Available for an ArcGIS organization licensed with the Indoors extension.
Once you have created the indoor dataset using the Create Indoor Dataset tool or created the Indoors geodatabase using the Create Indoors Database tool, you can use the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool to load floor plans from a BIM file into your Indoors workspace. You can then manually load additional features, events, and occupant data.
BIM files—for example, RVT files from Autodesk Revit—are commonly used for 2D and 3D architectural modeling and can be used to create an indoor map. The Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool imports features directly from a BIM file into an indoor dataset.
Note:
You can use the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool to import one level or multiple levels of a building contained in a single BIM file.
The conversion process involves the following steps:
Georeference and add the BIM floor plans
Complete the following steps to import a BIM file into your indoor dataset:
- Georeference your BIM files if they are not already.
Note:
The BIM data must be georeferenced in 3D and have an associated .wld3 file before running the tool. It is important to accurately georeference your BIM floor plans because errors in scaling or geographic location result in incorrect calculations for the location of Indoors features.
- On the Map tab, click the Add Data button
to add your BIM layers to the map if they are not already. - Browse to the folder location where your georeferenced BIM file is stored and choose the layers you want to add.
Note:
The BIM file workspace is organized into feature datasets named after conventional construction disciplines. When this information is added to an ArcGIS Pro map or scene, these feature classes are expressed as individual feature layers.
At a minimum, add the Floorplan_Polygon layer from the Floorplan dataset in the BIM file to the map. The Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool uses the Floorplan_Polygon layer to access additional layers in the Floorplan dataset when populating the indoor dataset.
Run the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool
Once you’ve added your BIM layers to your map, run the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool to import the building data to your indoor dataset.
The tool uses the input Floorplan_Polygon layer to construct the levels and units features. Based on the Floorplan_Polygon layer, the tool accesses additional layers in the Floorplan dataset, using the Footprint layer to construct the facilities features and the Floorplan_Polyline layer to construct the details features.
Only room and floor architectural categories from the source BIM file are imported to the indoor dataset. Rooms are imported as units features and floors are imported as levels features.
Fields in the indoor dataset are populated from the BIM file as shown in the tables below.
Note:
The Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool supports populating additional fields in an Indoors geodatabase if you created one using the Create Indoors Database tool.
Facilities
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| FACILITY_ID | Populated based on the Building Name parameter in the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool. By default, this is the building name in the Project Information section of the Footprint layer in the BIM file. If the building name is null or empty, this field is populated with the name of the source BIM file. |
| NAME | Populated based on the Building Name parameter in the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool. By default, this is the building name in the Project Information section of the Footprint layer in the BIM file. If the building name is null or empty, this field is populated with the name of the source BIM file. |
Levels
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| LEVEL_ID | A smart key that is based on the FACILITY_ID field value and the name of the occupiable level in the source BIM file. |
| NAME | Populated with the name of the occupiable level in the source BIM file. |
| LEVEL_NUMBER | Populated with 0 for the ground floor level. This is also calculated for other levels based on their relationship to the selected ground floor. |
| VERTICAL_ORDER | Populated with 0 for the ground floor level. This is also calculated for other levels based on their relationship to the selected ground floor. Levels with an elevation that is less than the identified ground floor are assigned a negative vertical order. |
| AREA_GROSS | Based on the level geometry. |
Units
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| UNIT_ID | A smart key that is based on the LEVEL_ID field value and the room number in the source BIM file. |
| USE_TYPE | Populated with the field selected in the Room Category Field parameter of the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool. If no value is provided, this field is populated with the room name from the source BIM file. |
| NAME | Populated with the room number from the source BIM file. |
| LEVEL_ID | Populated with the LEVEL_ID field value of the associated level. |
| AREA_GROSS | Based on the unit geometry. |
Details
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| DETAIL_ID | A smart key based on the LEVEL_ID field value of the associated level and the architectural design category of the feature from the source BIM file. |
| USE_TYPE | Populated with the architectural design category of the feature from the Floorplan_Polyline layer in the source BIM file. |
| LEVEL_ID | Populated with the LEVEL_ID field value of the associated level. |
Inspect the output
Inspect the output features that were created by the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool in the indoor dataset.
- Click the Add Data button and add the Facilities, Levels, Units, and Details feature classes from your indoor dataset to the same map where you loaded your BIM floor plans.
Note:
To switch between floors in your facilities, you can enable the floor filter by configuring your map as floor-aware.
- Verify that all the levels you chose in the Floors To Import parameter appear in the indoor dataset.
You can troubleshoot if you see either of the following issues:
Issue Solution Errors or gaps in the facility and levels features
Gaps in the facility and levels features can occur when floor features are modeled in a CAD drawing that is linked to the source BIM file. Ensure that the floor features are modeled in the BIM file and rerun the tool.
Errors or gaps in the details or units features
Gaps in the details and units features can occur when the features aren’t associated with a level. Ensure that details and units are associated with a level in the source BIM file and rerun the tool.
- If you imported your floor plan data into an Indoors geodatabase, review the USE_TYPE of the space features in the Units feature class to identify the spaces that should not be directly assignable to occupants through the Indoor Space Planner app. Set those spaces' ASSIGNMENT_TYPE value to Not Assignable.
The following are examples of space types that are typically not assignable to occupants, or used to define hot desk or office hotel use areas:
- Lobbies
- Circulation areas
- Common areas
- Restrooms
- Break rooms
Note:
The ASSIGNMENT_TYPE field is not created by the Create Indoor Dataset tool. If you are using an indoor dataset for space planning, you must manually add this field. If you are using an Indoors geodatabase, this field is created by the Create Indoors Database tool. - Save the map.
Once you have loaded your floor plans to the indoor dataset or Indoors geodatabase, you can load additional features, events, and occupant data.
Update BIM floor plans
Once data is maintained in the ArcGIS Indoors Information Model, you may need to periodically integrate updated BIM files with the indoor dataset. This could be for a new building, a new floor in an existing building, or remodeling an existing floor. The ArcGIS Indoors geoprocessing tools allow you to apply updates to a selected subset of data.
Tip:
Before updating Indoors data, consider making a backup of the geodatabase.
Process updated BIM files
The Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool can be run on a populated indoor dataset to add new buildings and floors, or to replace existing information from updated BIM files.
When you run the Import BIM to Indoor Dataset tool on a populated indoor dataset the following occurs:
For facilities features, the Building Name parameter value is matched to the facility name in the indoor dataset. If a facility with a matching name is found, it is replaced. The tool then searches for matching levels within the facility, by comparing level names in the indoor dataset with level names in the source BIM file, and one of the following occurs:
- If matching levels are found in the indoor dataset, the levels, units, and details features associated with those levels are replaced.
- If no matching levels features are found, the tool imports and adds selected floors and their associated features from the BIM source file as new levels, units, and details features.
Note:
You can choose which levels to update using the Floors To Import parameter. If this parameter is populated, only the chosen floors are updated. If no floors are chosen, all the floors from the BIM file are imported and updated.
If the Building Name parameter value does not match an existing facility feature in the indoor dataset, features from the source BIM file are imported as a part of a new facility with the specified building name.
Update floor plans from BIM
To update floor plans, complete the following steps:
- Add the Floorplan_Polygon layer from the updated BIM file to your map or scene.
- Run the Import BIM To Indoor Dataset tool.
Note:
If you are adding or updating features for an existing facility, the features must be imported from the BIM file used to create that facility in the indoor dataset.