Problems exporting stairs to IFC2x3

[JoarL]

I'm having some problems exporting stairs created with the stair tool from VW2023 Architect SP4 to IFC. Earlier exports from the same file used to work fine in SP3, but in SP4 it's (almost) no go. After some testing I can't get stairs to export to IFC2x3 at all. If I convert the stairs to 3D mesh, and add the IfcStair tag it exports to IFC2x3 like it used to, but this is not a very practical solution.

 

Exporting stairs to IFC4 seems to work, but only if the file has been set up for this before the stair is created. Exporting to IFC4 also seems to exclude all other custom objects created with IFC2x3 tags (typically furniture), so this is even less of a practical solution.

 

Does anybody have any experience with this, or possible workarounds I have missed?

 

[JuanP]

@JoarLI found a similar report in our current list of fixed issues for Vectorworks 2023 SP5. We are expecting to release SP5 tomorrow. Stay tuned!

[zoomer]

1 hour ago, JoarL said:

Exporting to IFC4 also seems to exclude all other custom objects created with IFC2x3 tags (typically furniture), so this is even less of a practical solution.

 

I don't know why,

but as far as I experienced,

if you switch your file from IFC 2x3 to 4.0 or vice versa

(by just adding a tag in the other IFC form !?)

you always need to tag all your custom tagged geometries again

in the current IFC version !

 

Only automatically tagged objects like PIOs will keep their IFC tags

when you switch IFC version.

 

In my other CAD there is no such difference for IFC tags in general.

You just choose witch IFC version to export.

 

[shorter]

@zoomer have you had any success exporting to IFC4? We had big problems on one project so didn’t use it. However I note that autodesk are now shouting about it like they invented it, so it is likely to become de rigeur amongst Revit users soon.

[zoomer]

I only "imported" IFC 4.0 and 4.1 into VW so far.

And was happy to see that it meanwhile works reasonably.

Export testing will take some time until I have something to export.

 

Just realized some issues with a bit more complex Solids (still rectilinear)

being crippled, while other Apps (BlenderBIM, OpenIFCViewer, Speckle)

import it perfectly.

But did not test if IFC 2x3 would work better for VW in this regard

(unlikely ?).

 

 

For VW IFC 4 export, I just read that Stairs do not export in IFC 4, again.

It was told to be fixed in SP5 (arriving somewhen today)

 

What was wrong with IFC 4 exports for you ?

So that I know what I need to look at.

[shorter]

We only tested it once when one bright BIM coordinator said we will all share IFC4 despite no software being fully accredited.

 

The IFC2x3 export was absolutely flawless.

 

The IFC4 looked like a complete mess.  It was an exhibition designer's model so not the usual model.

[zoomer]

SP 5 shows at least 3 fixes about missing Stairs in IFC 4.

Maybe that magically repaired more IFC 4 issues and is worth

to re-test.