In the UK the NBS offers a range of product downloads from the National BIM Library (NBL).
NBL downloads contain all of the files needed to add them to an ABD dataset but it is not necessarily immediately obvious where to put them.Additionally each download contains a <productname>.cfg file which (while required to provide a fully functional download) can be a source of confusion.
Following on from previous wiki and blog posts (see Looking under the bonnet...) regarding separation between delivered, project and Company dataset content, one recommended approach is to put all downloaded NBL data in a separate group of dataset folders either at project or company level.
This makes future maintenance easier. Say in a couple of years' time when a particular product is no longer needed, it will be far easier to weed out from a discrete location than if it is mixed in with the rest of your custom content.
The suggested steps are to achieve this separation and efficiently deploy NBL downloads are:
1. Alongside your company dataset create an new folder: NBL_Data
2. In this folder create sub-folders as shown (these can be copied form your company dataset if you have one, ensure that copied folders are emptied of any files to avoid duplication):
3. In NBL_Data create a new configuration file NBL.cfg. This should contain the following:
#------------------------------------------------------- # Additional search paths for NBL content #------------------------------------------------------- TFDIR_CELL < $(NBL_DATA)cell/ ATFDIR_CELL < $(NBL_DATA)cell/ MS_CELLLIST < $(NBL_DATA)cell/*.* TFDIR_CPART < $(NBL_DATA)cpart/ DG_CATALOGS_PATH < $(NBL_DATA)datagroupcatalogs/ DG_SCHEDULE_LAYOUT_PATH < $(NBL_DATA)datagrouplayouts/ DG_PATH < $(NBL_DATA)datagroupsystem/ TFDIR_FRAME < $(NBL_DATA)frame/casework/ ATFDIR_DOOR < $(NBL_DATA)frame/doors/ ATFDIR_WINDOW < $(NBL_DATA)frame/windows/ MS_MATERIAL < $(NBL_DATA)materials/ MS_PATTERN < $(NBL_DATA)materials/pattern/ MS_BUMP < $(NBL_DATA)materials/bump/ TFDIR_PART < $(NBL_DATA)part/
These variables will pick up the additional folders adding their contents to the DataGroup system.
4. Alongside any existing standards cfg files add a new file containing the following content copied from BuildingTemplate_GB.pcf, this is for clarity and to apply the NBL content to all projects. (Alternatively enable/add the lines in each PCF to make NBL content available project by project.)
#======================================================= # Establish NBL (National BIM Library) Directories if installed # (Download from http://www.nationalbimlibrary.com/) #======================================================= # Define path and folder name of NBL data # (change path and folder name as necessary) #------------------------------------------------------- # NBL_DATA = $(TF_DATASETS)DatasetExtensions/NBL_Data/ NBL_DATA = $(parentdevdir(_USTN_SITE))NBL_Data/ #------------------------------------------------------- # Read NBL cfg-file to add search paths to NBL subfolders #------------------------------------------------------- %if exists ($(NBL_DATA)NBL.cfg) %include $(NBL_DATA)NBL.cfg %endif
In this example the file is named 03_Company_NBL.cfg to maintain the read order:
5. Unzip the NBL download, then copy the folders from the unzipped archive to the matching folders in NBL_Data.Do not copy NBL.cfg or <productname>.cfg, the contents are already provided by the file in step 3.Do not copy IFC2x3psets.cfg, its content should be provided by the main IFC configuration.
6. The result is :
7. These Catalog Types can be dragged and dropped into a new NBL Catalog Type sub-group. Note that some of them are empty, they have been included as containers for other products that may be added later. The empty Catalog Types could also be deleted.
8. Each of the new Catalog Types also need to be added to a filter, perhaps a custom NBL filter as well as the appropriate discipline filter:
9. For each Catalog Item, right-click to open the properties dialog then apply the appropriate Tool Template to assign it to a tool. In the case of these Green Roof membranes, the slab tool would be appropriate: