> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://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 screenshots use a sample building.

## 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.

![IFC model with navigation menu, Project, Structure and Details panels.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0/images/ifc/navigation.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0\&q=85\&s=7c2b8fbca545ad35c3391bcacb9e38d5)

## 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.

![Project panel with 3D and 2D views and controls for managing views.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/project-panel.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=3c12534903d79ff3b89a570a184de2bc)

## 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.

![Structure panel with grouping, search and selection controls.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/structure.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=f1d170e42386d42bd2f6f6b4c3f45c48)

## 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.

![Model structure controls for hiding, showing and focusing an element.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/visibility.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=a2ca833905c401630bfee7a3c8760d55)

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

![Clear selection and view changes control beside the applied-filters indicator.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/reset-view.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=949175ff964d8ca475c6f8fa9fe0097d)

## 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.

![Selected model element with its properties in Details.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/details.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=1529b58e7909d3658ce4ec4be13d9a7d)

## 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://docs.ideatura.ai/v2/overview/viewers.md#add-markup).

![Annotation controls for adding a note to selected model objects.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/annotation.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=09af8acfcb5410b13cdd6a13f7e53d3d)

## 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.

![Issues panel with BCF controls for model review.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/bcf.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=2f44858b924136bb9f01e75c55f96a60)

## 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.

![Side section plane through the Leadenhall model and its drawing preview.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0/images/ifc/section.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0\&q=85\&s=5286f65cd25195fa40b4712647840127)

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.

![Section display controls for viewing the model and drawing around the cut.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/section-display.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=810849c5c90168a27fd9ac60e646a964)

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

![Drawing settings with separate Line weight and Controls weight options.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/drawing-settings.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=e0e7176d7d2aac5282a5d0adda37c190)

## 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.

![Extracted 2D section with view controls and the section listed in Project.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0/images/ifc/drawing.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=mp3t5CSUz9QIfHx0\&q=85\&s=b677e5a000b69889f0b8115a385357b3)

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: “Explain the stair arrangement in this section.”

![2D section viewer with markup tools and attachment controls.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/drawing-markup.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=e0266d23963dd599cc9c135ffe0c5580)

## 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.

![Temporary section view listed in Project with view controls.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/keep-drawing.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=1a17cc09c14669728c01ec16f8a03302)

## 11. Save the scene

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

![Save dialog for naming an editable scene copy and choosing its Workbench folder.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/save-scene.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=9fbea8070c02e1ca8e91796e4d9bb38c)

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.

![Download and export menu showing GLB, glTF and source IFC options.](https://mintcdn.com/ideatura/M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h/images/ifc/export.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=M9WCIMMqsq7pAD8h\&q=85\&s=34ee7d1b69c77cbe563256ce32e3973e)


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