IFC for Revit Files

This directory contains installs based on the IFC code for Revit 2016 and Revit LT 2016.  New installs will be created when:
- There is a major Revit release or update release that affects IFC.
- There is a critical change to the source code.
- Periodically, if any significant changes have been made since the last install.

Version Log:

(16.6.0) IFC for Revit 2017 v16.6.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2017 Source v16.6.0.zip

General:

- Minor improvements to the Importer class to make it easier for developers to create a custom Importer.
- We now support the IFC4 Addendum 2 schema.  Specific improvements based on that will be listed below.  For this update, you will have to manually add the IFC4_Add2.exp file (included with this package), to the EDM subfolder of your Revit Program folder.  We will automate this in a future update.

New Export Functionality:

- Allow overriding material names on export by using IfcName shared parameter.
- Expand the use of types for many elements that didn't export types before, including beams (IfcBeamType), curtain walls (IfcCurtainWallType, and types for mullions and panels), and footings (IfcFootingType).
- Improved ability to export some geometry as IfcSweptSolid.
- Try to use axis information, if it exists, when exporting beams and members in addition to columns.
- (IFC4) Better support beam, column, and member base quantities, including weight.
- (IFC4) Collect material information for profiles for beams and columns.
- (IFC4) Expand use of FootPrint representations to columns and slabs.
- (IFC4) Expand use of IfcMaterialLayerSetUsage if the entity has a compound structure in Revit, as allowed by IFC.
- (IFC4) No longer create StandardCase IFC entities, as these have been deprecated (including IfcWallStandardCase).
- (IFC4) Support IfcMaterialConstituent and IfcMaterialProfileSet for a number of elements.
- (IFC4) Use Built-in parameter "Structural_Bend_Dir_Angle" to get "Roll" property for PSet_BeamCommon and PSet_ColumnCommon.
- (IFCAdd2) Support IfcPolygonalFaceSet.

Export Bug Fixes:

- Allow exporting to IFC while using Collaboration for Revit where the default directory isn't local.
- Better support for MEP type entities, that didn't always export correctly.
- Correct the parameters of the directrix of some IfcSweptSolids.
- Fix correct mapping of IfcBurnerType/IfcGasTerminalType and IfcElectricHeaterType/IfcSpaceHeaterType.
- Fix creation of types for sub-entities of IfcDistributionControlElement.
- Fix offset problem when using the "Export Linked Files as Separate IFCs" option in locales where the decimal mark is not a point.
- (IFC4) Correct names of IFC4 entity quantity sets.
- (IFC4) Fix the name of IfcCommunicationsApplianceType.

New Import Functionality:

- Add support for IfcDerivedProfileDef.
- Support IfcRelClassification.
- (IFC4) Support IfcMaterialProfile, IfcMaterialProfileSet, and IfcMaterialProfileSetUsage.
- (IFC4) Support IfcMaterialConstituent and IfcMaterialConstituentSet.
- (IFC4) Support IfcTessellatedFaceSet and IfcPolygonalFaceSet.
- (IFC4) Improve mapping from Roll parameter to structural bend direction angle.
- (API only) Allow for two new options, CreateDuplicateZoneGeometry and CreateDuplicateContainerGeometry, that disable the duplication of geometry for zone elements and containers, respectively.

Import Bug Fixes:

- Better reporting when importing an IFC file with invalid rectangular or circular profiles (e.g., a 0 radius profile).
- Don't show the void geometry when subtracting a void from an empty solid as a result of an IfcBooleanResult calculation.
- Ensure that IFC2x schema files can still be imported.
- Fix import of some IfcSurfaceCurveSweptAreaSolids.

(16.5.0) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.5.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.5.0.zip

New Export Functionality:

- Use "Reference Level" as the base level of the element when exporting certain MEP components.
- Support export of mass density units.

