Detect changes between reference model versions

Tekla Structures
2021
Tekla Structures

Detect changes between reference model versions

You can check the changes between different IFC reference model versions in Tekla Structures using change detection. You can use change detection to detect changes between reference models from different disciplines, such as engineer or detailer. Changes are detected on object level. You can also compare Tekla Structures models if you have exported a Tekla Structures model into IFC format at least twice.

Tekla Structures stores versions of the reference models for change detection. Versioning is also needed for visualizing sharing changes and object conversion change management.

Limitations

  • Property comparison works only for IFC or IFC-based reference models. The following formats are supported:

    • .ifc
    • .ifcxml
    • .ifczip
    • .tczip
  • Deleted objects are not highlighted and cannot be selected.

Change detection

You can show changes between two stored reference model versions or between stored version and browsed reference model file version. In both of these cases you need to activate change detection:

  1. Click the Reference Models button in the side pane on the right side of the Tekla Structures main window.

    You can also go to the File menu, and select Import > Insert reference model. Close the Add model dialog box.

  2. Open a reference model by double-clicking the model in the Reference Models list.
  3. Open the Change detection list by clicking the arrow on the Change detection row.

Change detection between stored version and browsed model file version

The file path box has automatically the full file path to the current reference model original file. If a reference model file with the same name has changed, you can run the change detection and skip steps 1 and 3 below .

  1. Click ... and browse for an earlier version of the reference model.
  2. Select the This model is newer check box next to the file path if you want to define that the file shown in the box is newer.
  3. Ensure that you have both the original reference model and the browsed reference model version visible by setting the eye buttons active in the Change detection section.
  4. To change the comparison set if needed, click the ... button and define the set you want to use. Then click Update view. The comparison set contains the properties that you want to use in version comparison.
  5. To change property set comparison tolerances, click the Property set comparison tolerances button .

You can do any of the following in the changes list and in the property details list:

  • Export change detection results to Excel by clicking Export to Excel. The exported Excel file contains all or changed properties that are visible in the changes list. The information is exported in the current language.

  • Click a row in the changes list to open the related property details list in the side pane. The content of the property details list depends on the comparison rules that you are using. The details list also indicates how the individual properties have changed in the Old value and New value columns.

    Note that in the property details list, if you by accident remove one of the columns, you can bring it back by right-clicking the column title and selecting the column from the context menu. You can then drag the column to the desired location.

  • To show the object in the model, select the Select objects in the model check box, and then click a row in the changes list. Note that you cannot select deleted objects.
  • The older state of an object is drawn to the model view when you select the corresponding object in the changes list.
  • To highlight the object in the changes list, select the Get selected objects from model check box, and then click an object in the model.
  • To zoom to the selected object in the model, select the Zoom to selected check box, and then click a row in the changes list. You can also zoom to deleted objects.
  • The older state of a reference model object is drawn to the 3D view in orange color when you select the corresponding object.
  • To show only changes in the property details list, select the Show only changes check box, and then click a row in the changes list.
  • You can search for specific items using the search box at the bottom.
  • If the changes list disappears, you can bring it back by clicking the Changes list button in the side pane. If the details list disappears, you can bring it back by clicking the Property details button in the side pane. These two buttons are only visible when Change detection is active.

Update reference model and detect changes between versions

You can update a reference model with another version of the model, and detect the changes between these two reference model versions.

  1. Open another version of the reference model by browsing to it in the File box in reference model details and clicking Modify.

    This updates the original reference model with the changed information in the other reference model version.

    You can open several versions, but you can only compare two versions at a time.

    You do not need to copy the reference models to the model folder.

  2. On the Change detection row, click the arrow on the row to open the Change detection list.

    In the Change detection list, the current version is bolded. The newest version is at the top and the oldest at the bottom.

  3. Ensure that both models are visible by setting the eye buttons active in the Change detection list.

    Comparison is active only when two eye buttons are active . You cannot have more than two eye buttons active at the same time. If you activate a third reference model in the list, the older version from previously visible model is automatically set inactive , and the comparison is done between the two models that have the active eye.

  4. Set another version as the current version in the Change detection list by right-clicking the version in the list and selecting Set as current.
  5. To change the comparison set, click the ... button and define the set you want to use. Then click Update view. The comparison set contains the properties that you want to use in version comparison.
  6. To delete a version, right-click the version in the Change detection list, and select Remove.

    The current model version is modified, and this modification is shared in multiuser mode or Tekla Model Sharing.

    When you remove a version, you are asked if you want to set the model as current and save changes.

    You need to pay special attention to versioning and updating in a project. For example, if you remove a version, the current model is updated and you may end up with conflicts.

  7. Select any or all of the check boxes for the following options: Changed, Unchanged, Inserted and/or Deleted, and then click the Update view button, which is displayed when you select an option.

    For example, select Inserted to show with green color the objects that were inserted between the two versions.

    The changes list and the property details list are displayed. The changes list content is based on the IFC content and has all physical object types. The colors are the same as the ones in Change detection.

  8. You can do any of the following in the changes list and in the details list:

    • Click a row in the changes list to open the related property details list in the side pane. The property details list contains at least the name, location as origin and property set properties, basically the content is the same as in the reference object inquiry report. The details list also indicates how the individual properties have changed in the Old value and New value columns.

    • To highlight the object in the model, select the Select objects in the model check box, and then click a row in the changes list. Note that you cannot select deleted objects.
    • To highlight the model object in the changes list, select the Get selected objects from model check box, and then click an object in the model.
    • To zoom to the selected object in the model, select the Zoom to selected check box, and then click a row in the changes list. You can also zoom to deleted objects.
    • To show only changes in the property details list, select the Show only changes check box, and then click a row in the changes list.
    • The older state of a reference model object is drawn to the 3D view in orange color when you select the corresponding object.
    • You can search for specific items using the search box at the bottom.
    • If the changes list disappears, you can bring it back by clicking the Changes list button in the side pane. If the details list disappears, you can bring it back by clicking the Property details button in the side pane. These two buttons are only visible when Change detection is active.

Change comparison order

  • Select the This model is newer check box to define that the file shown in the file path box is newer than the other compared file. If the file has been updated, it appears in the box automatically and the check box is selected.

  • It is possible to compare as newer (default) or older.

Select the This model is newer check box next to the file path box if you want to define that the file shown in the box is newer.

Macro for selecting Tekla Structures native objects

The Select Corresponding Objects Based On Ifc Objects Selection macro is useful for cases where you exported native objects to IFC, inserted the IFC model back to the same native model, and then you want to select the corresponding Tekla Structures objects. You may need to select the corresponding objects when you want to add your own UDAs to all updated and selected native objects, for example.

Remove old reference model versions automatically

You can remove old reference model versions automatically with the advanced option XS_REFERENCE_MODEL_KEEP_VERSIONS_COUNT.

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