Are Layers legacy in BIM now ?

Michael Mayer
Michael Mayer
in BricsCAD BIM

I can't imagine working without permanent availability of
Layer + Property (+ Structure) Panels beside my View Window in general.
(So far !)

Or depending on Tasks or Workflows, even more at the same time.
Like BIM Copositions + BIM Materials + Render Materials (+ Layers)
While creating or editing Compositions I may miss a BIM Material that I have
to setup in between, which may again miss a Render Material I have to create
until can go on for the next Composition

a)
Newest BIM/Shape GUI goes in a completely different Direction.
Only 1 Side Panel at a time !
(maybe 2 in BIM)
even with the tendency of Side Panels of collapsing from shyness.
So I assume things like Layers or Properties not meant for permanent
usage.

b)
Older Versions had permanent Layer/Linstyle/... Dropdowns always on Top.
For Object Creation only, not for Object Manipulation or Layer Editing ?
All these went away also.

So .......
are Layers in Bricscad BIM Legacy now ?

a) Revit
has no Layers
b) FBX
FBX also does not export any Layer information, just Material Assignments only

What is the current or coming BIM fashion ?

Do Users no more need to care about controlling Layer Separation manually,
from now on or in the near future.
Like we are just drawing on Layer 0, BIM will do that job later while we tag
our Solids with BIM Tags and Compositions,
or generally,
like when we insert Objects like Doors and Windows, which bring their
preconfig Layer Sets ?

Comments

  • Louis_Verdonck
    Louis_Verdonck

    Layers are not abandoned at all in BricsCAD BIM, but in 3D modeling the Structure Panel is much more flexible to control the display: select - right click and choose Show/Hide/Isolate/Zoom in the context menu. When calculating sections the layer structure of the resulting section drawing is controlled by the properties of the section entity. Optionally, layer names are composed with respect to materials in the 3D model.

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer
    edited February 2019

    Thanks Louis.

    So you say Layers are still very important ?

    I exaggerated.
    Layers do not disappear,
    but the way the UI goes, I think they get less and less accessible
    to work with. That's why I assuemed they will also lose importance.

    Bricscads Layer control, editability and use for visibility was always
    more autodesky and clunky for me than I had before.
    And I agree the Structure Tree is a nice circumference and works much
    better. Finally with V19's improvements. I am a big fan of ST.
    But why just for 3D. Couldn't it also control Annotations, Dimensions and
    Texts in a similar way (?)

    And from my 3D/Archviz perspektive I obviously forgot again about the
    2D and Plan stuff. Yes, still a few peripher 2D Layers and similar left
    for manual control.
    But from the BIM perspective in essence, I see no more such need to
    user-create a BIM-Groups + Materials Layer Scheme.
    (Which allows visibility switching for orders with Layers like :
    Show only all Walls vs Show all Elements from Concrete, etc.)

    Structural Tree already does all, formar Layer Tasks, like
    Sorting + Visibility + Selection
    (And so, providing locking and saving unwanted Elements from
    accidental destruction, this way)
    Even when no Layers are used at all.

    For the need of Layers for BIM Elements,
    Insertion Objects already create their own Layers itself (just have them attached)
    and Solid Modeling (can) get it by Compositions and Materials.

    Not sure if the old fashioned Combo of "BIM-Groups + Materials" Layer Scheme
    is still needed on the Layer side (because of ST),
    but it wouldn't be impossible that my Solid modeled on standard Layer 0,
    when classified as a BIM-Wall,
    will be automatically pushed to a Bricscad BIM Standard Layer : "BIM_WALLS",
    while
    Plies will reside in their Material Layers spend by BIM Materials and Compositions.

    No matter if Layers are still essential and a good workflow or not,
    for the essential BIM Geometry part I see less and less need to do that
    manually by myself.
    .

    When calculating sections the layer structure of the resulting section drawing is controlled by the properties of the section entity.

    Not sure if I understand theis correct.
    Is it about Layer Visibility Over-Writes for Section Plan,
    like deactivating help-constructions or other Layers ?

    As for the essential BIM Layers I was talking above,
    This should be always visible in any generated Drawing (?)
    And only controlled or hidden by Section Properties like
    Crops or Depth Limits ?

  • Michael Mayer
    Michael Mayer

    As for the Structure Tree in V19.

    1.
    I happily recognized the new checkbox to non-activate
    auto-expansion of the Tree.
    (Which I always asked for and is very important for Projects with
    4+ digit numbers of Block Instances and Solids. Also my clients tend
    to use super looooong Block naming, which makes the tree even
    jump away horizontally)
    But I had also to realize that that checkbox doesn't work in recent
    V19 Windows Releases.

    Will this come with 19.2 ?

    2.
    It is absolutely useful that there is the Pption, to make a Left-Click of
    a Object in Tree, Select the Element in the Drawing.
    I use it all the time that way.

    But is it really needed that the same Selection happens also for a Right-Click,
    when I just want to Unhide these Objects.
    (I fear Yes ?)
    As it needs many many seconds, that feel like minutes, to wait until my
    8000 Block Instances in Entities Folder get finally Selected and Highlighted,
    until I the RMB Option Menu : finally appears.