Assigning IFC Entity or IFC PredefinedType, important steps

IFC Entity and IFC PredefinedType can be assigned upon creation of a component or at a later point in time.

Note: Only use the IFC Entity attribute if you need it. IFC Entity exports the element as a BREP (surface model). ALLPLAN Objects are normally automatically assigned to the appropriate IFC classes (walls, columns, ...). If the assigned IFC Entity corresponds to the native ALLPLAN object type then the program ignores the assignment, trying to transfer the element not as a BRep. This prevents loss of quality during IFC export.

Note: IFC export transfers openings in the following components: wall (IfcWall), downstand beam and upstand beam (IfcBeam), column (IfcColumn), slab (IfcSlab), roof (IfcRoof), foundation (IfcFooting), and IfcBuildingElementProxy. If a different IFC object type is assigned to the component (for example, IfcPlate instead of IfcSlab), openings will not be transferred.

To assign an IFC Entity or IFC PredefinedType to a component

1. Click a tool for creating a component, such as Wall (How), open the Properties dialog box, and click Attributes....
   

   Activate Wall in one of the following ways

   • Actionbar:Role Architecture Task Elements Task area Components

   • Menu bar: Create Architecture Basic: walls, openings, components

   • Keyboard: W A

   • Palette: Tools Create area in the following modules:

   Basic: walls, openings, components

   Or

   Right-click an existing component and select Modify Attributes (How) on the shortcut menu.

   

   Activate Modify Attributes in one of the following ways

   • Actionbar:Task area Attributes

   • Menu bar: Change Bonus Tools Attributes

   • Palette: Tools Change area in the following modules:

   Attributes

   Or

   Select one or more components, then go to the Properties palette, then go to the Attributes area, then click Assign new attribute. In this case, continue on to step 3.

2. The Define and Assign Attributes dialog box opens. Click Assign new attribute.
3. The Attribute Selection dialog box opens. Select the IFC attribute group in the Default area.
4. Go to the right-hand column, select the IFC Entity attribute (or IFC PredefinedType) before selecting OK.

   The IFC Entity attribute is inserted with the Undefined (or IFC PredefinedType or the <undefined>) setting into the Define and assign attributes dialog box.

5. Click Undefined and select an attribute value.

   

   The selection list contains the 20 most common IFC Entities here. If the required attribute value is missing, click within the line, enter the required attribute value at the keyboard, and select Enter to confirm. The program saves the attribute value entered, presenting it again the next time you select attributes.

   

   Note: There is no selection list for the IFC PredefinedType attribute. Enter the required attribute value in capital letters at the keyboard.

6. Click OK to confirm the Define and Assign Attributes dialog box.

   The component now has the required IFC Entity (or IFC object subtype) assigned to it. This attribute will be included when you export IFC data.

Undefined / <undefiniert> IFC entity

You can identify the IFC Entity attribute as not defined in two ways:

• After you have assigned the IFC Entity attribute, it initially gets the Undefined value. The next step is to select the required attribute value in the drop-down list (right column). If the value is still Undefined, you do not know whether this value was forgotten or selected on purpose.
• Therefore, you can use Set to <undefined> on the shortcut menu of the attribute name (left column) to identify the attribute as &;>. This indicates that the IFC entity is still open. The model expects an IFC entity attribute, which is required by the modeler.