BIM sections

Source files

The following source file is used to create BIM sections:
  • _SectionSettings.dwg: contains all types of section callouts.

The file is located in this folder:

C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V23x64\en_US\Support\Bim\Sections

Defining a section

In BricsCAD BIM, the Define Section tool allows you to create BIM section entities. The BIM section allows you to section a BIM model by a plane and view the interior details.



For more information about this command, see the article BIMSECTION command.

When defining a BIM section, the section tracker is attached to the cursor.


The section plane (1) lies in the XY-plane of the current coordinate system (WCS or UCS). The view direction (2) is the negative direction of the current coordinate system.

Note:
  • If Dynamic UCS (DUCS) is On, the section plane aligns to the face of the 3D solid under the cursor. Press the TAB key to select an obscured face.
  • Press the Shift key to lock a highlighted plane. This allows you to specify the definition point for the BIM section entity outside the face of the solid.
  • The section line is parallel to the X-axis of the coordinate system (WCS, UCS or DUCS).

General procedure to create a BIM section

  1. Choose Define Section in the Model tab of the No Selection Quad.

    You are prompted: Select a point to place section or [Detail/Interior/Scale/Reflected ceiling]:

  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click a point anywhere outside the model to create a plan section.
    • Hover the cursor over the face of a 3D solid, parallel to the section plane you want to create.

      The section tracker aligns to the face under the cursor, on the condition that DUCS is active. Left-click.

    • (Optional) Press the Shift key to lock the highlighted plane. This allows you to start from a point outside the selected 3D solid face. Next, left-click.
  3. The initial section plane displays dynamically and the 3D model is clipped accordingly.

    You are prompted: Specify distance or [set clipping oN/set clipping Off]:

    Do one of the following:
    • Enter a value in the dynamic dimension field to offset the section from the initial position.
    • Left-click when the section plane is at the location you want it to be.

    The BIM Section entity is defined.

    The Section Type depends on the direction of the section plane (horizontal or vertical) and whether it intersects with the model.



    Plan (3) Displays horizontal section plane.
    Section (4) Displays a vertical section that cuts through the model.
    Elevation (5) Displays the exterior elevation view.

Creating a plan section

Note: A plan section is best defined in the WCS (World Coordinate System).
  1. Choose Define Section in the Model tab of the No Selection Quad.

    You are prompted: Select a point to place section or [Detail/Interior/Scale/Reflected ceiling]:

  2. Place the section tracker near the 3D model and click (6).


    The initial section plane lies in the XY-plane (Z = 0) of the current coordinate system (e.g. the WCS).

    The section plane displays dynamically and the 3D model is clipped accordingly (7).



    You are prompted: Specify distance or [set clipping oN/set clipping Off]:

  3. If Dynamic Dimension is On, the current distance displays in a dynamic dimension field.
    Do one of the following:
    • Move the cursor and click when the section plane is at the desired height.
    • Use an Entity Snap to specify a point.
    • Type a value to define the offset from the initial position of the section plane.

    The plan section is defined.

Creating a cross section

Make sure Dynamic UCS (DUCS) is enabled.
  1. Choose Define Section in the Model tab of the No Selection Quad.

    You are prompted: Select a point to place section or [Detail/Interior/Scale/Reflected ceiling]:

  2. Place the section tracker over a 3D solid face (8) parallel to the cross-section to be defined.


  3. Click when the face highlights and move the section tracker inside the 3D model.

    The section plane displays dynamically and the 3D model is clipped accordingly (9).



    You are prompted: Specify distance or [set clipping oN/set clipping Off]:

    If Dynamic Dimension is On, the current distance displays in a dynamic dimension field.

  4. Click when the section plane is at the desired location or specify a distance.

    The cross-section is defined.

  5. (Optional) Click the section entity and hold down the left mouse key a little longer to display the Manipulator. Drag an axis of the manipulator to move the section.
  6. (Optional) Click the Arrow grip to flip the view direction.

Creating an elevation

Make sure Dynamic UCS (DUCS) is enabled.
  1. Choose Define Section in the Model tab of the No Selection Quad.

