Blender Interface & Loading a Model

It might seem overwhelming at first, but don't worry, we'll go over the basics so you can navigate like a pro.

01-Loading a model

Blender's interface is divided into panels:

• The main Viewport panel shows 3D geometry
• The top right Outliner panel shows a tree of geometric objects
• The bottom right Properties panel shows data and relationships

Loading an IFC file

1. In the Properties panel, find the tabs to switch between different types of properties
2. Make sure you have the Scene Properties tab activated
3. Find the IFC Project subpanel
4. Click on Load Project and browse to your .ifc file
5. After loading, you will see the model appear in the Viewport panel

Understanding IFC Schema

Let's take a look at the IFC Project subpanel again. It shows:

• The loaded filename
• The IFC Schema version

There are two commonly seen IFC Schema versions:

• IFC2X3 (older version)
• IFC4 (newer version)

Tip

It is recommended to use IFC4 models as they have significantly more BIM capabilities compared to IFC2X3.

Note

Blender's interface is highly customisable. Panels, panel types, colours, sizes, and tabs may be edited to suit your workflow. If you want a Hot Pink theme look no further.

02-Navigating a model in 3D

Using the Navigate Gizmo

The Navigate Gizmo is located on the top right corner of the Viewport panel.

• Click and drag on the coloured axes to Orbit
• Click and drag on the magnifying glass to Zoom
• Click and drag on the hand icon to Pan
• Click on the grid icon to switch between perspective and orthographic view
• To switch to a top view, front view, or side view, click the relevant axis on the Navigate Gizmo

Using Mouse Controls

You can also use your mouse to navigate:

• Hover your mouse over the Viewport panel and click and drag the Middle Mouse Button (MMB) to Orbit
• Scroll the mousewheel to Zoom
• Use Shift-MMB to Pan

Using Numpad Keys

If you have a numpad, you can use these keys to quickly switch views:

• 7 for top view
• 1 for front view
• 3 for side view

Warning

Blender's hotkeys are context sensitive. This means that a hotkey has a different meaning depending on the panel your mouse cursor is hovering over. If you press 7 to go to top view, make sure your mouse cursor is over the Viewport panel. Be very careful where your mouse is, or you might press a hotkey and it will have unintended consequences!

Zooming to Objects

If you click on an object, such as a wall in the Viewport panel, you can:

• Zoom to the selected object by clicking on View > Frame Selected
• The hotkey is the . button on the numpad
• After zooming into an element, when you Orbit the 3D view will rotate around the center of that element
• You can also zoom to all objects in the project by clicking on View > Frame All

Walk Navigation Mode

Another good way to navigate is by flying or walking around similar to a video game:

1. Choose View > Navigation > Walk Navigation, or use the `Shift-`` hotkey (the backtick key is usually to the left of the number 1 on the keyboard)
2. With Walk Navigation enabled, use the WASD keys and the mouse to move around like a video game
3. Use the Shift key to switch between moving fast and slow
4. Scroll with the mousewheel to adjust the speed that you move at

X-Ray Mode

Sometimes, you want to look through objects:

• Toggle X-Ray Mode by pressing the button on the top right of the Viewport panel
• The hotkey is Alt-Z

Tip

Blender has lots of hotkeys to do things quickly. These can take time to learn but it is worth it as you will work much faster. These hotkeys can be customised in Blender's preferences.

BlenderBIM also has many hotkeys, which are case sensitive.

Note

And that's it for the basics of navigation! But you might have noticed we haven't used the other two buttons in this area yet - the camera icon and the grid icon. The camera icon will bring you into the eyes of your camera, which is super helpful for setting up camera angles and previewing your output image. You can also use the "0" key on the number pad to do the same thing.