Overview

The IFCBIM library provides C++ classes based on IFC 4x3 ADD2 published as ISO 16739-1:2024, with automatic handling of differences when reading and writing as older IFC editions.

In general, the changes made to widely-used definitions tend to be upwardly compatible so that older file data can still be read. New attributes are usually added at the end of an entity. We have full migration support for this type of change and the correct number of attributes will be read or written for both IFC4 and IFC2x3. More dramatic changes are also supported, but to a lesser degree.

For example, IfcMaterial only had a “Name” attribute in IFC2x3, while IFC4 adds description and category fields. Writing as each version would give the following:

#50445= IFCMATERIAL('myname');                     /* IFC2x3 */
#50445= IFCMATERIAL('myname', 'mydesc', 'mycat');  /* IFC4 */

Changes in IFC4x3

IFC4x3 adds many new entities for rail and roadway design purposes, with some restructuring and renaming. Changes that might affect your existing code are noted below.

The following simple subtypes (no extra attributes) were deleted by IFC4x3. We have added aliases so that we can read files that use old subtype as the still supported supertype. IfcWallStandardCase is still present. 

IfcBeamStandardCase ->    IfcBeam
IfcColumnStandardCase ->  IfcColumn
IfcDoorStandardCase  ->   IfcDoor
IfcMemberStandardCase ->  IfcMember
IfcOpeningStandardCase -> IfcOpening
IfcPlateStandardCase ->   IfcPlate
IfcSlabElementedCase ->   IfcSlab
IfcSlabStandardCase ->    IfcSlab
IfcWallElementedCase ->   IfcWall
IfcWindowStandardCase ->  IfcWindow

The IfcBuiltElement and IfcBuiltElementType names replace the previous IfcBuildingElement and IfcBuildingElementType definitions. This appears to be just a simple symbol change.

The IfcCompositeCurve segments attribute has changed to be a list of a supertype of IfcCompositeCurveSegment, which will impact code that uses it. It is now a list of IfcSegment, which is a supertype of composite curve segment and a new curve segment type, so you must cast the contents before use. Some conditional code with the old and new usage is shown below.

    IfcCompositeCurve * curve
    unsigned i,sz;

#ifdef IFCLIB_SCHEMA_HAS_IFC4X3
    ListOfIfcSegment * segs = curve->Segments();
#else
    ListOfIfcCompositeCurveSegment * segs = curve->Segments();
#endif

    for (i=0, sz=segs->size(); i<sz; i++)
    {
#ifdef IFCLIB_SCHEMA_HAS_IFC4X3
	IfcCompositeCurveSegment * seg =
	    ROSE_CAST(IfcCompositeCurveSegment, segs->get(i));
	if (!seg) continue;  /* might be another subtype */
#else
	IfcCompositeCurveSegment * seg = segs->get(i);
#endif
        /* process curve */
    }

The definition of Location in axis placements has changed to the IfcPoint supertype, rather than the more specific IfcCartesianPoint subtype. This may require additional C++ casting, but our ifcx_xform_put() and ifcx_vec_put() functions simplify working with these.

IFC4x3 retired IfcPresentationStyleAssignment and simplified IfcStyledItem by making the Styles attribute only refer to a IfcPresentationStyle rather than a select of style or style assignment. That might simplify new data, but the old usage is found in data from all prior versions. We have retained style assignment and the select type in the Styles attribute.

IFC4x3 ADD2 is the latest revision and makes some minor changes to definitions and where rules. It renames values in the IfcAnnotationTypeEnum and IfcRailwayPartTypeEnum enums. It adds several new values to the IfcArithmeticOperatorEnum and IfcReferentTypeEnum enums. Finally it moves the GeodeticDatum attribute from subtypes IfcGeographicCRS and IfcProjectedCRS to the IfcCoordinateReferenceSystem supertype. No P21 accommodation is needed because the data looks the same. IfcGeographicCRS also has new optional unit.

Changes in IFC4x2

IFC4x2 adds many new entities for bridge design purposes, along with new bridge-oriented elements in many enumerations.

The class hierarchy of some entities have been changed, with intermediate supertypes inserted for categorization. The new types do not have any attributes. The IfcFacility type was inserted between IfcBuilding and IfcSpatialStructure. The IfcDeepFoundation type was inserted between IfcPile and IfcBuildingElement. Similar insertions were done for IfcFacilityPart and IfcPileType.