    You are prompted: Select a point to place section or [Detail/Interior/Scale/Reflected ceiling]:

  2. Place the section tracker over a 3D solid face (10) which is parallel to the elevation to be defined and click when face highlights.


  3. You are prompted: Specify distance or [set clipping oN/set clipping Off]:

    Move the section tracker outside the 3D model and click to define the elevation (11).



    Vertical sections outside the model (no geometry is sectioned) get the Elevation section type automatically.

Editing the default properties of a BIM section

The default properties of a BIM section entity are copied from the section entities in _SectionSettings.dwg in the BIM/Sections subfolder of the Support folder.
  1. Select the BIM section in the drawing or the Structure panel.

    The section properties display in the Properties panel.

  2. Define the properties of the BIM section entity.

    Section Entity:

    Name Type a name.
    State

    Click the field and select a state. The selected state determines how the section result will be clipped.

    The options are: Plane (default), Boundary and Volume.

    Live section

    Sets the live section property of the section plane. Only one section entity can have the Live section property On.

    It is recommended to use the Clip display property instead.

    Use this mode for visual checking only, not for 3D modeling.

    Clip display

    Clips the 3D model.

    The Clip display status can be set for multiple section entities simultaneously. As different from Live section, entity snaps are available in the section plane.

    Use lids Closes the top faces of the clipped geometry.
    Plane transparency Sets the transparency of the section plane in rendered Visual Styles.
    Plane color Sets the fill color of the section plane in rendered Visual Styles.
    Destination file

    Sets the name and path of the drawing file created by the BIMSECTIONUPDATE command.

    When the path is not specified, the section drawing is created in the folder of the 3D model.

    Geometry:
    Elevation Defines the Z-value of the start point of the section plane.
    Top plane Defines the top plane of the section volume.
    Bottom plane Defines the bottom plane of the section volume.
    Vertex

    Defines to coordinates of the control points of the section plane. The number of vertices depends on the current section plane state.

    Plane: 2 vertices

    Boundary and Volume: 4 vertices.

    Select the field, then click the arrow buttons to select a vertex. An X indicates the selected vertex in the model.

    UCS Elevation Defines the minimum and maximum UCS elevations.
    BIM:
    Name Type a BIM name.
    Description Type a description.
    Building Sets a Building name.
    Story Sets a story name.
    Initial scale Sets the initial scale of the paperspace viewport in the generated drawing.
    Layer state Sets the layer state to be used to calculate the section.
    Apply layer state

    Determines whether the layer state will be used to calculate the section or not.

    Applying a layer state allows to control which layers are On/Off when calculating the section result.

    Project section Controls the display of the section callouts and section line in section drawings which are perpendicular to this section.
    Use section plane orientation Controls whether section plane orientation is used or not.
    Entity property sets

    Controls whether 'per instance' entity properties can be used to generate tags.

    Click the Browse () button, then select the property sets in the Enable per-instance property set dialog box.

How to toggle the clipped display property of a BIM section entity

The Clip display property of the BIM section temporarily clips 3D models. The Clip display can be used in all modeling and editing operations on all drawing content.

The following illustration shows the 3D model of a villa with a plan section (16) for the ground floor plan:


To clip the 3D model, do one of the following:
  • Double click the section entity.
  • Select Clip display from the Quad.
  • Select the section plane and set the Clip display property to Yes in the properties panel.
  • When RT (Rollover Tips) is selected in the Status Bar, place the cursor over a section entity to set the Clip display property.
Note: Clip display can be on for multiple section entities simultaneously.
In the following illustration, Clip display is turned On for two BIM section entities (17,18). These section entities are in opposite view directions: section plane 18 is a plan section, section plane 17 is a reflected ceiling section.


Option: Set the State property for the current section to Volume in the properties panel.


A clipped section shown in the Volume state (19).

Converting a section entity to a BIM section

The BIMIFY command converts a section entity to a BIM section.
  1. Launch the BIMIFY command.

    You are prompted: Apply or [change Selection]:

  2. The Bimify command panel opens
  3. Choose Select entities in drawing, then click the Select button ().
  4. Select the section entity, then press Enter.
  5. Click the Apply button in the Bimify command panel.