Generating drawings

About BIMSECTIONUPDATE

The BIMSECTIONUPDATE command generates section drawings from BIM section entities. The command can be used either by selecting a BIM Section entity in the 3D model or by selecting an existing section in a generated drawing. The result is placed in a new drawing, saved to the same folder as the model drawing unless a different folder is specified in the Destination File property of the BIM Section entity.

For more information about this command, visit the article BIMSECTIONUPDATE command.

Procedure: generating BIM sections

BIM Sections can be generated in 2 ways:

  • In the model space.
  • Using the BIM Project Browser.

Model space

  1. Select one or more BIM section entities.
  2. (Optional) Edit the section properties (e.g. Scale, Name, Destination File).
  3. Choose Generate Section in the Model command tab of the Quad.

BricsCAD® reports the number of generated sections and their name(s) in the Command line e.g.:

8 section(s) were generated:

D:\Bricsys Reports\V23\Villa\Elevations.dwg

D:\Bricsys Reports\V23\Villa\Plans.dwg

D:\Bricsys Reports\V23\Villa\Sections.dwg

In the example above 2 plans, 4 elevations, and 2 cross-sections were generated and exported to 3 drawings.

Project browser

  1. In the Sections and views tab of the Project Browser panel, right-click the section.
  2. (Optional) Choose Select Section Entity to change its properties in the properties panel.
  3. Choose Update Now or Update in Background.
  4. Choose Refresh project in the Project Browser panel.

    A new section is generated in the Sheets segment of the Project Browser.

    Note:
    • BIM_SECTIONS_PREVIOUS layer: the result of the previous section generation is stored on the dedicated BIM_SECTIONS_PREVIOUS layer. This is frozen by default.
    • BIM_VIEWPORTS layer: generated viewports are placed on the dedicated BIM_VIEWPORTS layer if desired.
    • The SheetSet manager automatically and silently adjusts the file paths after the project folder has been relocated if the same folder is used for all files.

Open BIM sections

BIMSECTIONOPEN navigates between the model drawing containing a BIM Section entity and the corresponding generated drawing. The command works bi-directionally.

For more information about this command, visit the article BIMSECTIONOPEN command.

BIM Sections can be opened in different ways:
  • From the 3D Model.
  • Using the BIM Project Browser.

From the 3D model

To open a 2D document from the 3D model:

  1. Select one or more BIM sections.
  2. Choose Open Model in the Model command group of the Quad.
  3. The 2D section drawing(s) open(s).

Project browser

To open the 2D section drawings from the Project Browser, do one of the following:
  • Double click the sheet view in the Sheets tab of the Project Browser panel.

    The 2D section drawing opens with the selected sheet view.

  • In the Sections and views tab of the Project Browser panel, right-click the section and choose Display Section Result from the context menu.
Note: When a viewport linked to a section result is deleted, the linked view label, the sheet view and the result block (only when no other viewport views it) are also erased.

Update BIM sections

BIM Sections can be updated in different ways:
  • In the 3D model.
  • In the generated 2D documentation file.
  • In the BIM Project Browser panel.

When the 2D documentation is no longer in sync with the 3D model, the corresponding sheet views display a red mark in the Sheets tab of the Project Browser panel.

The sheet views display an orange mark in the Sheets tab of the Project Browser panel if they are not yet updated.

Update BIM sections in your 3D model
To update BIM Sections via your 3D model using the same process as used to generate views.
Update BIM sections in the 2D documentation file
A red mark of the section result indicates that the BIM Section generated block is no longer in sync with the 3D model and needs to be updated. This can be done in Model space or in the Layout.
Update a BIM section in model space
  1. Place the cursor over the section block to update.
  2. Choose Update Section in the Model command group in the Quad (4).
Update a BIM section in a layout
  1. Click the Layout tab.
  2. Place the cursor over the viewport of the BIM Section to update.
  3. Choose Update Section in the Model command group of the Quad (5).

    The result of the previous section generation is stored on the dedicated BIM_SECTIONS_PREVIOUS layer. Thaw the layer (6) to check the modifications.

    The content of the BIM_SECTIONS_PREVIOUS layer displays in magenta.

Generate background
It is possible to add a background image to the resulting viewport of a BIM section entity. This feature can be used e.g. to generate shadows on elevations or to enrich the graphical quality of the section. The background image is created in the active visual style of the model.
Note: The RENDERCOMPOSITIONMATERIAL system variable must be set to On.
  1. Select the viewport of the BIM section to add background to.
  2. Open the Properties panel and go to BIM category.
  3. Set the (Beta) Generate background property to the desired option, Raster image or Line drawing + Raster image.
  4. Run the BIMSECTIONUPDATE command for the selected BIM section.
A raster image is now generated as a background for that section in the selected viewport.
Update BIM sections in the project browser
  1. Right-click a section in the BIM Project Browser panel.
  2. Select Update Now or Update in Background from the context menu.

Section indicators, story indicators and grid callouts

Section indicators are provided for any section which intersects with the source one, if the source section is a plan. They are stored on the dedicated BIM_SECTIONS layer. Turn the layer On or Off to manage the indicators visibility.

Note: Section indicators, story indicators and grid callouts are BIM tag entities that can be edited and customized. See the BIM Tags help article.

Story indicators are provided for any non-horizontal section if the model drawing has stories.

Grid callouts are provided if the model drawing has a grid and it's parallel or perpendicular to the source section plane.