The definition for IfcObjectPlacement has changed, moving the "PlacementRelTo" attribute from IfcLocalPlacement up to the supertype. This insertion affects the IfcGridPlacement and IfcLinearPlacement definitions in a way that causes noticable Part 21 file differences. Instances in a file have the new attribute inserted into the middle of the list rather than at the end where it might be easily ignored by unsuspecting implementations. The IFCBIM library will read and write IfcGridPlacement and IfcLinearPlacement with the new field in the correct place if the schema type is declared as 4x2 and will omit it for earlier versions. The IfcLinearPlacement curve attribute previously called "PlacementRelTo" has been renamed to "PlacementMeasuredAlong".

Changes from IFC4 to IFC4 addendum 1

The original IFC4 introduced the IfcTriangulatedFaceSet definition, but in IFC4 addendum one, one attribute was deleted and replaced with a new attribute with a completely different structure and meaning. Originally the last attribute was: 

 NormalIndex	LIST OF LIST OF INTEGER

In all subsequent versions (IFC4 addendum one and two, IFC4x1) the last attribute is now: 

 PnIndex	LIST OF IfcPositiveInteger

The IFCBIM library uses the latest schema, so IfcTriangulatedFaceSet has the PnIndex definition, but starting with the v18 release, we can now read old data with the original definition.

The C++ class now also contains the older NormalIndex attribute. When reading a file, the NormalIndex field will be set if the file uses the older list of list of integers, otherwise PhIndex will be set.

The NormalIndex field is always ignored when writing data to a file. Only the PnIndex attribute will be written.

Changes from IFC2x3 to IFC4

Supported migrations are described below.

Definition IFCBIM Handling

IFC2x3 types removed in IFC4. Simple subtypes with no extra fields, so will be read as an instance of the supertype
IfcBezierCurve handle as IfcBsplineCurve
IfcRationalBezierCurve handle as IfcBsplineCurve
Ifc2DCompositeCurve handle as IfcCompositeCurve

IFC2x3 types removed in IFC4, but retained for legacy use.
IfcElectricDistributionPoint Was only flow controller subtype in 2x3. Was replaced by a different set of subtypes. Retained for reading legacy data, but do not use in IFC4 files.
IfcElectricDistributionPointFunctionEnum supporting enum for above.

IFC4-added fields. The extra fields listed below are ignored when reading or writing as IFC2x3.
IfcActionRequestPredefinedType, Status, LongDescription
IfcBeamPredefinedType
IfcBuildingElementPartPredefinedType
IfcClassificationDescription, Location, ReferenceTokens (date change ignored)
IfcClassificationReferenceDescription, Sort
IfcColumnPredefinedType
IfcCostItemPredefinedType, CostValues, CostQuantities
IfcCurtainWallPredefinedType
IfcCurveStyleModelOrDraughting
IfcDiscreteAccessoryPredefinedType
IfcDiscreteAccessoryTypePredefinedType
IfcDistributionChamberElementPredefinedType
IfcDistributionPortPredefinedType, SystemType
IfcDocumentReferenceDescription, ReferencedDocument
IfcDoorPredefinedType, OperationType, UserDefinedOperationType
IfcDoorLiningPropertiesLiningToPanelOffsetX, LiningToPanelOffsetY
IfcFastenerPredefinedType
IfcFastenerTypePredefinedType
IfcFillAreaStyleModelOrDraughting
IfcFurnitureTypePredefinedType
IfcGridPredefinedType
IfcIShapeProfileDefFlangeEdgeRadius, FlangeSlope
IfcLibraryReferenceDescription, Language, ReferencedLibrary
IfcMaterialDescription, Category
IfcMaterialLayerName, Description, Category, Priority
IfcMaterialLayerSetDescription
IfcMaterialLayerSetUsageReferenceExtent
IfcMechanicalFastenerPredefinedType
IfcMechanicalFastenerTypePredefinedType, NominalDiameter, NominalLength
IfcMemberPredefinedType
IfcMetricReferencePath (date change ignored)
IfcOpeningElementPredefinedType
IfcPerformanceHistoryLifeCyclePhase, PredefinedType
IfcPermitPredefinedType, Status, LongDescription
IfcPlatePredefinedType
IfcProjectOrderLongDescription
IfcProjectionElementPredefinedType
IfcPropertyBoundedValueSetPointValue
IfcPropertyTableValueCurveInterpolation
IfcQuantityAreaFormula
IfcQuantityCountFormula
IfcQuantityLengthFormula
IfcQuantityTimeFormula
IfcQuantityVolumeFormula
IfcQuantityWeightFormula
IfcRampFlightPredefinedType
IfcReinforcingMeshPredefinedType
IfcStairFlightPredefinedType
IfcStructuralCurveConnectionAxis
IfcStructuralCurveMemberAxis
IfcStructuralPointConnectionConditionCoordinateSystem
IfcSystemFurnitureElementTypePredefinedType
IfcTableColumns
IfcTelecomAddressMessagingIDs
IfcTendonAnchorPredefinedType
IfcTextStyleModelOrDraughting
IfcWallPredefinedType
IfcWallStandardCasePredefinedType
IfcWindowPredefinedType, PartitioningType, UserDefinedPartitioningType
IfcWindowLiningPropertiesLiningOffset, LiningToPanelOffsetX, LiningToPanelOffsetY
IfcZoneLongName

