IFC 4.3.0.0 (IFC4X3) final

5.1.3.6 IfcObject

ABSTRACT This definition may not be instantiated

5.1.3.6.1 Semantic definition

An IfcObject is the generalization of any semantically treated thing or process. Objects are things as they appear - i.e. occurrences.

Objects can be named, using the inherited Name attribute, which should be a user recognizable label for the object occurrence. Further explanations to the object can be given using the inherited Description attribute. The ObjectType attribute is used:

  • to store the user defined value for all subtypes of IfcObject, where a PredefinedType attribute is given, and its value is set to USERDEFINED.
  • to provide a type information (could be seen as a very lightweight classifier) of the subtype of IfcObject, if no PredefinedType attribute is given. This is often the case, if no comprehensive list of predefined types is available.

Objects are independent pieces of information that might contain or reference other pieces of information. There are several relationships in which objects can be involved:

  • Association to external/internal resource information - an association relationship that refers to external/internal sources of information. See supertype IfcObjectDefinition for more information.
  • Assignment of other objects - an assignment relationship that refers to other types of objects. See supertype IfcObjectDefinition for more information.
  • Aggregation of other objects - an aggregation relationship that establishes a whole/part relation. Objects can either be a whole, or a part, or both. See supertype IfcObjectDefinition for more information.
  • Assignment of a type : IsTypedBy - a definition relationship IfcRelDefinesByType that uses a type definition to define the common characteristics of this occurrences, potentially including the common shape representation and common properties of all object occurrences assigned to this type. It is a specific - occurrence relationship with implied dependencies (as the occurrence properties depend on the properties of the type, but may override them).
  • Assignment of a partial type : IsDeclaredBy, Declares - a definition relationship IfcRelDefinesByObject that uses a component of a type definition (a part of a type, called the "declaring part") to define a component of an occurence (part of occurrence, called the "reflected part"). This is also referred to as a "deep copy". The common characteristics of all parts in the occurrence are defined by parts in the type. It is a specific - occurrence relationship with implied dependencies (as the occurrence properties depend on the properties of the type, but may override them).
  • Assignment of property sets : IsDefinedBy - a definition relationship IfcRelDefinesByProperties that assigns property set definitions to the object occurrence.

Informal Propositions:

  1. A partial type assignment, i.e. the inverse attribute IsDeclaredBy, or Declares shall only be used, if the object is part of a decomposition, i.e. if either IsDecomposedBy, or Decomposes is exerted.

5.1.3.6.2 Entity inheritance

5.1.3.6.3 Attributes

# Attribute Type Description
IfcRoot (4)
1 GlobalId IfcGloballyUniqueId

Assignment of a globally unique identifier within the entire software world.
2 OwnerHistory OPTIONAL IfcOwnerHistory

Assignment of the information about the current ownership of that object, including owning actor, application, local identification and information captured about the recent changes of the object,
3 Name OPTIONAL IfcLabel

Optional name for use by the participating software systems or users. For some subtypes of IfcRoot the insertion of the Name attribute may be required. This would be enforced by a where rule.
4 Description OPTIONAL IfcText

Optional description, provided for exchanging informative comments.
IfcObjectDefinition (7)
HasAssignments SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAssigns FOR RelatedObjects

Reference to the relationship objects, that assign (by an association relationship) other subtypes of IfcObject to this object instance. Examples are the association to products, processes, controls, resources or groups.
Nests SET [0:1] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatedObjects

References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is a part within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object occurrence or type can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical strutures only).
IsNestedBy SET [0:?] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatingObject

References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is the whole within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object or object type can be nested by several other objects (occurrences or types).
HasContext SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDeclares FOR RelatedDefinitions

References to the context providing context information such as project unit or representation context. It should only be asserted for the uppermost non-spatial object.
IsDecomposedBy SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatingObject

References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is whole within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definitions can be aggregated by several other objects (occurrences or parts).
Decomposes SET [0:1] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatedObjects

References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is a part within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definitions can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical strutures only).
HasAssociations SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAssociates FOR RelatedObjects

Reference to the relationship objects, that associates external references or other resource definitions to the object.. Examples are the association to library, documentation or classification.
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IfcObject (5)
5 ObjectType OPTIONAL IfcLabel

