> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://beta.docs.ideatura.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 3D IFC interface

> Navigate IFC models, inspect elements and record review issues.

The IFC viewer lets you inspect a building model inside Ideatura. You can look around it, hide elements, check properties and cut a section. Start by opening your own IFC file. The examples show the quick-start house and the Leadenhall model.

## 1. Navigate IFC

Open the IFC model beside the conversation. Use Orbit to look around the building, Pan to move across the view and the mouse wheel to move closer or further away. Return to Select to pick an element.

![Studio with the Leadenhall IFC model, navigation controls, Views, Structure and Details panels.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/ifc-navigation.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=62da673e068e63a52e85b669592c36fa)

Use the camera menu to switch to a standard orientation, such as Plan, Front or Isometric.

![Full Windows Studio window with the quick-start house and the camera orientation menu open.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-camera-views.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=9b71aa923fb7d5429308afc7048e4c6c)

## 2. Project panel

The Project panel groups the open model’s views under 3D and 2D. Select a view to open it, use New 3D view or New 2D view to start another, or Delete view to remove one from the panel.

In Scene, use the plus beside Drawing views to start a plan, elevation, section or orthographic view. Choose its type and name before creating it.

![Full Studio window showing the quick-start house and an unsubmitted new drawing view form.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-new-drawing-view.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=f82c9a7e92bd116f211e1f71fbbf789f)

The plus beside Sheets opens a form for the sheet number and name. Drawing sets collect the source models, levels, directions, scale and paper settings for a set of drawings.

![Full Studio window with the new sheet number and name form open.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-new-sheet.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=db52c696f1cd799c749ec2eb5f5a06f6)

![Full Studio window with the drawing set form open, including source models, levels, scale and paper settings.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-new-drawing-set.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=1a89acb458a030869c38118fff06e516)

## 3. Find elements

Use Structure to browse by Hierarchy, Types or Annotations. Search for an element and select it in the tree or model. Turn on Sync selection with Structure if you want the tree to follow your selections in 3D.

## 4. Model visibility

Use Hide and Show beside an entry to see past surrounding elements. Hiding leaves the element in the model. Use Focus to bring an object or group into view.

![Studio with the selected Leadenhall facade, its dimensions, Hide, Isolate and Focus controls, and the clear-view control beside Filters applied.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/ifc-details.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=2980860341007dd8f73e3b1dcc3d3ca0)

Clear selection and view changes clears the selection and shows hidden elements again. It keeps your current viewing angle.

The gear beside Scene opens its units, position and rotation settings. Check these before combining models from different files.

![Full Studio window with the white Scene settings panel open for the quick-start house.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-scene-settings.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=91e65643b5d1de1230d96cc87990051c)

## 5. Element details

Select an element and open Details to inspect its properties. Check its dimensions and information alongside its position in the building; use Focus to bring it into view.

![Studio with the selected Leadenhall facade, its properties in Details and the Annotation field below.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/ifc-details-expanded.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=4137e88cf8f14508cabce38e4406e4cb)

## 6. Annotate objects

Select an object or group and open Annotation to add a note attached to the model. Save it, then find it under Structure → Annotations. For marks on a captured view, use [markup](https://beta.docs.ideatura.ai/beta/overview/viewers.md#add-markup).

## 7. Issues and BCF

**BCF** is a format for sharing model-review issues, such as a note about a doorway and the view showing it. Open Issues and choose Add BCF to open an issue file, or New BCF to start one. Associate the relevant IFC models, then open an issue to inspect its viewpoint. Export BCF downloads the issues for sharing.

![Full Studio window showing a house roof junction issue and native BCF controls.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-issues.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=48871c0a57eaa764f0e3be500ea49710)

## 8. Place a section

Choose Drawing, then Place plane. Start with Plan, Front or Side and position the plane through the part of the building you want to show. Adjust the depth limit to control how far the view extends.

![Full Studio window showing the house model and the Place plane menu with Plan, Front and Side options.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-place-plane-menu.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=096771f514dcb3b614bdef8c3e474467)

Use Cut model to see inside the building, Full model to check the plane against the whole model, or Hide model to inspect the drawing alone. Show drawing / Hide drawing controls the drawing on its plane; Swap planes exchanges the source and depth limit planes.

In Drawing settings, Line weight changes the thickness of drawing lines. Controls weight changes the thickness of the plane-placement controls.

![Full Studio window showing Drawing settings with Line weight and Controls weight options.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-section-settings.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=36114bd44b60f4e74bc29762bc4e5aa4)

## 9. Review the drawing

Check Preview, then switch to 2D to inspect the drawing. Switch back to 3D to adjust the cut. If Studio reports an incomplete drawing, check which parts are missing before using it.

![Full Studio window showing the computed 2D house roof plan and drawing controls.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-drawing-preview.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=a5ebbb0a29050ab547c99be096f01144)

Use zoom and fit controls to inspect a detail, then add marks with the 2D toolbar and Markup settings. Choose Attach to add the marked view to a request: “Check the roof-to-wall junction in this view.”

## 10. Keep the drawing

Choose Add to Project to keep the temporary view in the current Project panel. Close view returns to the model. This view has no separate drawing download: Clone and the top download menu act on the model file.

## 11. Save the scene

Use Save to Workbench to keep an editable copy of the scene. Choose its name and folder, then Save.

![Full Studio window showing the white Workbench Save form ready to name and save the scene.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-save-workbench.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=d020cd44798499cf645cac2db057873e)

Open Download and export for Download scene file (saved scenes), Export scene as GLB, Export scene as glTF or Download source IFC. To download a source IFC from a scene with several models, select the model first. Source IFC download is unavailable if that model has been moved, rotated or scaled within the scene.

![Full Studio window with the quick-start house and export menu offering GLB, glTF and source IFC.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura-preview/TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF/beta/images/studio/windows/wide-ifc-export.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=TWzcvTaStOCEp2mF\&q=85\&s=ceb2a9dff419169823da8f367606268c)


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