blenderBIM - Classification References Manual Entry or Classification Source

eng_vitormartins

Hello, community.
I would like to know how to create and load a custom classification into blenderBIM so that it is available to classify the modeled elements.

Andrej730

What BlenderBIM version you're using? In the latest build there is an opton to load classification library.

eng_vitormartins

The BlenderBIM version is 0.0.231104:

The option to load a classification is available, but I would like to know how do I create this classification file? Is it an IFC file that contains this classification already?

fusionBIM

@eng_vitormartins said:
The option to load a classification is available, but I would like to know how do I create this classification file? Is it an IFC file that contains this classification already?

Hi @eng_vitormartins I'm grappling with the same question. Did you get a working solution or reference resource on how to do this by any chance?

steverugi

Hi @eng_vitormartins & @fusionBIM

please check the following path:

C:\Users\ username \AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\4.1\scripts\addons\blenderbim\bim\schema\classifications\

you need to change the username and maybe adapt it a bit if the version is different, there you can find classifications in IFC format

The structure is not difficult to understand, which Classification are you looking for?

fusionBIM

Hi @steverugi thanks for this perfect direction. One IFC template I'm still looking for in BlenderBIM is IFC2x3 for coordination view.

Moult

@fusionBIM what do you mean by IFC template? You can create and edit IFC2X3 projects. The MVD "Coordination View 2.0" no longer applies in the BlenderBIM Add-on since we are a fully-fledged authoring application, so we are capable of the full scope of IFC (i.e. Design Transfer), not just a Coordination View MVD.

fusionBIM

@Moult said:
@fusionBIM what do you mean by IFC template? You can create and edit IFC2X3 projects. The MVD "Coordination View 2.0" no longer applies in the BlenderBIM Add-on since we are a fully-fledged authoring application, so we are capable of the full scope of IFC (i.e. Design Transfer), not just a Coordination View MVD.

Thanks for your insight @Moult and you are definitely right, and I have a lot to learn. That's why I'm here with questions & starting to work with BlenderBIM.

My reference to IFC2x3 template relates to demand & deliverables required in our local industry, South Africa. BIM maturity here of clients (private & public) and in many cases Professionals as well, is way less advanced than ie. Europe & USA & AUS & NZ. Our industry's efforts to promote, specify, implement & contract on BIM standards like ISO 19650 is fragmented & uncoordinated. So we get extremely bad tender specs to tender on, a total lack of understanding of what BIM is and requires, especially on the client's side. Our reality & challenge is, how much time & resources can we afford to spend, trying to educate clients and getting them to align their RFQs and deliver on what BIM requires from them to start with for BIM to really succeed & add value. It's clear from experience they don't want to invest, but just demand. As practitioners we have little to no tangible support from legislation bodies, our institutes, contracting terms / framework etc. One of the result is, clients expect us to tender on & deliver "BIM" based on tender scope specs, literally outlined in 3 words of which IFC2x3 schema is included in some cases.

I know fairly well how to do most of this in Archicad, but that's not enough if we want everyone to participate. I'll have to & want to learn how to handle this in BlenderBIM. I know learning about automation too will be beneficial, but I am by no means experienced in programming, so the learning curve just keeps going deeper & longer...

avico

Hi @fusionBIM ,
If you want a "user classification" file like uniclass2015 or Omniclass_OCC to use in Blender Bim I think you need create the xml file and later convert it to ifc using getIfcClassification.py . You can investigate this link
https://github.com/Moult/IfcClassification

fusionBIM

Thanks @avico

Moult

Regarding Coordination View 2.0, you'll probably find that 1) most users can't tell the difference and 2) most software won't care either, and will just display your IFC2X3 file without issues. So I wouldn't stress too much about the words "Coordination View 2.0" and just focus on the IFC2X3 - no viewer is going to penalise you and most users (especially those who only write such a simple contractual requirement) are not going to care either.

If you really want you can change the MVD by pressing the edit button in the Project Info.

fusionBIM

@Moult said:
Regarding Coordination View 2.0, you'll probably find that 1) most users can't tell the difference and 2) most software won't care either, and will just display your IFC2X3 file without issues. So I wouldn't stress too much about the words "Coordination View 2.0" and just focus on the IFC2X3 - no viewer is going to penalise you and most users (especially those who only write such a simple contractual requirement) are not going to care either.

If you really want you can change the MVD by pressing the edit button in the Project Info.

Thank You @Moult I absolutely hear you & agree about most not knowing the difference. At the same time (1) I know I have a lot to learn too & (2) I don't want to get burnt, delivering something that I am not totally confident in or can not answer for. It's always a tradeoff trying to educate clients about a better product vs just satisfying their needs however inefficient / simply bad.
I now found that switch to IFC2X3, thanks a lot.

PS: I don't know for others, but for me BlenderBIM has & are definitely accelerated my understanding of IFC & the schemas. It's also most effective & helpful to show up errors in the files we receive.

steverugi

hi @avico

Hi @fusionBIM ,
If you want a "user classification" file like uniclass2015 or Omniclass_OCC to use in Blender Bim I think you need create the xml file and later convert it to ifc using getIfcClassification.py . You can investigate this link

could you please indicate the steps to use 'getIfcClassification.py'? I think I understand how to create an .xml file starting from .xlsx but need help to use it to create an .ifc classification file
I also noticed 'vbis.py' in the same directory, is it to use a .csv file instead? unfortunately in both scripts there are no indications
many thanks for your assistance

avico

Hi @steverugi,
In a directory put the script and create two subdirectories (ifc and xml, as it is on github).
Modify the last lines of getIfcClassification.py by writing your correct path to the files and execute it (is a python script). You must have the ifcopenshell library in the python path (compatible with the version of python you have). You can get it from the same blender bim installation (C:\Users\Antonio\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.6\scripts\addons\blenderbim\libs\site\packages)

steverugi

Hi @steverugi,
In a directory put the script and create two subdirectories (ifc and xml, as it is on github).
Modify the last lines of getIfcClassification.py by writing your correct path to the files and execute it (is a python script). You must have the ifcopenshell library in the python path (compatible with the version of python you have). You can get it from the same blender bim installation (C:\Users\Antonio\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.6\scripts\addons\blenderbim\libs\site\packages)

thanks @avico for your quick reply, will try and revert, much appreciated

steverugi

Hi @avico
thanks again for your assistance, everything worked like a charm :)
as you indicated there is no need to change anything in the script so long as you put the .py file in the main directory and create ifc and xml (with the files to convert) subdirectories inside it.
Very much appreciated!

avico

@Moult is the culprit.
@Andrej730 and others are dangerous cronies to the ones he has and to watch closely (if there are errors, apologies. Google translate does what it can)

steverugi

Hi @avico
you wouldn't happen to know if there is a .xmd file ready available to validate Classification .xml files?
I tried to use some website for conversion .xml to .xmd but don't seem to be working well, thanks

avico

Hi @steverugi.
Sorry but no
This xml format comes from Graphisoft. Maybe by investigating that route something can be obtained. I seem to remember that these xml files were also used in Freecad BIM (several years ago; now I don't know what format it uses)

steverugi

thanks @avico

This xml format comes from Graphisoft. Maybe by investigating that route something can be obtained. I seem to remember that these xml files were also used in Freecad BIM (several years ago; now I don't know what format it uses)

I'll give it a try, seems a bit daunting atm but won't give up anytime soon, cheers