good template with everything in place.

The most difficult part is if you are working in a model and afterwards try to incorporate settings that were not set up for that template. That is especially true with files who migrated from older ARCHICAD releases, where an ad-hoc classification gets generated and the properties are only IFC properties if any at all.


It is a tremendously powerful system, but also very, very deep, so that comes with complexity. But it beats any other software on the market to my experience, as you can even look at the full IFC tree in the IFC Manager and get to every single detail as required.