Other Changes

The BuildingSmart team chose to make non-upward compatible changes to IFC 2x3 definitions that were not widely-used or supported by commercial software. Some of these changes, like replacing date/time objects with a simple string, are meant to simplify implementation. Other changes reorganize relationships between object so make room for future expansion.

Since the pool of existing data is limited and the differences are significant, the IFCBIM library does not contain automatic migration for the following version changes. 

ENTITY IfcAnnotationFillAreaOccurrence
DEL      GlobalOrLocal : OPTIONAL IfcGlobalOrLocalEnum;

ENTITY IfcAppliedValue
Changed date values to strings
ADD   Category : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
ADD      Condition : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
ADD      ArithmeticOperator : OPTIONAL IfcArithmeticOperatorEnum;
ADD      Components : OPTIONAL LIST [1:?] OF IfcAppliedValue;

ENTITY IfcApproval; REORDERS ATTS
ADD      RequestingApproval : OPTIONAL IfcActorSelect;
ADD      GivingApproval : OPTIONAL IfcActorSelect;

ENTITY IfcApprovalRelationship    CHANGES SUPER, CHANGES ATTS

ENTITY IfcAsymmetricIShapeProfileDef      CHANGES SUPER, CHANGES ATTS

ENTITY IfcBuildingElementProxy
NOW      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcBuildingElementProxyTypeEnum;
 WAS    CompositionType : OPTIONAL IfcElementCompositionEnum;

ENTITY IfcConstructionEquipmentResource
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcConstructionEquipmentResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcConstructionMaterialResource
DEL    Suppliers : OPTIONAL SET [1:?] OF IfcActorSelect;
DEL    UsageRatio : OPTIONAL IfcRatioMeasure;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcConstructionMaterialResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcConstructionProductResource
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcConstructionProductResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcConstructionResource
NOW      Usage : OPTIONAL IfcResourceTime;
NOW      BaseCosts : OPTIONAL LIST [1:?] OF IfcAppliedValue;
NOW      BaseQuantity : OPTIONAL IfcPhysicalQuantity;

WAS    ResourceIdentifier : OPTIONAL IfcIdentifier;
WAS    ResourceGroup : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
WAS    ResourceConsumption : OPTIONAL IfcResourceConsumptionEnum;
WAS    BaseQuantity : OPTIONAL IfcMeasureWithUnit;

ENTITY IfcControl
ADD      Identification : OPTIONAL IfcIdentifier;

ENTITY IfcCostSchedule
NOW      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcCostScheduleTypeEnum;
NOW      Status : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
NOW      SubmittedOn : OPTIONAL IfcDateTime;
NOW      UpdateDate : OPTIONAL IfcDateTime;

WAS    SubmittedBy : OPTIONAL IfcActorSelect;
WAS    PreparedBy : OPTIONAL IfcActorSelect;
WAS    SubmittedOn : OPTIONAL IfcDateTimeSelect;
WAS    Status : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
WAS    TargetUsers : OPTIONAL SET [1:?] OF IfcActorSelect;
WAS    UpdateDate : OPTIONAL IfcDateTimeSelect;
WAS    ID : IfcIdentifier;
WAS    PredefinedType : IfcCostScheduleTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcCostValue
DEL    CostType : IfcLabel;
DEL    Condition : OPTIONAL IfcText;

ENTITY IfcCrewResource
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcCrewResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcCShapeProfileDef
DEL     CentreOfGravityInX : OPTIONAL IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;

ENTITY IfcDistributionControlElement
DEL    ControlElementId : OPTIONAL IfcIdentifier;

ENTITY IfcDocumentInformation  REWORKED ATTS
DEL    DocumentReferences : OPTIONAL SET [1:?] OF IfcDocumentReference;
ADD      Location : OPTIONAL IfcURIReference;  (string)


