Configuring IBM Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Connector for BIM

Configuring Property Panel and Parameter Map Display

The Property Panel and Parameter mapping communicate with the Maximo® Real Estate and Facilities server via the OSLC interface. The OSLC endpoints are defined by standard Maximo Real Estate and Facilities queries that are intended to be customer configurable.

The property panels rely on 3 queries:

  • triFloor - BIM - Revit Property Panel
  • triSpace - BIM - Revit Property Panel
  • triBuildingEquipment - BIM - Revit Property Panel

Parameter Mapping uses 4 queries:

  • triBuilding - BIM – Sync
  • triFloor - BIM – Sync
  • triSpace - BIM – Sync
  • triBuildingEquipment - BIM - Sync

These queries and the accompanying OSLC definitions are installed by the platform from the file IBM TRIRIGA BIM Customizable Reports v2.6.1.zip. This file can be found in the path /home/default/userfiles/upgrades/BIM.

Platform upgrade may install a new version of this OM package. However, unlike the base BIM OM, there is no validation that the objects loaded from the package have not been modified so configuration is not removed on a platform restart.

The following fields are required and are not displayed to the user:

  • triRevitUniqueIdTX
  • triBIMModelGUIDTX

And for triBuilding records:

  • triBIMGUIDTX

The property panel queries are read-only and can utilize any query where the combination of triBIMModelGUIDTX field from the triBIMFloor, triBIMSpace, or triBIMAsset record and the triRevitUniqueIdTX from the triFloor, triSpace, or triAsset (triBuildingEquipment) record returns a unique row.

Support sync to Maximo Real Estate and Facilities

About this task

To support sync to Maximo Real Estate and Facilities, you must be able to update the parameter mapping queries. When one of the query definitions is altered, the OSLC endpoint definition must be updated. There are several paths to navigate to this. The easiest is:

Procedure

  1. From the query definition screen, select the Where Used tab, locate the query line.
  2. Open the record and click Import All Fields.
  3. Save the OSLC record and the report definition.

Changing supported asset types

Out of the box, the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Connector for BIM supports 9 asset and specification types. These are the types that can reasonably be expected to appear in a model. The definition of these types is table-driven so types can be added or removed, including adding support for a new customer or business partner defined types. Each supported type has a triBIMSupportedTypes record. To add or remove supported types, add or remove records from this table.

At startup, the Connector queries the server for all instances of this BO. The result populates:

  • The drop-down on the Fields tab of the Parameter Mapping tool.
  • The list of loadable groups on the Link Existing tab of the Families tool.
  • The drop-down on the Create New tab of the Families tool.

It defines reports and OSLC Query Contexts that are used by:

  • The Fields tab in the Parameter Mapping tool.
  • The Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Property Panel.
  • The Specifications pop-up of the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Property Panel.

It is used by work-flows to select the dynamic workflow to:

  • Create a specific asset type.
  • Synchronize a specific asset type.
  • Create a specific specification type.

