Upload Options

Within Paragon Design Layout mode, it's possible to upload certain files to expedite 3D layout creation.

Additional methods for referencing external files in Paragon layouts are documented in the following topics:

• PDF Underlays

• Import DXF Work Lines

Upload IFC Files (BETA)

Supported IFC (Industry Foundation Class) files can be uploaded into Paragon Design to expedite layout creation by automatically inserting Paragon objects into layouts.

The following objects are supported:

• Bearing Envelopes

• Roof Planes

Beta Feature

This feature requires IFC files to follow certain guidelines to successfully upload into Paragon. If your file fails to upload, please email the .ifc file to [email protected] to help us refine and improve the IFC upload feature.

IFC File Guidelines

Since this is a specialized feature, your IFC files must follow certain guidelines to be successfully imported. If your file depends on objects Paragon does not support, the import may fail or be incomplete.

1. Limited Object Support: Paragon only reads a specific subset of IFC object types (e.g., IfcRoof, IfcSlab, IfcWall). If the definition of your walls or roofs relies on an unsupported object type, the geometry may not be created.

2. Ceiling Planes Become Roofs: Any IfcSlab object that represents a Ceiling Plane will be imported as a Roof Plane.

3. No Sloped Bearings: Bearing Envelopes in Paragon must be rectangular with a consistent top and bottom height. We do not support walls with sloped top or bottom surfaces.

Ignored Errors: If Paragon cannot successfully convert a Slab into a Roof Plane or a Wall into a Bearing Envelope, it will generally ignore that object rather than stopping the import and reporting an error.

Object Creation Logic

1. Creating Roof Planes from Slabs

Paragon looks at the thickness of an IFC Slab object to decide which face represents the roof plane:

• Slabs 3.5" Thick or Greater: The system assumes the roof structure (truss) will fit inside the slab. Therefore, it uses the top face (the one partially facing upward) to create the Roof Plane.

• Slabs Less Than 3.5" Thick: The system assumes the slab is only bounding the truss, not containing it. Therefore, it uses the single largest bottom face (the one partially facing downward) to create the Roof Plane.

2. Creating Bearing Envelopes from Walls

Since Paragon requires fixed, rectangular Bearing Envelopes, a conversion process is used to ensure compatibility, especially for walls with complex or sloped geometry:

• Determining Fixed Heights: To create a flat top and bottom for the Bearing Envelope, Paragon analyzes all the faces of the IFC Wall to find the narrowest possible vertical range.

• The Bottom Elevation is set to the highest point of the Wall's bottom-facing surfaces.

• The Top Elevation is set to the lowest point of the Wall's top-facing surfaces.

• For example, if your wall's bottom slopes from 0' to 1' and the top slopes from 8' to 10', the resulting Bearing Envelope will be set at a bottom elevation of 1' and a top elevation of 8'.

• Determining Rectangular Footprint: The final rectangular shape of the Bearing Envelope is determined by creating a rectangle that contains all the points of the Wall's top face at the calculated Top Elevation.

3. Constructing Solids (General)

To work with any IFC object, Paragon first needs to create a valid 3D solid (a closed volume) from the object's faces. If the original IFC geometry is incomplete or wrong, Paragon attempts to fix it:

• Missing Faces: If an object only has one face, Paragon will slightly extrude it upward to form a thin 3D solid (less than 3.5"). This ensures there is a bottom face for the conversion logic to use.

Extra/Invalid Faces: If the object has extra faces or cannot form a valid solid, Paragon uses a mathematical process