ENTITY IfcIrregularTimeSeriesValue;
ADD      TimeStamp : IfcDateTime;
CHANGED      ListValues : LIST [1:?] OF IfcValue;


ENTITY IfcLaborResource
DELETE        SkillSet : OPTIONAL IfcText;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcLaborResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcLibraryInformation
DEL    LibraryReference : OPTIONAL SET [1:?] OF IfcLibraryReference;
ADD      Location : OPTIONAL IfcURIReference;
ADD      Description : OPTIONAL IfcText;


ENTITY IfcLShapeProfileDef
DEL    CentreOfGravityInX : OPTIONAL IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;
DEL    CentreOfGravityInY : OPTIONAL IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;

ENTITY IfcMonetaryUnit;
CHANGE      Currency : IfcLabel;    enum to label

ENTITY IfcObjective
ADD      LogicalAggregator : OPTIONAL IfcLogicalOperatorEnum;
DEL    ResultValues : OPTIONAL IfcMetric;


ENTITY IfcProcedure
DEL    ProcedureID : IfcIdentifier;
DEL    ProcedureType : IfcProcedureTypeEnum;
DEL    UserDefinedProcedureType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcProcedureTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcProcess
ADD      Identification : OPTIONAL IfcIdentifier;
ADD      LongDescription : OPTIONAL IfcText;

ENTITY IfcProfileProperties
ADD SUPER WITH NEW ATTS
DEL     ProfileName : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;

ENTITY IfcProject
CHANGE SUPER to IfcContext
INHERITS NEW ObjectType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;

ENTITY IfcPropertyDependencyRelationship;
DEL    Name : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;        may move to new super
DEL    Description : OPTIONAL IfcText;

ENTITY IfcRelSequence
CHANGE LagTime from floating point value to an object reference
ADD      UserDefinedSequenceType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;

ENTITY IfcResource
ADD      Identification : OPTIONAL IfcIdentifier;
ADD      LongDescription : OPTIONAL IfcText;

ENTITY IfcSpace
DEL    InteriorOrExteriorSpace : IfcInternalOrExternalEnum;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcSpaceTypeEnum;
(may be the same basic vals)

ENTITY IfcStructuralAction
DEL    CausedBy : OPTIONAL IfcStructuralReaction;

ENTITY IfcStructuralAnalysisModel
ADD      SharedPlacement : OPTIONAL IfcObjectPlacement;

ENTITY IfcStructuralLinearAction
DEL    ProjectedOrTrue : IfcProjectedOrTrueLengthEnum;

ENTITY IfcStructuralSurfaceMemberVarying
DEL    SubsequentThickness : LIST [2:?] OF IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;
DEL    VaryingThicknessLocation : IfcShapeAspect;

ENTITY IfcSubContractResource
DEL    SubContractor : OPTIONAL IfcActorSelect;
DEL    JobDescription : OPTIONAL IfcText;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcSubContractResourceTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcSurfaceTexture
ADD      PARAMETER : OPTIONAL LIST [1:?] OF IfcIdentifier;

ENTITY IfcTask
DEL/MOVE?    TaskId : IfcIdentifier;
ADD      TaskTime : OPTIONAL IfcTaskTime;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcTaskTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcTextureCoordinate
ADD      Maps : LIST [1:?] OF IfcSurfaceTexture;

ENTITY IfcTextureMap
DEL    TextureMaps : SET [1:?] OF IfcVertexBasedTextureMap;
ADD      Vertices : LIST [3:?] OF IfcTextureVertex;
ADD      MappedTo : IfcFace;

ENTITY IfcTransportElement
DEL    OperationType : OPTIONAL IfcTransportElementTypeEnum;
DEL    CapacityByWeight : OPTIONAL IfcMassMeasure;
DEL    CapacityByNumber : OPTIONAL IfcCountMeasure;
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcTransportElementTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcTShapeProfileDef
DEL    CentreOfGravityInY : OPTIONAL IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;

ENTITY IfcUShapeProfileDef
DEL    CentreOfGravityInX : OPTIONAL IfcPositiveLengthMeasure;

ENTITY IfcWorkControl
DEL/MOVE?    Identifier : IfcIdentifier;
DEL    WorkControlType : OPTIONAL IfcWorkControlTypeEnum;
DEL    UserDefinedControlType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;

ENTITY IfcWorkPlan
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcWorkPlanTypeEnum;

ENTITY IfcWorkSchedule
ADD      PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcWorkScheduleTypeEnum;

Deleted Entities

The following IFC2x3 and 2x2 entities are no longer in the IFC4 model. They are not present in the class library but could be restored for migration support if needed by specific applications.

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