Export Bug Fixes:

- Export rooms and areas even if they have improperly closed internal boundaries.  Note that the IfcSpace created may then be missing expected interior holes.
- Fix error when exporting some 0 height walls when they have associated parts.
- Only associate a door or window with one opening, even if the door or window is inserted into multiple walls, as per the IFC standard.

New Import Functionality:

- Add an API option that allows for always reading in bounding box information, even if the entity has a Body representation.
- Allow reading in curve information that's not contained in the Axis representation, to allow for wireframe import.
- Map IfcOutletType and IfcProtectiveDeviceType to Electrical Fixtures and Specialty Equipment, respectively.
- Improved support for IFC2x and IFC2x2 files.
- Support proper scaling of mass density units.

Import Bug Fixes:

- Don't complain about missing IfcOwnerHistory for IFC4 files.
- Properly scale metric bounding boxes so that they are the correct size.
- Stop ignoring some IfcGroups (and IfcSystems) that weren't included in the structure as Revit previously expected.

(16.4.0) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.4.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.4.0.zip

New Export Functionality:

- Append "(Type)" to all internal Revit type property sets, to avoid having multiple property sets with the same name assigned to the same IFC entity.
- Changed how the classification code is parsed so that classifications can have brackets and colons in them.
- "Extra Low" level of detail now applies to all faceted BRep geometry, allowing many more files to export without hitting the size limit.
- If a user-defined property set contains the same property name more than once, take the last non-empty value (don't duplicate the property name).
- Rebar elements can generate up to 1024 consistent GUIDs for individual IfcReinforcementBars, up from 256.
- (IFC4) Zones can now have a long name, set by the "ZoneLongName" shared parameter for non-MEP zones, and the "IfcLongName" parameter for MEP zones.

Export Bug Fixes:

- Don't create orphaned IfcStyledItems.
- Don't export invisible geometry in beams.
- Export DirectShapes of Walls category.
- Export elements with empty custom classification field values.
- Floors exported as IfcSlabs correctly report if they are load bearing or not, using either the "LoadBearing" shared parameter or the Structural built-in parameter, in that order.
- Improve performance in certain cases where we can't create a valid tessellation for a face.
- The "Use active view to generate geometry" option now works correctly.
- (IFC4) Correct the orientation of some IfcAdvancedBRep faces.

New Import Functionality:

- Import IfcProxy as Generic Models.

Import Bug Fixes:

- Fix how the IFC GUID is set for certain elements.
- Fix the orientation of some imported objects where part of the local placement needs to be calculated.
- (IFC4) Read in some missing relations caused by "IsDefinedBy" split into 3 inverse attributes.

(16.3.0) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.3.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.3.0.zip

General:

- Added some minor export performance tweaks.
- Added IFC4 Design Transfer View as an option.  With this option, Revit will attempt to create IfcAdvancedBReps in some cases.
- The import log file now contains the importer version at the end.

New Export Functionality:

- Display the element id for each element as it is exported.
- Export rebar containers created by some structural add-ons.
- Create IfcGroups for multiple IfcReinforcingBars created by one rebar element in Revit.
- (IFC4) Add support for ConicalFace and fix RevolvedFace for IfcAdvancedBRep.
- (IFC4) Reuse IfcCartesianPoints when exporting an IfcAdvancedBRep.

Export Bug Fixes:

- Associate some entities with IfcBuilding if they have no other spatial containment, or there are no levels.
- Correctly export DirectShapes of Ramp, Stairs, or certain MEP categories.
- Correctly relate IfcAssembly to IfcBuildingStorey in certain cases.
- Export some elements with geometry that couldn't be correctly split into multiple solids.
- Fix crash in certain cases where we can't create a valid tessellation for a face.
- Fix crash when exporting certain vertical roofs.
- Fix crash when exporting elements with no bounding box when splitting elements by level.
- Fix crash when exporting filled regions with invalid color definitions.
- Fix export of floors with multiple slope arrows.
- Fix the name of IfcArbitraryClosedProfileDef entities.
- Never export curtain wall panels independent of their curtain walls.
- Remove invisible geometry when exporting families when exporting elements in the current view.
- (IFC4) Correct export of IfcMechanicalFastener.

