NextGen-IFC
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Simplify Colors / (Surface) Style(s)
The current definition of colors within IFC is rather complex.
There are different ways to define colors, i.e. through materials, through properties (very old), through specific entities (like sub-entities of IfcTessellatedFaceSet) and through inverse relations from any geometrical instance towards its styling.
Concerning the styling the structure of how to define the style is complex and could maybe be simplified. Also it is not totally clear if the style overrides a previously defined style what style is leading (this can for example happen in case of mapped items).
This is also a good moment to rethink the way to define colors. This is more a question to ISG members, but would it be possible / relevant to support ambient, diffuse, emissive, specular colors and RGBA / ARGB / RGBW / WRGB values as normally present in OpenGL / DirectX / VULKAN solutions?
@berlotti The majority, including me, want this happen, I think it's a good time to work on materials and colors, etc.
After today's monthly IFC Development Call, we're going to set up a small working group to put together a proposal and presentation on a resolution to this issue (colors and textures). Please email [email protected] if you'd like to participate in the working group. I'll help get that set up. - Jeffrey