Adding new specifications and asset types

Procedure

  1. Follow this workflow for creating an asset.
    1. Copy the workflow: triBIMAsset - Synchronous - Create Asset - Building Equipment Spec.
    2. Rename the new asset type.
    3. Update the Create Asset step to create the correct asset type.
    4. Update the Create Asset step to use the correct form.
    5. Update the Map Location to Asset step to reference the new Create Asset step (Change of BO type).
  2. Follow the Asset Sync Workflow.
    1. Copy the workflow triBIMAsset - Synchronous - Sync Asset - Building Equipment Spec.
    2. Rename the new asset type.
    3. Update the expression in the switch to test for the correct business object type and form name.
  3. Follow the specification creation workflow.
    1. Copy the workflow triBIMType - Synchronous - Create Specification - Building Equipment Spec.
    2. Rename the new asset type.
    3. Update Create Specifications to use the correct business object type and form name.
    4. Update each of the remaining steps to reference the new business object type.
  4. Ensure that the fields, triBIMGUIDTX, and triRevitUniqueIdTX are part of the asset business object definition. Add them if necessary.
  5. Parameter Mapping/Sync Report: If this is a new BO type, create a report for the new Asset type for the Property Panel. The columns in this report are what can be displayed in the Fields tab of the Parameter Mapping tools. If it is a new form for an existing supported BO type, the base report can be reused or a new report can be created to expose a different set of fields.
    1. The base object is the base asset business object. The report is either all or the specific report.
    2. triBIMAsset must be associated with associations of All.
    3. The base BO must have the column triRevitUniqueIdTX selected.
    4. For the base BO, select all the fields that are to be displayed in the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Properties Panel in Revit.
  6. Property Panel Asset Report: If this is a new BO type, create a report for the new Asset type for the Property Panel. The columns in this report are what can be displayed in the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Property Panel in Revit. If it is a new form for an existing supported BO type, the base report can be reused or a new report can be created to expose a different set of fields.
    1. The base object is the base asset business object. The report is either all or the specific report.
    2. triBIMAsset must be associated with associations of All.
    3. In the base BO, ensure that the column triRevitUniqueIdTX is selected.
    4. For the base BO, select all the fields that are to be displayed in the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities Properties Panel in Revit.
  7. Property Panel Specification Report: If this is a new BO type, create a report for the new Specification, which can be displayed in the Property Panel in Revit. If it is a new form for an existing supported BO type, the base report can be reused or a new report can be created to expose a different set of fields.
    1. The base object is the base asset business object. The report is either all or the specific report.
    2. triBIMAsset must be associated with associations of All.
    3. For typewriter, select the columns BIM Model GUID and External ID.
    4. For the base BO, select all the fields that are to be displayed in the Properties Panel in Revit.
  8. For each new report created above, create an OSLC resource description.
    1. Use SPI for the namespace.
    2. Import all fields.
    3. Either select the form used with the report or the form with the same name as the business object.
  9. For each OSLC resource description created above, create an OSLC query capability.
    1. Use triBIMSP as the service provider.
    2. Use triBIMSV as the service.
    3. Select the resource created above.
    4. Select the query used by the resource.
  10. Create and populate a new BIM Supported types record.
    1. Use the system report triBIMSupportedSpecTypes – Dev to create a new record.
    2. In the BIM Supported Specification Types form, populate the record with values from each of the above steps. This table gives the field names and their descriptions.
      Field name Usage
      Name Human readable name and record key. Display of the resource key is missing or not found.
      ID Unique identification.
      Description A description of this record – For documentation purpose only.
      Spec Type The business object name for this specification.
      Specification Type Form The form name for this specification.
      BIM Resource Key A key in the Connector resource file used to get the name of the object in the Revit user’s language. If this is not specified, or the key is not in the resource file, the Name of the records is used.
      Specification Class Prefix Specification classes displayed in the Add New tab of the family tool are filtered to only show records that start with this prefix. It can be found on the SpecClass field of the form in Form Builder.
      Asset Create Workflow Name of workflow from step 1.
      Asset Sync Workflow Name of workflow from step 2.
      Specification Create Workflow Name of workflow from step 3.
      Specification Sync Workflow Not currently used.
      Property Panel Report Name of report from step 6.
      BIM Property Panel Specification Report Name of report from step 7.
      BIM Sync Report Name of report from step 5.
      OSLC Property Panel QC Query Context for report in step 6.
      OSLC Property Panel QC for Specifications Query Context for report in step 7.
      OSLC Sync QC Query Context for report in step 5.

Adding additional Revit categories to Family and Asset integration

About this task

The Connector Family and Component integration have selected a set of Revit categories to support that are expected to work for most uses; however, the list can be configured. The default list of supported categories is:
  • OST_DataDevices
  • OST_Furniture
  • OST_PlumbingFixtures
  • OST_Doors
  • OST_LightingFixtures
  • OST_SpecialityEquipment
  • OST_DuctFitting
  • OST_LightingDevices
  • OST_TelephoneDevices
  • OST_DuctTerminal
  • OST_MechanicalEquipment
  • OST_ElectricalEquipment
  • OST_PipeAccessory

The list controls the following factors:

  • To which Components and Types IBM Parameters are added.
  • The Categories displayed in the Families tool.
  • The list of Categories displayed in the Integrate Asset tool.
  • The Categories displayed in the Elements tab of the Parameter Mapping tool.
  • The Categories supported by the Property Panel.
  • The Categories used by the Sync tool to build its asset list.

This list can be configured. It is stored with the model as part of the configuration data managed by the setting tool.

Remember: Changing the category list for a model that is already integrated may have undesirable effects including making integration data for removed categories unavailable and leaving Maximo Real Estate and Facilities data in the model when detach is run.

Procedure

  1. From the setting tool, export the configuration data. This creates an XML file.
  2. Open the file with an XML or text editor.
  3. Look for elements tagged <Supported Categories>.
  4. Add or remove elements as desired. Elements added must be a category that can be assigned to a family instance (component) and must be from the list of Revit built-in categories found in BuiltinCategory.
  5. Import the edited file. This is best done before any elements are integrated.
  6. Close and reopen the model. If categories have been added, run the Populate Parameters tool again.
  7. After import and verify the changes, you can save the configuration to the Maximo Real Estate and Facilities server and it can be shared with other models.