New Import Functionality:

- Add support for extra currency types.
- Allow import of unbounded grid lines, with a warning and an arbitrary length.

Import Bug Fixes:

- The IfcSweptSurface "Position" attribute is now optional.

(16.2.0) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.2.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.2.0.zip

General:

- This is the IFC2x3 Coordination View import certified version of Revit for Link IFC, as seen on http://www.buildingsmart.org/compliance/certified-software/.  At the time of this writing, it incorrectly lists "Autodesk Revit Architecture" as being import certified instead of "Autodesk Revit".

- Both Link and Export will use the IFC4 Addendum 1 schema instead of the IFC4 schema if the IFC4_ADD1.EXP is loaded in the EDM sub-folder of your Revit executable folder.

New Export Functionality:

- Allow setting of IfcBuildingStorey element composition type via IfcElementCompositionType shared parameter for levels.
- IFC4: handle elliptical edges for IFC4 Design Transfer View export.
- Support export of volumes as liters (a.k.a. cubic decimeters)
- Support export of volumetric flow rates as liters per second (a.k.a. cubic decimeters per second).

New Export UI Functionality:

- Better progress messages in the status bar.
- Remove list of "Current Options" from the starting UI dialog; only display the IFC Schema and MVD as "IFC Version"
- Remove path from "Projects to Export" list; the path is now a tooltip.

Export Bug Fixes:

- Correctly toggle between SLIDING_TO_LEFT / SLIDING_TO_RIGHT for flipped doors.
- Use the element type "Function" parameter when setting the "IsExternal" common property for all element types, not just wall types.

New Import Functionality:

- Add "IfcElement HasPorts Name" and "IfcElement HasPorts IfcGUID" parameters to show port information for elements.  There will be multiple shared parameters created if the element has multiple ports.
- Add support for more thermal transmittance units.
- Entities that are decomposed by IfcBuildingElementPart will now be visible if either the top level category or the Parts category is enabled by default.
- If attempting to create an IfcShellBasedSurfaceModel as a Solid results in any dropped faces, import it as a Mesh instead.
- If processing an IfcBooleanResult entity results in a failed Revit Boolean operation, try again by slightly shifting (by 1mm) the second of the two geometries in the operation.
- Improve import of IfcSweptDiskSolid when the geometric description of the entity would create a self-intersecting surface.  In this case, create the minimum number of solids possible to import as much as the geometry as possible.
- Read in IfcSystems that aren't associated to the building via an IfcRelServicesBuildings relation.
- Read in IfcPropertyBoundedValues (including support for IFC4 version).
- Support import of volumes as liters.
- Support import of volumetric flow rates as liters per second.

Import Bug Fixes:

- Add a message to the log file if we skip importing an IfcProduct that neither has geometry nor is decomposed by other entities.
- Fix a potential crash if a file contains a large number of elements in system joined by ports.
- Improve log message when an entity can't be imported because it has no geometry.
- Improve log message when an entity can't create all of the facets of its tessellated geometric representation.
- Move some MEP entities from Generic Models category to the appropriate categories by default.

(16.1.0) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.1.0.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.1.0.zip

General:

- Special thanks to CAD-Q (http://www.cad-q.com/) for their contribution of this improvement to the Open Source.  Their contributions will be marked with (CADQ) below.
- The installer has been updated to once again work with Revit LT.

