rvt-to-ifc

# RVT to IFC Conversion

> **Note:** RVT is the file format. IFC is an open standard by buildingSMART International.

## Business Case

### Problem Statement
IFC is the open BIM standard for interoperability, but:
- Native Revit IFC export requires Autodesk license
- Export settings significantly affect data quality
- Batch processing is manual and time-consuming

### Solution
RVT2IFCconverter.exe converts Revit files to IFC offline, without licenses, with full control over export settings.

### Business Value
- **No license required** - Works without Autodesk software
- **Multiple IFC versions** - IFC2x3, IFC4, IFC4.3 support
- **Batch processing** - Convert thousands of files
- **Consistent quality** - Standardized export settings

## Technical Implementation

### CLI Syntax
```bash
RVT2IFCconverter.exe <input.rvt> [<output.ifc>] [preset=<name>] [config="..."]
```

### IFC Versions
| Version | Use Case |
|---------|----------|
| IFC2x3 | Legacy compatibility, most software |
| IFC4 | Enhanced properties, modern BIM |
| IFC4.3 | Infrastructure, latest standard |

### Export Presets
| Preset | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `standard` | Default balanced export |
| `extended` | Maximum detail and properties |
| `custom` | User-defined configuration |

### Examples

```bash
# Standard IFC export
RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt"

# IFC4 with extended settings
RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt" preset=extended

# Custom output path
RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt" "D:\Export\model.ifc"

# Custom configuration
RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt" config="ExportBaseQuantities=true; SitePlacement=Shared"
```

### Python Integration

```python
import subprocess
from pathlib import Path
from typing import List, Optional, Dict, Any
from dataclasses import dataclass
from enum import Enum


class IFCVersion(Enum):
    """IFC schema versions."""
    IFC2X3 = "IFC2x3"
    IFC4 = "IFC4"
    IFC4X3 = "IFC4x3"


class ExportPreset(Enum):
    """Export presets."""
    STANDARD = "standard"
    EXTENDED = "extended"
    CUSTOM = "custom"


@dataclass
class IFCExportConfig:
    """IFC export configuration."""
    ifc_version: IFCVersion = IFCVersion.IFC4
    export_base_quantities: bool = True
    site_placement: str = "Shared"
    split_walls_and_columns: bool = False
    include_steel_elements: bool = True
    export_2d_elements: bool = False
    export_linked_files: bool = False
    export_rooms: bool = True
    export_schedules: bool = True

    def to_config_string(self) -> str:
        """Convert to CLI config string."""
        parts = [
            f"ExportBaseQuantities={str(self.export_base_quantities).lower()}",
            f"SitePlacement={self.site_placement}",
            f"SplitWallsAndColumns={str(self.split_walls_and_columns).lower()}",
            f"IncludeSteelElements={str(self.include_steel_elements).lower()}",
            f"Export2DElements={str(self.export_2d_elements).lower()}",
            f"ExportLinkedFiles={str(self.export_linked_files).lower()}",
            f"ExportRooms={str(self.export_rooms).lower()}"
        ]
        return "; ".join(parts)


class RevitToIFCConverter:
    """Convert Revit files to IFC format."""

    def __init__(self, converter_path: str = "RVT2IFCconverter.exe"):
        self.converter = Path(converter_path)
        if not self.converter.exists():
            raise FileNotFoundError(f"Converter not found: {converter_path}")

    def convert(self, rvt_file: str,
                output_path: Optional[str] = None,
                preset: ExportPreset = ExportPreset.STANDARD,
                config: Optional[IFCExportConfig] = None) -> Path:
        """Convert Revit file to IFC."""

        rvt_path = Path(rvt_file)
        if not rvt_path.exists():
            raise FileNotFoundError(f"Revit file not found: {rvt_file}")

        # Build command
        cmd = [str(self.converter), str(rvt_path)]

        # Add output path if specified
        if output_path:
            cmd.append(output_path)

        # Add preset
        cmd.append(f"preset={preset.value}")

        # Add custom config if provided
        if config:
            cmd.append(f'config="{config.to_config_string()}"')

        # Execute
        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True)

        if result.returncode != 0:
            raise RuntimeError(f"Conversion failed: {result.stderr}")

        # Return output path
        if output_path:
            return Path(output_path)
        return rvt_path.with_suffix('.ifc')

    def batch_convert(self, folder: str,
                      output_folder: Optional[str] = None,
                      preset: ExportPreset = ExportPreset.STANDARD,
                      config: Optional[IFCExportConfig] = None) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
        """Convert all Revit files in folder."""

        folder_path = Path(folder)
        results = []

        for rvt_file in folder_path.glob("**/*.rvt"):
            try:
                # Determine output path
                if output_folder:
                    out_dir = Path(output_folder)
                    out_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
                    output_path = str(out_dir / rvt_file.with_suffix('.ifc').name)
                else:
                    output_path = None

                ifc_path = self.convert(str(rvt_file), output_path, preset, config)
                results.append({
                    'input': str(rvt_file),
                    'output': str(ifc_path),
                    'status': 'success'
                })
                print(f"✓ Converted: {rvt_file.name}")

            except Exception as e:
                results.append({
                    'input': str(rvt_file),
                    'output': None,
                    'status': 'failed',
                    'error': str(e)
                })
                print(f"✗ Failed: {rvt_file.name} - {e}")

        return results