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FreeCAD BIM update 23

by Yorik on 09.08.2024 in freecad , opensource , nativeifc

Hi all!

Not much to report as we are still on run to finish the 1.0 release, but I managed to finish another piece of the NativeIFC roadmap I was working on:

screenshot of FreeCAD showing the BIM views panel

A new BIM Views tool

The BIM Views panel is a handy task panel to see a summary of your model, instead of the full tree. The basic idea of it is to offer a good context view of your model: What is the structure of your model, and where you are currently working. You can switch the BIM Views panel on/off with the corresponding button on the status bar.

I have now finished the rework of the tool. It is still not merged in FreeCAD because FreeCAD is in feature freeze for the coming 1.0 release, but it will done as soon as we are out of it. It might sound disappointing not to have this in 1.0, but we have to put the limit somewhere, otherwise the release never happens, someone always has an interesting new feature to add. Also, this is still rough from the code oven and needs testing.

If you want to test for yourself already, though, check the pull request.

The general idea here is twofold: One part is to allow to more easily "switch" between one context and another, for example between different levels of a building, or between the model and a 2D view. Another part is to help streamlining the BIM Model -> Draft 2D view -> TechDraw page workflow.

2D views were usually done until now with a simple group. This still works, but we now have a new tool that uses a BuildingPart. This gives many additional advantages, such as automatic working plane, the ability to move the objects inside, and other interaction possibilities.

The following improvements have been added to the BIM Views panel:

  • The panel now stays docked together with other side panels, and remembers on/off status and position across FreeCAD sessions
  • A new section that includes 2D views has been added below the model structure view
  • The tool buttons have become context tools. Just right-click an item to rename, activate, delete, isolate or turn off anything
  • The panel now shows building structure and WP proxies with elevations in the top part of the panel, and 2D views and TechDraw pages in the bottom part
  • Double-clicking a level or 2D view activates that item. The different Interaction properties of BuildingParts apply: If the "Double click activates" property is on, the BuildingPart becomes active: All next Draft or BIM objects added to the model will automatically be added to it. Active containers are shown in bold text, both in the BIM panel and in the model tree. If the BuildingPart has stored Camera settings, that view will be recalled.
  • Double-clicking a TechDraw view opens that page
  • Double-clicking a level hides all other levels
  • Double-clicking a building shows all levels inside
  • A new preferences under Arch -> Defaults allows to change the 3D view background to plain color when activating a 2D view
  • Support for NativeIFC projects:
    • NativeIFC building structures (buildings, storeys...) can be an active container too
    • "Add Level" creates IfcBuildingStoreys when invoked on an IfcBuilding
    • Objects added to an active NativeIFC container are automatically converted to IFC
    • "Add proxy" is disabled when right-clicking a NativeIFC object
    • Activated NativeIFC levels set the working plane
    • Activated NativeIFC levels hide other levels

Related, additional changes also occur in other objects/tools:

  • BuildingPart are now used as 2D drawing containers. Their IFC type is then set to IfcAnnotation with Object Type as DRAWING. This matches how it is done in BlenderBIM, and paves the way for integration in IFC files, and seamless interchange with BlenderBIM. When used as a 2D drawing container, some properties of BuildingParts specific to levels are hidden.
  • A new "Create 2D Drawing" tool has been added to the BIM annotation tools. That tool creates a BuildingPart as described above, to serve as a container for 2D elements such as projection views (see below), dimensions, annotations and other line work
  • If a section plane is selected when creating a 2D Drawing, shape2D views are created automatically: One view and one cut if the section plane crosses the model, or only one view if not.
  • "Shape-based view" is renamed to "Section view"
  • A new "Section cut" tool has been added. It also creates a Shape2DView, but sets it in "cut faces" projection mode, so it shows only cut lines (and fillings). Typically, you create both a section view and a section cut to create a 2D view like a plan or section view.
  • The "View" tool has been renamed to "Insert view" which is more coherent with what it actually does
  • The sequence of the annotations menu becomes: Section plane -> 2D drawing -> Section view -> Section view -> Page -> Insert view. This reflects the recommended workflow: First you create a section plane, then you set up a 2D drawing container, then you add viewed and cut geometry to it, then you create a TechDraw page, then you place your 2D drawing on it.

That's all I have for now I'm afraid, but release 1.0 is coming!

As always, thank you to everybody who sponsors my FreeCAD BIM work on Patreon, LiberaPay or GitHub!

Cheers

Yorik

by Yorik on 09.08.2024 in freecad , opensource , nativeifc

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