New Export Functionality:

- (CADQ) Ability to export only schedules whose titles include "PSet", "IFC" or "Common".
- (CADQ) Added option to use the active view to generate the exported geometry.  Note that this can have unexpected effects if used in a non-3D view.
- (CADQ) Added an export progress report to the status bar, similar to how Link IFC displays progress.
- (CADQ) Allow export of multiple loaded exportable projects.  Note that for phasing, the list of available phases will be based on the current project only.  If a phase other than the default phase is chosen, it will be used for all projects assuming that they have the same phase with the same element id.  If multiple projects are chosen, default names will be used for the created files in the chosen folder.
- (CADQ) Split walls and columns by level now also splits duct segments by level.
- (CADQ) The "Advanced" tab tessellation level of detail controls now also apply to pipe fittings.  In addition, instead of being a checkbox, there are now four options: "Extra Low", "Low", "Medium" and "High".  The default setting is Low, which is slightly higher than the previous setting.
- (CADQ) When splitting elements by level, if the splitting operation fails, use the original solid.
- Added a setup for the IFC4 Design Transfer View MVD.  This is still a work in progress and is intended for advanced users to experiment with.  The bulk of the new functionality is around using the IfcAdvancedBRep to generate non-faceted geometry and topology on export.
- Added support for properties with friction loss and linear velocity units, both for standard Revit properties and user defined property sets.
- All properties for PSet_ZoneCommon are prepended with "Zone" to distinguish them from Room properties.  See the wiki for more information.

Export Bug Fixes:

- (CADQ) IFC2x3: PSet_ZoneCommon now correctly exports "GrossAreaPlanned" and "NetAreaPlanned" properties (instead of the IFC4 GrossPlannedArea and NetPlannedArea).
- Allow export of IfcElectricDistributionPoint (IFC2x3) and IfcElectricDistributionBoard (IFC4) entity types.
- Allow export of DirectShapes in certain categories that were previously ignored.
- Allow export of some infill elements in host objects.  Infill elements are created when a host object has an opening that is not in the currently exported phase.
- Exporting schedules as property sets will now include room elements.
- Fix orientation of some floors exported as containers.
- IFC2x3: Allow export of type properties for elements whose corresponding IFC entity doesn't have a type in user-defined property sets assigned to "IfcElementType".
- Significantly improve the export of walls with openings in the corners. Both the wall profile and the opening geometry have been improved to reflect user intent, and fewer clip planes are used.
- Switch between the IFC4 IfcBurner/IfcBurnerType and IfcSpaceHeater/IfcSpaceHeaterType and their IFC2x3 counterparts depending on the schema version.

New Import Functionality:

- Always reload a linked IFC file if the importer version is different than the one used to originally link the IFC file.
- Better handling of IFC color information when scaling is involved.
- Create the log file earlier, allowing for logging of more general failures.
- If the default log file is locked, create a log file with a temporary name in the same directory.
- Log an error if no template file could be found to generate an IFC file.
- Log an error if the IFC file contains a zero length vectors used in local coordinate systems.
- Process IfcPresentationLayerAssignment for grids.
- Store IfcProject, IfcSite and IfcBuilding parameters and GUIDs in Revit Project Information if no element was created for them.

Import Bug Fixes:

- Correctly rotate projects whose true north deviates from project north.
- Correct unit scaling and symbol display for friction loss, linear velocity, luminous efficacy, thermal transmittance, and volumetric flow rate.
- Include units when displaying material thicknesses in the IfcMaterialList parameter and in some log messages.
- Import extruded geometry whose profile is a single, unbounded, closed curve (e.g., a full circle or ellipse).
- Improve creation of geometry in cases where a Solid couldn't be created, and we reverted to Mesh geometry instead.
- Improve material assignment for geometries where the material was attached to the first argument of a Boolean operation.
- Properly scale IfcVertexPoint input.
- Stop displaying irrelevant property sets in the IfcPropertySetList parameter.

(16.0.2.1) IFC for Revit 2016 v16.0.2.1.msi
IFC for Revit 2016 Source v16.0.2.1.zip

Initial open source release, based on Revit 2016. This includes import, export, and export alternate UI in one installer.