How to check if parameters in an IFC file are compliant and editable

Hi,
I have the following issue and wonder how other IFC users handle it.
I use a calculation software that is really good in specifying the calculation data of a duct branch and it provides an IFC export with geometry and parameter sets of the results of the calculation.
My issue is that the software handles bad the common parameter sets. For example, I have comments from the BIM management company that I should include parameters (for example, ifcmaterial) but my authoring software places those parameters also in a custom parameter set.
So, my question is how should I handle checking the parameters on a IFC file to see if they are compliant with the common parameter sets? And can I move a parameter from a custom parameter set to the common or appropriate parameter set?

I attach a file with an example of the “ifcMaterial” parameter in the wrong set.

Comments

  • Are you looking for a GUI solution or would Python be ok for you too?

  • @bernd I could handle Python to add the parameters. Just in case it makes a difference, the BIM specialist uses Solibri or BIMCollab to check collisions and issues.

  • What's your authoring software? That must be the first place to look for a solution. We have some good guides for setting up Revit on the wiki ...

  • @EloyRD looking at your file, indeed, there is no IfcMaterial data in that file. If your authoring software is incapable of adding materials, then you may not have a choice but to use a script which fixes your file for you. Can you confirm this is the situation? If so, someone here can probably help write the script. Alternatively, if you can handle Python, would you like to try and write the script and we can help guide you?

  • Hi @duncan . Thanks for replying to me here and in the buildingsmart forum. My authoring software is mh-BIM a local MEP calculation solution that exports to DWG really well. They have an IFC exporter that provides a nice geometry export for collision control, but it lacks on parameter control.
    By BIMTester do you mean this Blender Add-On https://wiki.osarch.org/index.php?title=BIMTester
    I am already using the guides for Revit from the OSArch community, thank you for pointing out to them!

    Hi @Moult . I'd like to give it a try using Python. Should I begin with the posts in http://academy.ifcopenshell.org/ ?

    duncan
  • @EloyRD this article should get you up to speed with IfcOpenShell: https://wiki.osarch.org/index.php?title=IfcOpenShell_code_examples - then this article would help you understand materials in IFC https://wiki.osarch.org/index.php?title=IFC_materials - in your scenario you would be looking at a single material. Your script would essentially look at the psets (use ifcopenshell.util.element.get_psets()) and create a corresponding IfcMaterial entity, and relate it to the object.

  • @EloyRD maybe mh-BIM should switch to using IfcOpenShell for their IFC handling ... it might be worth asking them if they've looked into it.

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