Visualization
About built-in and 3rd party, classic and real-time rendering solutions, settings, workflows, etc.
SOLVED!

Downloading a texture from “BIM Object” to place into AC24

mthd
Mentor

Hi, it looks likes my imported stone texture is an IFC file that I have downloaded from BIM object.com. Does anybody know how I can place this type of texture into AC24 ? Do I have to follow the IFC material mapping procedure or is there a more simple way to access that type of texture file ?

AC8.1 - AC27 ARM AUS + CI Tools
Apple Mac Studio M1 Max Chip 10C CPU
24C GPU 7.8TF 32GB RAM OS Ventura
2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions
Solution
Miha_M
Advisor

I don't know what you want to achieve with this imported texture. Or is it a material with the associated texture you want to import?

An ifc file includes element geometry and data associated to this element. If you import some marble tiles from BIMobject, you will most likely get some different tile formats in vertical ond/or horizontal placement in an ifc file - this is a digital showroom which you can't use on a running project.

You can create a new material and apply the imported texture file to this material - the texture must be loaded into the project library. Now you can use this material just like any other pre-set material in your project.

Mapping the material is important only if you want to export your project to ifc in such way that you have the material data included. In AC26 you need to apply the material classification - Options > Element Attributes > Building Materials - you already created a new material here, now in this UI window, under the Classification and Properties > Classifications you need to assign the correct  material type using the Archicad v2.0 Classification system, which is pre-mapped to ifc entities.

Miha_M_0-1679047381693.png

If you don't use the pre-set v2.0 classification system you will need to set this mapping based on a custom translator and archicad properties one by one youself via File > Interoperability > IFC > IFC Translators, but I would recommend you to use the existing classification system, make a translator-set copy and do whatever customizations you need based on this translator.

 

Now, one more thing - I think you will not be able to export the texture part into IFC as I think this part of the IFC schema is not supported in Archicad export options.

 

 

 

| Archicad 4.55 - 27
| HP Z840 | 2× E5-2643 v4 | 64 GB RAM | Quadro M5000 | Windows 10 Pro x64
| HP Z4 G4 | W-2245 | 64 GB RAM | RTX A4000 | Windows 11

View solution in original post

Solution

 I don't know why the texture is in an .ifc format, but ArchiCad is able to directly open .ifc file.

Just run ArchiCad, then Browse for a file to open

 

Browse.png

and choose the ifc format.

Format.png

Open ifc.png

The file should open.

If you want send the .ifc file, I'll take a look at it.

ArchiCad 3.43 to 26
MacOS Monterey

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8
Miha_M
Advisor

Image based textures are based on external files in common image formats such as PNG or JPEG. 

Image Texture (buildingsmart.org)

Understanding how textures and shaders work in IFC — OSArch

| Archicad 4.55 - 27
| HP Z840 | 2× E5-2643 v4 | 64 GB RAM | Quadro M5000 | Windows 10 Pro x64
| HP Z4 G4 | W-2245 | 64 GB RAM | RTX A4000 | Windows 11

Miha_M
Advisor

On BIMobject I see you mostly have a list of file formats you can download. There should be a texture file there as well, like here:

Miha_M_0-1678967114303.png

 

| Archicad 4.55 - 27
| HP Z840 | 2× E5-2643 v4 | 64 GB RAM | Quadro M5000 | Windows 10 Pro x64
| HP Z4 G4 | W-2245 | 64 GB RAM | RTX A4000 | Windows 11

mthd
Mentor

Placing the texture in an imported textures file and creating a new surface material is not a worry.

 

I downloaded an a texture from BIMobject that is an .ifc file. So where or how do I place that inside Archicad 24 ? Any ideas ?

 

Do I have to do something like this official video shows with AC19 regarding IFC material mapping ?

 

https://youtu.be/E-iY3H7AcEI

 

AC8.1 - AC27 ARM AUS + CI Tools
Apple Mac Studio M1 Max Chip 10C CPU
24C GPU 7.8TF 32GB RAM OS Ventura
Solution
Miha_M
Advisor

I don't know what you want to achieve with this imported texture. Or is it a material with the associated texture you want to import?

An ifc file includes element geometry and data associated to this element. If you import some marble tiles from BIMobject, you will most likely get some different tile formats in vertical ond/or horizontal placement in an ifc file - this is a digital showroom which you can't use on a running project.

You can create a new material and apply the imported texture file to this material - the texture must be loaded into the project library. Now you can use this material just like any other pre-set material in your project.

Mapping the material is important only if you want to export your project to ifc in such way that you have the material data included. In AC26 you need to apply the material classification - Options > Element Attributes > Building Materials - you already created a new material here, now in this UI window, under the Classification and Properties > Classifications you need to assign the correct  material type using the Archicad v2.0 Classification system, which is pre-mapped to ifc entities.

Miha_M_0-1679047381693.png

If you don't use the pre-set v2.0 classification system you will need to set this mapping based on a custom translator and archicad properties one by one youself via File > Interoperability > IFC > IFC Translators, but I would recommend you to use the existing classification system, make a translator-set copy and do whatever customizations you need based on this translator.

 

Now, one more thing - I think you will not be able to export the texture part into IFC as I think this part of the IFC schema is not supported in Archicad export options.

 

 

 

| Archicad 4.55 - 27
| HP Z840 | 2× E5-2643 v4 | 64 GB RAM | Quadro M5000 | Windows 10 Pro x64
| HP Z4 G4 | W-2245 | 64 GB RAM | RTX A4000 | Windows 11

Hi

 

The file you are showing is a .zip file, it's a compression format.

Just unzip it to obtain the original .jpeg original image file that you can add to you project Library.

You then create a new Surface attribute that use that texture file.

ArchiCad 3.43 to 26
MacOS Monterey

Did you try just to open the IFC file with ArchiCad ?

What did you obtain ?

ArchiCad 3.43 to 26
MacOS Monterey

I am new to Mac and the downloaded the material and it came up as an .ifc file, when clicked on it was looking for an application to open it. I looked for AC24 on the list and found the folder only. I was looking for a way to place that file in the correct AC24 file.

 

In the process I found more stone face textures in AC24 and just used one of them instead for now.

 

@Miha_M, I would like to be able to use those BIM object textures because they are more correct. I will have to follow your suggestions carefully for an .ifc file. Sure I can take a swatch of the texture and create a new material like you say. Why is the texture is in an ifc format ? Will it come up better or sharper in a 3D Rendering ?

 

Image below from BIMobject.


F10561C8-825A-4824-87A4-A01C9602D3B8.png
AC8.1 - AC27 ARM AUS + CI Tools
Apple Mac Studio M1 Max Chip 10C CPU
24C GPU 7.8TF 32GB RAM OS Ventura
Solution

 I don't know why the texture is in an .ifc format, but ArchiCad is able to directly open .ifc file.

Just run ArchiCad, then Browse for a file to open

 

Browse.png

and choose the ifc format.

Format.png

Open ifc.png

The file should open.

If you want send the .ifc file, I'll take a look at it.

ArchiCad 3.43 to 26
MacOS Monterey