RFA Import

Michael Mayer
Michael Mayer
in BricsCAD BIM

Whenever I tried to import any RFA Files,
nothing happened.
(Could not load ...)

I read that Bricscad does not support RFA 2019 for now.
Is it really that all RFAs that I find are already in 2019 format ?

I tried everything RFA that went into my Download Folder
but most that I tried I found on https://www.bimobject.com/en

(I registered there as VW has a BIMObject Connection.
But looks like the models aren't that interesting as all I've seen
so far was just pure non-Solid Mesh Geometry ?)

Has someone links to RFA examples that are compatible with Bricscad v19 ?

Comments

  • Per Gogstad
    Per Gogstad

    Hi Michael,

    These RFA files work in BricsCAD.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    Thanks Per.
    But I "Cannot import file : ...." these too.

    v19.2.05 Mac

    AFAIK I had same results when I tried in early v19 Windows ?

    can you import the attached RFA from BIMObject ?

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer
    edited April 2019

    Sorry,
    I expected a standard File>Import

    Asked Help.
    It works by BIMINSERT ...
    Unfortuantely the BIMINSERT Open File Dialog
    doesn't let me choose RFA Files (on Mac ?), just DWGs.
    RFAs are grayed out.
    And the Options Button to "Show All" is missing.

  • Per Gogstad
    Per Gogstad

    I cannot import the RAK Ceramic rfa file.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    OK, OK, OK.
    I think I got it now.

    1. You first DO a standard Import of the File.
    2. Then yo are able to BIMINSERT (a DWG Copy)

    @Per Gogstad said:
    I cannot import the RAK Ceramic rfa file.

    OK, so BIMObjects RFAs may be either pre-2012 or past-2018 Files.
    So I will try again your examples when I'm back on a Windows PC.

    It looks like v19 Mac has RFA_Import just not yet implemented.
    (As I don't see *.RFA under Import File Options in my Import Dialog either)

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    So I will try again your examples when I'm back on a Windows PC.

    IKEA RFAs, very nice.
    Looks like real editable Solids - Great !

    Out of curiosity I duckduckwent where they might come from, if I
    could find more of these, in other formats beside RFA and if they
    contain Materials. And to compare Bricscad with Vectorworks import.
    The first paid Link brought me to :
    polantis.com (powered by BimObject !?)
    https://www.polantis.com/de/ikea/alex-drawer-white
    RFA, also in IFC, DWG, VWX, ....

    1.
    First thing I noted after testing some of your Demo RFAs and I loading
    that "alex-drawer-white" is that your examples were off Scale
    (by about 1:10 ?)
    My empty File Template was "cm", so your RFAs may have been mm
    instead, which seems also the unspoken default Bricscad Unit Standard.
    But

    But isn't there any INSUNITS translation when importing RFAs ?
    Or is *.RFA also infected by Autodesk's missing love for real world units ?

    2.
    For me RFAs came into Bricscad as separate loose Solids,
    without any Layer, Color, Material or Tag information.

    In Vectorworks I get in :

    • Symbol (is about a Block in Bricscad)
    • Some Record Format Information
    • Render Materials import
    • Material Assignments (by Object)

    (OK, in VW, the Symbol Container includes "Revit Object" Containers,
    which contain "Add Solids" Containers, (kind of a history based boolean addition),
    which contain dumb loose 3D Polygons - which is unnecessary complex.
    But at least also work like real Solids, like for PushPull Tool, as the Mesh was
    ok and water tight.
    Versus pretty clean standard Solids in Bricscad)

    3.
    If you download RFA and IFC of "alex-drawer-white" you may notice a
    difference in drawers geometry. in RFA import only the top drawer
    has a recess to pull and open, while there should be all recesses as
    in IFC. Funny is that the same RFA import in VW has all recesses.

    What happened ?

    BTW
    IFC has at least a Layer and some BIM and Info Data,
    but also no Material Information.
    (and Polyface Meshes only - CONVTOSOLID works 95%)

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    So I see some little problems and room for RFA improvements.
    (Import as Blocks ? RFA import for Bricscad Mac ? ...)

    But overall I am already pretty happy with RFA Import feature.
    Mostly because of the clean Solids.
    Opens a lot of possibilities.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer
    edited April 2019

    Here is my file ...
    The smaller "alex-drawer-white" RFA and IFC are around the origin.

  • Pieter Clarysse
    Pieter Clarysse

    Hi Michael,
    Concerning the 'import as blocks' -

    • When you use BIMINSERT and browse to a rfa file, a block will be created.
    • When you add the path where you have RFA files to the setting COMPONENTSPATH, and then drag and drop from the components panel, a block will be created.

    If you need to be able to edit the block, you can use BMOPENCOPY on an inserted block, or alternatively, import the rfa in a new dwg and save that dwg.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer
    edited April 2019

    Thanks a lot Pieter.
    Those Components are a whole new world for me.
    Have to learn about them from help center first.
    (Shouldn't the Component Part be copied over to
    (or linked into)
    Bricscad BIM from Bricscad Mechanical Help ?)

    I'm a bit overwhelmed so far by the complexity of
    Components, References and Autodesks Blocks.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    And RFA Import has just no Layers - because Revit does not have any Layers (?)
    (Just other kinds of Classifications ?)