The type denotes a particular type that indicates the object further. The use has to be established at the level of instantiable subtypes. In particular it holds the user defined type, if the enumeration of the attribute PredefinedType is set to USERDEFINED.
IsDeclaredBy SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects

Link to the relationship object pointing to the declaring object that provides the object definitions for this object occurrence. The declaring object has to be part of an object type decomposition. The associated IfcObject, or its subtypes, contains the specific information (as part of a type, or style, definition), that is common to all reflected instances of the declaring IfcObject, or its subtypes.
Declares SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatingObject

Link to the relationship object pointing to the reflected object(s) that receives the object definitions. The reflected object has to be part of an object occurrence decomposition. The associated IfcObject, or its subtypes, provides the specific information (as part of a type, or style, definition), that is common to all reflected instances of the declaring IfcObject, or its subtypes.
IsTypedBy SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects

Set of relationships to the object type that provides the type definitions for this object occurrence. The then associated IfcTypeObject, or its subtypes, contains the specific information (or type, or style), that is common to all instances of IfcObject, or its subtypes, referring to the same type.
IsDefinedBy SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects

Set of relationships to property set definitions attached to this object. Those statically or dynamically defined properties contain alphanumeric information content that further defines the object.
Table 5.1.3.6.A

5.1.3.6.4 Formal propositions

Name Description
UniquePropertySetNames

No description available. 

((SIZEOF(IsDefinedBy) = 0) OR IfcUniqueDefinitionNames(IsDefinedBy))
Table 5.1.3.6.B

5.1.3.6.5 Concept usage

Concept Usage Description
IfcRoot (2)
Revision Control General

Ownership, history, and merge state is captured using IfcOwnerHistory.
Software Identity General

IfcRoot assigns the globally unique ID. In addition it may provide for a name and a description about the concept.
IfcObjectDefinition (9)
Aggregation General

No description available.

Approval Association General

No description available.

Classification Association General

Any object occurrence or object type can have a reference to a specific classification reference, i.e. to a particular facet within a classification system.
Constraint Association General

No description available.

Document Association General

No description available.

Library Association General

No description available.

Material Association General

No description available.

Material Single General

No description available.

Nesting General

No description available.

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IfcObject (5)
Assignment to Group General

No description available.

Object Predefined Type General

No description available.

Object Typing General

Any object occurrence can be typed by being assigned to a common object type utilizing this concept. A particular rule, restricting the applicable subtypes of IfcTypeObject that can be assigned, is introduced by overriding this concept at the level of subtypes of IfcObject.

This concept can be applied to the following resources:
Object User Identity General

An attribute Name and optionally Description can be used for all subypes of IfcObject. For those subtypes, that have an object type definition, such as ifcBeam - IfcBeamType, the common Name and optionally Description is associated with the object type.
Property Sets with Override General

Any object occurrence can hold property sets, either directly at the object occurrence as element specific property sets, or at the object type, as type property sets. In this case, the properties that are provided to the object occurrence are the combinations of element specific and type properties. In case, that the same property (within the same property set, is defined both, in occurrence and type properties, the property value of the occurrence property overrides the property value of the type property.
Table 5.1.3.6.C

5.1.3.6.6 Formal representation 

ENTITY IfcObject
 ABSTRACT SUPERTYPE OF (ONEOF
	(IfcActor
	,IfcControl
	,IfcGroup
	,IfcProcess
	,IfcProduct
	,IfcResource))
 SUBTYPE OF (IfcObjectDefinition);
	ObjectType : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
 INVERSE
	IsDeclaredBy : SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects;
	Declares : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatingObject;
	IsTypedBy : SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects;
	IsDefinedBy : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects;
 WHERE
	UniquePropertySetNames : ((SIZEOF(IsDefinedBy) = 0) OR IfcUniqueDefinitionNames(IsDefinedBy));
END_ENTITY;

5.1.3.6.7 References

5.1.3.6.8 Changelog

  • inverses, Declares
  • inverses, IsDefinedBy
  • inverses, IsTypedBy
  • where_rules, UniquePropertySetNames
  • where_rules, WR1
  • inverses IsDefinedBy definition, Changed from SET OF [0:?] IfcRelDefines FOR RelatedObjects to SET OF [0:1] IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects
  • inverses IsDefinedBy name, Changed from IsDefinedBy to IsDeclaredBy