BCF (Bim Collaboration Format)

What is BCF?

The BCF file format, standing for BIM Collaboration Format, allows communicating issues between different BIM applications.

More info: https://technical.buildingsmart.org/standards/bcf/

How to generate BCF files?

In Cyclone 3DR, BCF issues can be generated from specific analyses:

Data stored in a BCF file

The content of a BCF issue (or "topic") may depend on the input analysis:

  • textual information

  • scene screenshots (called "viewpoint")

  • additional display data for external viewer ("Visualization information")

  • attachment files

Interoperability

Cyclone 3DR follows the official standard to write the BCF file. The current supported version is 2.1

However, there is no guarantee that this content is fully supported by other BIM platforms.
Please refer to their respective supports for additional information.

Exporting BCF from Inspection Notes

One topic is generated for each created note.

Textual information

BCF data

Note data

Default value (not editable)

Topic Title

Title


Topic Assignee

Assigned To


Topic Description

Description


Topic Priority

Priority (Desktop mode)

Medium (Touch mode)

Topic Type


Issue

Topic Status


Open

BIM Inspection Workflow (Touch Mode)

The priority is always set to Medium.

Additionally, the author name is retrieve from the "Author" field defined at the report step.

Viewpoint

A viewpoint is generated for each view available in the note.

It stores the camera definition (projection, position, direction) and displays at least:

  • the inspected model

  • the inspection labels

The ID of the component affected to the note of the inspected BIM is written within each note in the viewpoint file (only for IFC file).

Attachment

If labels are attached to the note, a CSV file containing all deviation values is generated and attached to the topic.

Exporting BCF from Visual Notes

One topic is generated for each created note.

Textual information

BCF data

Note data

Default value (not editable)

Topic Title

Object name or name of the BIM part


Topic Assignee

Assigned To


Topic Description

Description


Topic Priority

Priority


Topic Type


Issue

Topic Status


Open

Viewpoint

A viewpoint is generated for each view available in the note.

It stores the camera definition (projection, position, direction) and displays at least the labels.

The ID of the BIM component affected to the note is written within each note in the viewpoint file (only for IFC file).

Attachment

If labels are attached to the note, a CSV file containing all related values is generated and attached to the topic.

Exporting BCF from Clash Analysis

One topic is generated for each selected clash (filtered clash won't be exported).

Textual information

BCF data

Clash Analysis

Default value (not editable)

Topic Title

Name of the clashed component / Clash Number


Topic Assignee

Assigned To


Topic Description

Clash status + Description


Topic Priority


Medium

Topic Type


Clash

Topic Status


Open

Viewpoint

A viewpoint is generated for each clash view.

It stores the camera definition (projection, position, direction) and displays at least:

  • the clashed model

  • the clash cloud

  • the clash box

The ID of the component affected to the note of the inspected BIM is written within each note in the viewpoint file (only for IFC file).

Visualization information

The clash box definition is also exported as a set of lines (line markup).

Exporting BCF from Progress Monitoring

Two kinds of BCF issues may be generated:

  • a summary issue which contains general information about the overall analysis

  • a detail issue focusing on a particular BIM part

Summary issue

The topic type is a Comment.

The description contains the coverage distribution among the different status.

Viewpoint

The viewpoint corresponds to the main view of the report, defined in the workflow.

Attachment

Three attachments are embedded in this issue:

  • An image of the chart representing the distribution of coverage status

  • A summary table (CSV) containing the distribution of status per BIM types (IFC)

  • A detailed table (CSV) containing all coverage data for each BIM part

Detailed issue

This issue contains data about a BIM part and the associated information regarding the coverage analysis.

Textual information

BCF data

Progress Monitoring

Default value (not editable)

Topic Title

Name of the BIM part - Coverage status - analysis date


Topic Assignee

Assigned To


Topic Description


Coverage status + Min/Median/Max offset with the surrounding points

Topic Priority


  • Low if status is Installed

  • Medium is status is Incomplete

  • High if status is Not Installed

  • Critical if the status is No Data

Topic Type


Issue

Topic Status


Open

Viewpoints

The viewpoints corresponds to

  • a site map,

  • 2 or 4 views of the inspected object (from X, -X, Y, -Y CS axes),

  • an offset view of the object and the cloud (if some points are linked to the object).