BIM Properties dialog box

The BIM Properties dialog box allows you to create, edit and delete property definitions and to organize properties in property sets.

  1. Namespace
  2. Add Set
  3. Add Property
  4. Add Value
  5. Up
  6. Down
  7. Remove
  8. Filter
  9. Properties
  10. Properties Tree
  11. Import
  12. Export
  13. Visibility

Namespace

By default, the below namespaces are available:

  • User: allows you to create user defined properties.
  • IFC: shows the IFC2x3 and IFC4 properties merged under a single namespace.
    Note:
    • Differences between the two schemas will be dealt with in the background during IFC Import or Export.
    • Static attributes from the BIM namespace are marked as deprecated not to be used instead of dynamic ones.
  • Quantity: shows the quantities properties. It is read-only.

It is also possible to import namespaces, using the Import button.

  • Classification System: allows you to organize your BIM models with standard classification codes that are used in the construction industry.

Add Set

Creates a new property set.

Add Property

Adds a new property to the currently selected property set.

Add Value

Creates a new value definition.

Up

Moves up the selected property or value.

Down

Moves down the selected property or value.

Remove

Removes the selected property set, property definition value definition, or namespace.

Note: In case of removing a namespace, a warning message displays.

Filter

Displays only the properties of which the Id and Label contain the search string typed. The results in the properties tree are filtered as you type.

Properties

Displays the properties of the selected property sets, property definitions and value definitions.

Note: Visibility rules for the property definitions are available. It is possible to make the visibility of a property or property set dependent on the value of another property.

Properties Tree

Displays the property sets, property definitions and value definitions.

Import

Imports property definitions based on the XML or IDS-XML schema definitions. Opens the Select XML file to import dialog box, where you can choose the file to import, be it XML or IDS.

An XSD (XML Schema Definition) file has been created to generate XML files for BIM properties. The file is available for download here.

The IDS-XML property definition contains IFC properties (defined by buildingSMART®), custom properties, and IFC attributes. An IDS namespace is created. When there are properties in the IDS file that are not part of the IFC Pset properties, they will be added as new property definition to the IDS namespace.

Note:
  • When an IDS file is imported, the SHOWIDSPROPERTIESONLY system variable is automatically set to ON. This toggles on the IDS Properties option in the Visibility dialog box.
  • When the SHOWIDSPROPERTIESONLY system variable is ON, only the custom properties, added to the IDS namespace, as well as the IFC properties in the IFC namespace that were part of the IDS file are displayed in the Properties panel (hiding all IFC properties that are not specified in the imported IDS file).

Export

Exports to an XML file only the active namespace (selected in the drop-down menu) with its property sets (properties/quantities) as specified by the IFCEXPORTIDSPROPERTIESONLY system variable:
  • Export all active namespace's properties (OFF).
  • Export only the active namespace's IFC and custom properties mentioned in the imported IDS file (ON).

This file can then be imported in other drawings.

Note: If the IFCEXPORTMULTIPLYELEMENTSASAGGREGATED system variable is set to ON, value definitions for visible Ply-elements are also exported.

Visibility

Enables you to toggle on and off the visibility of IFC Namespace and Attribute Sets, Quantity and IDS Properties.

Note: The IDS Properties toggle changes the value of the SHOWIDSPROPERTIESONLY system variable.