Grouping in Blenderbim

edited November 2021 in General

I want to use a similar functionality as the group function in Revit, where collections of objects are kept in sync while having their own identity. Is that something that can be achieved in Blender? Does anyone have experience with that? Collections are more losely, if I move objects outside of edit mode they are no longer in sync. When I use instantiated groups I cannot access the individual elements.

Nested elements would be an option maybe? As a proxy? How would one use that in blenderbim?

Comments

  • I'm not the most sophisticated user of Blender but have you tried parenting to an empty? Maybe give this proposal some love too. https://blender.community/c/rightclickselect/Rcbbbc

  • Using empties or collections works to group objects together, but if I want to have a clone of that group (that also changes when I change objects within that group) I don't think that empties can help.

  • edited November 2021

    It sounds like 'collection instances' is what you're after.
    Unfortunately there's no IFC schema that can accommodate these.
    One is proposed here, if you want to +1 it.
    video on collection instances, below.

    ArEhsanC
  • For modeling this is somewhat useful, but it I cannot access data from the collection instances.
    If it is only about the modeling then joining and unjoining might help a bit, but I would need to classify and assign properties later for them indiviudally.
    I'll upvote the IFC-wish though :)

  • yep, not sure, good question.

  • @tobenz said:
    For modeling this is somewhat useful, but it I cannot access data from the collection instances.
    If it is only about the modeling then joining and unjoining might help a bit, but I would need to classify and assign properties later for them indiviudally.
    I'll upvote the IFC-wish though :)

    I have been using Join, and when I want to seperate them again I go into Edit Mode -> A (select all) ->P (By Loose Parts) just like you said, for example when modelling a Beam System, I use the array modifier. Then split it, but indeed the downside is you have to assign all the IFC classes for each beam individually. Would also like to see if it's possible to assign the same IFC class to multiple selected elements I Blender.

  • The appropriate IFC solution would be IfcGroups which maintain representation maps. Unfortunately this is not official in the schema, and a workaround has yet to be implemented. I'm sorry - I know it is important. It will be solved, I'm pretty sure.

    ArEhsanC
  • edited November 2021

    As I understand the IfcGroup is equivalent to a collection, with both using some loose connection. Mapped representation is one thing, synchronized typing (without mapped geometry in the type itself) would be another. As stated in @theoryshaw's post there seems to be a desire to get this into the schema, but we know that takes years. So I thought there might be a blender way to do this.

  • This is a major dealbreaker for people who would like to switch from Revit to BlenderBIM. It's pretty essential for working on bigger projects. Are there any updates on this matter? Btw i dont want to downplay all the things that have been done, Dion you're a legend!

    theoryshaw
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