Viewing BCF Files

BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) allows collaborators to exchange comments between software applications without exchanging the entire BIM model. Issues, proposals, and change requests about a project are “topics” in the BCF file, linked to specific objects in the BIM model. The BCF file only contains comments; it does not modify the model.

To view a BCF file:

1. Open the Vectorworks file that is associated with the BCF file. For best results, the BIM model in the Vectorworks file should exactly match the version of the model that was used when the BCF file was created.

2. Select AEC > Open BCF Viewer.

The Open BCF Viewer command is available for Vectorworks Landmark and Spotlight software but is not present in the those workspaces. It can be added to the Landmark and Spotlight workspaces (see Creating or Editing Workspaces).

3. If no BCF file is currently imported into this Vectorworks file, the Import BCF dialog box opens. Select the desired .bcfzip file and click Open. If the BIM model in the current Vectorworks file is different from the model the BCF file was created with, an alert displays.

4. The BCF Viewer dialog box opens and displays data from the imported file.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
List of Topics	All topics in the file display, along with the date each was added; click a topic to view the data associated with it in the bottom of the dialog box
Topic Snapshot	Displays an image of the IFC objects described in the selected topic; since the snapshot was created in a different software application, it will not match the view in the Vectorworks file exactly
Comments on Selected Topic	All comments associated with the selected topic display; for each comment the following information displays: ●    Date of comment ●    Abbreviated Comment text ●    Status ●    Author ●    Additional Status Text
Comment	Displays the full text of the comment

5. Click OK to switch the view in the Vectorworks application to display the objects described in the selected topic. The related objects are selected, and the view is similar to the snapshot. To make it easier to see the selected objects, the classes and layers of unselected objects are hidden.

If the view does not show the correct objects, select View > Zoom > Fit to Objects to zoom in on the selected objects. Alternatively, click Fit to Objects from the View bar.

6. To open another BCF file related to this project, click Import BCF, and select the BCF file from the Import BCF dialog box. The previous BCF file closes, and the new one opens.

7. When you open a BCF file, saved views, a symbol folder, and worksheets are added to the Vectorworks file. When you are done reviewing the BCF file, click Close BCF to remove the BCF data.

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