The Main Toolbar BIM Tools are useful for finding and selecting certain BIM elements, color-coding activities for the 4D BIM Visualization, and viewing element specifications. This article covers 1) showing/hiding BIM tools, 2) BIM Breakdown Structure, 3) Work Breakdown Structure, 4) Organization Breakdown Structure, 5) BIM Element Properties, 6) BIM Property Search, 7) BIM Window Selection, and 8) how to focus, hide, and isolate elements.

Showing/Hiding BIM Tools

The BIM Tools will show up on the Main Toolbar by default when you open the viewer. To close the BIM Tools for a less cluttered Main Toolbar, click the "x" on the right side of the BIM Tools. To reopen the BIM Tools, go to the control panel under the BIM section, click the three dots next to the eye icon, and select "Show BIM Tools".

BIM Breakdown Structure (BIM Tree)

To see the organization of all BIM elements in the viewer, open the BIM Breakdown Structure tool. This tool displays a tree structure that includes all models in the viewer with all their elements. The down arrow on the tool heading expands the structure and the up arrow collapses it. Use the BIM tree to find and select elements in the same category, same family, or same location. 

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Before you use the Work Breakdown Structure tool, make sure you have the correct structure open. Once you open the tool, manually expand the structure to see the color-coding of various BIM elements linked to the schedule. Change the colors displayed on the WBS by selecting the colored square next to the WBS item and choosing a new color. Double click on a WBS item to change its name or WBS code. Click the "+" icon on the tool heading to add a new WBS item. Select a WBS item and click the "trash" icon to delete it from the WBS.

Organization Breakdown Structure

The organization breakdown structure lists and color-codes all the trade partners, subcontractors, or other organizations in the project. To change the color of an organization displayed in the Trade Location BIM Visualization Setting, click on the colored box next to the organization name and choose a new color. Double click on an organization to change its name. Add a new organization by clicking the "+" icon on the tool heading. Delete an organization by selecting the organization and clicking the "trash" icon.

BIM Element Properties

Select an element and click the BIM Element Properties tool to view the properties of that element, such as the level it's on and the source file. All the data comes from the uploaded original BIM model. The BIM Element Properties tool is also viewable by right-clicking on the element and selecting "Show properties".

BIM Property Search

Use the search bar to search for BIM properties such as "wide flange" or "concrete" and click the "save" icon to save the set. The number of properties in the set is displayed in parenthesis on the right side of the tool.

You can also save selection sets by manually selecting certain elements, right-clicking, selecting "Current Selection", and then selecting the "Save" option. Name the set in the BIM Property Search tool and hit ENTER to save it. Now, if you un-select the elements and click on the set in the tool, the saved elements will be selected again.

You can select/deselect multiple BIM elements in the viewer by holding the SHIFT or CTRL/COMMAND key while clicking the desired BIM elements. 

Mouse over the set to access the quick hide and quick focus tool. The "eye" icon furthest to the right is the hide tool, and the "box" icon next to it is the isolate tool.

BIM Window Selection

The BIM Window Selection tool works as it does in most BIM software. To select only elements that are completely within the boundary of the selection box, drag the cursor from left to right. To select any elements that are wholly or partially within the boundary of the selection box, drag the cursor from right to left. Make sure to un-select the BIM Window Selection tool before you rotate, pan, or zoom in the viewer.

Focus, Hide, and Isolate Elements

The focus tool zooms in on the selected elements, the hide tool hides the selected elements, and the isolate tool hides all the elements except the selected elements. Access these tools by right-clicking on the selected elements and clicking "Current Selection".