How to use Xbim in WPF to visualise an .IFC in 3D

Question

I'm trying to learn how to use Xbim in a WPF app to create a 3D view of a model that the user can spin around and view. I load my ifc file in the C# code as follows:

var model = IfcStore.Open("Images/test.ifc");

var context = new Xbim3DModelContext(model);

context.CreateContext();

I then set up a viewport in XAML as follows:

<xbim:DrawingControl3D Name="test3D"></xbim:DrawingControl3D>

I am struggling to work out how to link the two and display the loaded model in the viewport. Would anyone be able to advise / point be towards a good tutorial? If I run the app as stands I can see an empty viewport that I can move around, just need to get the model in there.

Thanks!

Answer 1

You need some more code.

private ObjectDataProvider ModelProvider
{
    get
    {
        return MainFrame.DataContext as ObjectDataProvider;
    }
}


public void openFile()
{
    var model = IfcStore.Open("Images/test.ifc");
    var context = new Xbim3DModelContext(model);
    context.CreateContext(); 
    ModelProvider.ObjectInstance = model;
    ModelProvider.Refresh();
}

And on the xaml side :

<Window.Resources>
    <ObjectDataProvider x:Key="ModelProvider"  IsInitialLoadEnabled="False" />
</Window.Resources>
<Grid Name="MainFrame" DataContext="{StaticResource ModelProvider}">
   <xbim:DrawingControl3D x:Name="test3D"   Model="{Binding}" />
</Grid>

Answer 2

Thank you for all those comments. Sadly, this did not work for me. I had to move the line ModelProvider.Refresh(); to an event named

   void MainWindow_Loaded( object sender, RoutedEventArgs e )
    {
        ModelProvider.Refresh();
    }

also, i added in the xaml file follwing Loaded="MainWindow_Loaded">

Now, my two files look like this:

<Window x:Class="wpf2bim.MainWindow"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:wpf2bim"
    xmlns:presentation="http://schemas.Xbim.com/Presentation"
    mc:Ignorable="d"
    Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525"
    Loaded="MainWindow_Loaded">

<Window.Resources>
    <ObjectDataProvider x:Key="ModelProvider"  IsInitialLoadEnabled="False" />
</Window.Resources>

<Grid Name="MainFrame" DataContext="{StaticResource ModelProvider}">
    <presentation:DrawingControl3D x:Name="test3D"   Model="{Binding}" />
</Grid>

and the c# file

public partial class MainWindow
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            Loaded += MainWindow_Loaded;
            
            openFile();

        }
        
        void MainWindow_Loaded( object sender, RoutedEventArgs e )
        {
            ModelProvider.Refresh();
        }
        
        private ObjectDataProvider ModelProvider
        {
            get
            {
                return MainFrame.DataContext as ObjectDataProvider; 
            }
        }

        public void openFile()
        {
            var model = IfcStore.Open(@"C:\SampleHouse.ifc");
            var context = new Xbim3DModelContext(model);
            context.CreateContext();
            ModelProvider.ObjectInstance = model;
        }
    }