Lightest way to reference an IFC in Archicad

[369]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for the lightest possible way to bring a consultant IFC into Archicad as a georeferenced visual reference only — no need for editable Archicad elements.

I assumed Hotlink would be the lightest option, but it still asks me to pick a translator, so conversion happens regardless.

A few questions:

1. Is Hotlink actually the lightest path, or is there something lighter for pure reference/viewing?
2. Which translator settings minimise file-size and performance impact? I'm leaning toward Element conversion: As Morph + minimal 2D + properties off — correct?
3. Does conversion happen once, or on every hotlink update? Does file size keep growing over time?
4. For messy consultant IFCs (e.g. Vectorworks from a landscape architect), would you recommend the indirect route — open IFC in an empty PLN → save as .mod → hotlink the .mod — over a direct IFC hotlink? Lighter, more stable, or both?

Context: Archicad 28.3, Windows, multi-discipline coordination (landscape, structural, MEP).

Thanks!

[CosminF]

Hi,

Personally, for IFC's im always using hotlinks because the reference is "frozen" so it can't be edited by accident but it still contains the relevant information. I usually import structure and MEP (more than one IFC per specialty) and if there are any updates I can just relink the hotlink to another file.
1. I don't know of a lighter path.

2. I am still trying to figure that one out myself - depends on the IFC I receive - some are well modeled, others are just pure geometry with no metadata so those can load the file up with their polygon count.

3. To my knowledge, with every hotlink update -but I might be wrong.

4. I had this happen with racking models (messy external IFC's). I just opened them someplace else, cleaned them up - deleted what wasn't really necessary for the project - saved it and imported that. It was a very noticeable difference in speed because I simplified the geometry.

Also, if you do want to edit something in the hotlink, you can Break the Hotlink and embed the elements. That would make them part of the library. Naturally, file size will increase.

hope this helps.

[karsten_bauschert]

You are basically right.

1. Inside Archicad IFC hotlinks are the only way i know.
   Outside (Solibri ..) you combine external and internal IFC models for comparison. 
   Landscape architects could export the terrain as xyz coordinate files which archicad can import as native terrain. 
2. Try and error, with complex models i got mostly better results with morph.
3. Every update means new conversion.
4. The detour via an extra PLN + MOD file gives some more options for filtering or even editing after breaking the hotlink.
   It is a more complex workflow but might help.

One tip for performance and model integrety would be to put the imported IFC elements on layers with a different intersection group.
Otherwise the IFC geometry interferes with the normal elements, even if hidden.

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

I always strongly recommend having a working Archicad file, and publishing modules with only the relevant Archicad content into a coordination file, which also gets the consultant IFCs hotlinked in. 

Every single time I've heard "oh I just bring the IFC into the working file" I pretty much immediately noticed huge related problems (in consultant accuracy screwups telegraphing into the working model, in attributes, etc.). 
Always open to hearing success stories of some bulletproof consultant-IFC-into-the-working-file procedure. 

[369]

Hi, thank you all!

That is very helpful!

Just one follow-up question: would you link the IFC directly as a hotlink, or would you create a separate Archicad file, import the IFC there, and then link that Archicad file as a hotlink?

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

If you want to use the consultant IFC for coordination (because you will absolutely not want to use it as a a source for architectural model elements), you will hotlink the consultant IFC into the coordination file. You don't want to merge it, or be able to edit the elements, etc. You want to keep the consultant model as received, and eventually be able to relink that consultant IFC hotlink to some newer version of that file.

From the coordination model file you can create all kinds of fancy coordination drawings and sheets and DWGs and filtered coordination models and markups and reports, and keep all that clutter away from the architectural working file (from the coordination file you can in turn copy-paste or publish filtered stuff into the working file, like sketches and markups,  if ever necessary). As always when working with multiple files, keep track of your attributes (keep the working file as the master file where you keep your clean list of attributes with proper attribute numbers, from which you can restore attributes into any other messed up or outdated file via Attribute Manager if necessary).