Import Using the Command Line

The import process is performed using a PML object IFCImporterObj. The UI provides a front end to prepare and validate the data before initiating the import. It is recommended to use this functionality if a User wishes to import their framework.

IFC Import Command Line Syntax

The command line syntax for importing an IFC file or folder is illustrated in the "railtrack" diagrams below.

As it has been indicated in the UI, there are four steps to building up the command line:

1. Define the source.

2. Define where the imported model will be built.

3. Define log file options.

4. Define facet data options.

When constructing the command line, there are more checks that have to be made in order to provide a valid command. These checks are made in the UI.

The full command is:

The individual components to this command are detailed below. As can be seen, certain parts can be bypassed. The implications of bypassing these parts are given.

The target element will be a SITE, under which a ZONE will be created for each IFC file to be imported. If this part of the syntax is not used, the current element is implied.

The IFC specific import options are as below, as can be seen from the diagrams above, these are optional components to the command line syntax.

Note:
GPWL is still allowed for backward compatibility, but is ignored during IFC import.

Define the Reference Datum with the WRT or IN command component, the gid is a general PDMS element ID of a name or Reference Number.

To rescale the imported model in a uniform scaling factor, use the SCALE syntax command.

Logging is performed using the syntax below.

A log file will be produced by default, the log file can be turned off. To produce a log file, select one of the options and provide a valid file path. If this is an existing file, it will be overwritten.

When GENPRIs are displayed, the prevailing value of REPRE DARCTOL is used for the facet tolerance (that is by default 10 mm in PDMS and 1 mm in UE). If a GENPRI is imported with an explicit CTOL value set (Save Facet Data set in the UI) then these facets will be cached inside the DB (Database).

The cached facets will only be reused for display if the desired REPRE DARCTOL is close enough (between a factor of 0.8 and 4.0 times CTOL); otherwise they will be ignored. The GENPRI's underlying data will be faceted again from scratch with the desired tolerance. These facets will be discarded after use: that is the cached facets in the DB will not be overwritten.

To work with lighter geometric data, by slackening off the tolerance, they must change DARCTOL for everything; and if the facet data was saved with an unsuitable CTOL, it will not be useful.

If the CTOL value is unset, a default value is taken depending on the arc tolerance settings at the time.