Apply Predefined Rules

Click this button to assign new IFC data to selected elements based on automatic (.xml-based) rules. There are three types of such rules, based on their differing structures:

•“Tree list” rule: select an element from a tree-structure database to create the new data

•“Table” rule: select a row from a table to create the new data

•“Command” rule: start the rule-command to create the new data

The program contains factory-defined built-in rules (these vary depending on your localized version of ARCHICAD). As an example, the following table summarizes the rules that are contained in every language version of ARCHICAD:

Apply Predefined Rule: Example 1

•Apply the “Concept Design BIM 2010 (US GSA) / Project Client/Owner and Project Architect” rule on the IfcProject entity (the highest level of the IFC Model hierarchy) selected in the tree of the IFC Project Manager. As a result, Actors (IfcActor) are created with the following relations: “Project Client/Owner” and “Project Architect”.

Apply Predefined Rule: Example 2

Assign a Space Occupant classification by using the “Concept Design BIM 2010 (US GSA)/Space Occupant Classification and Properties” rule:

1.Create the new Space Occupant (Assignment), then drag in the elements that belong to it (e.g. IfcSpace entities).

See Assignments in IFC Project Manager.

2.Select the Space Occupant name in the Assignment list, then click on Apply Predefined Rule. From the dialog box, choose the “Concept Design BIM 2010 (US GSA) / Space Occupant Classification and Properties” rule.

3.From the table, select the desired classification item.

4.Click Apply. The Classification Reference elements and Properties are generated for the Space Occupant, using the values corresponding to the selected classification item.

Apply Predefined Rule: Example 3

Assign classifications to a number of roof slabs (IfcSlabs) using the “OmniClass / Table 21 - Elements” rule:

1.In the model, select the Slab elements to be classified (you can use Find & Select). Open the Settings dialog box and click on “Manage IFC Properties” from the Classification and Properties panel. Alternatively, select the corresponding IfcSlab entities from the IFC Project Manager tree.

2.Click on Apply Predefined Rule. From the dialog box, choose the “OmniClass / Table 21 - Elements” rule.

3.In the database Search field, enter the text “roof”. (You can search among the rules in the databases (tree list and table) by entering any partial text.)

4.From the Search result area, select the “Roof Decks, Slabs, and Sheathing” title.

5.Click “Apply”. The Classification Reference is generated, with the name of “Roof Decks, Slabs, and Sheathing”, with an ItemReference value of “21-02 10 20 20”, and additional data corresponding to the OmniClass standard.

Note:

–Once you select an element, only the applicable rules are available in the “Select Rule” list (for example, if you have selected IfcProject, then the “Concept Design BIM 2010 (US GSA) / Project Client/Owner and Project Architect” rule is available). All the non-applicable rules are grayed.

–IfcElement includes building, distribution (MEP) and furnishing elements.

–Certain rules are not available in Settings dialogs if the rules are related to elements which do not have Settings dialogs (for example, IfcBuilding, IfcBuildingStorey, IfcOccupant, IfcProject and IfcGroup).

–You can create and edit your own rule in .xml format. It is recommended to peruse the structure of an existing rule file (which may contain multiple rules), and to create a similar new rule by duplicating it under a different name.

–The available rules are accessible from the following folder, and the newly created rules should also be saved to this location:

-On Windows:
\Users\user name\GRAPHISOFT\IFC Rules “ARCHICAD version”

-On Mac:
/Users/user name/Library/Application Support/GRAPHISOFT/IFC Rules “ARCHICAD version”