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IFC Exporting similar walls in different ways

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hello everyone,

I am an engineer collaborating with architects, and we are currently looking into optimizing the translation of ArchiCAD models for Revit using IFC.

I've managed to create a model in ArchiCAD 23, export as IFC, import to revit, and keep working on that model using revit geometry. This is a great workflow that improves the teamwork on both sides.

However, the architect was not able to do so using ArchiCAD 22. I asked him to send his geometry to me wihch I opened with ArchiCAD 23. I found out that, although looking exactly similar, his geometry is being translated differently to IFC. Namely one is a wall, the other one is a building part (see screenshot attached).


I am a complete beginner in ArchiCAD. The question is, is there any hidden parameter that I am missing which explains why, in the same model, similar walls are exported in different ways?

The archicad model is here:
https://mab.to/rJPZNoDfR

Thanks a lot for your help,
Pedro
15 REPLIES 15
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
pmcmm wrote:
However, the architect was not able to do so using ArchiCAD 22. I asked him to send his geometry to me wihch I opened with ArchiCAD 23. I found out that, although looking exactly similar, his geometry is being translated differently to IFC. Namely one is a wall, the other one is a building part (see screenshot attached).

I think it would be beneficial for you to watch the playlist about IFC improvements in AC23. This may answer your question of why things are exported differently in AC23:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnXY6vLUwlWW3MmRDthnX5yeVJY7NIw6H
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
Hello and thanks LaszloNagy,

IFC 4 seems to be more interessant than 2x3 but is there a free reader which is able to open an IFC 4 today (on macOS) ?
Christophe - FRANCE
Archicad Designer and Teacher
Archicad 15 to 27 FRA FULL

OS 13 Ventura - MacBook Pro M2 max- 32Go RAM
"Quality is never an accident ; it's always the result of an intelligent effort" John Ruskin
Anonymous
Not applicable
thank you Ghaleb for your valuable post, it was exactly that the parameter that I was missing. I've seen it there however, as a beginner in ArchiCAD, I didn't realize how important they were. My question has been answered.

@LaszloNagy, thanks for the videos, I will forward them to the architect's team, I'm pretty sure they will find them useful.

Hope that other people will find this thread useful.
Christophe wrote:
... a free reader which is able to open an IFC 4 today (on macOS) ?
I found this free software which is able to open an IFC 4 here : https://www.bimcollab.com/en/default
Christophe - FRANCE
Archicad Designer and Teacher
Archicad 15 to 27 FRA FULL

OS 13 Ventura - MacBook Pro M2 max- 32Go RAM
"Quality is never an accident ; it's always the result of an intelligent effort" John Ruskin
Aaron Bourgoin
Virtuoso
If a composite wall hosts a door or a window, it doesn't appear in Revit as belonging to The Wall System family- a native Revit wall.

If this is a related problem, is there a way for a host wall to behave as other non-hosting walls which do?
Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-6000 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.6.1
Hello Aaron,

Do you talk about import an ifc into your BIM software then to modify it like by your original tools ?
If it is your aim, check this link :
https://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=68521&p=304485&hilit=design+transfer#p3044...
Christophe - FRANCE
Archicad Designer and Teacher
Archicad 15 to 27 FRA FULL

OS 13 Ventura - MacBook Pro M2 max- 32Go RAM
"Quality is never an accident ; it's always the result of an intelligent effort" John Ruskin