Displaying model in PowerBi

lasse.lindqvist

Hi. What kind of data from the Solibri project would you visualize in PowerBI?

Jack.Allason

Mainly quantities, but a step even further a comparison of two models (overlaid) - similar to the comparison tool, but with quantities detailed as you click on items.

lasse.lindqvist

So the easiest way probably is to just export ITO results into an Excel file and then import that into PowerBI.

chris

It would be great to visualize LOI and LOG data from Solibri in PowerBI. As other tools like tracer does…

Nuno

There are some 3D viewers for PowerBI like:

Tracer: https://apps.provingground.io/tracer/
EZPowerBI: https://ezpowerbi.wordpress.com/tag/ifc/

agroni

Other tools that allow the visualization of models in PowerBI are
Vcad https://www.bimservices.it/
KG-dev https://kg-dev.be/project/3dbi-for-revit/

I have personaly tested Tracer from ProvingGrounds. It is a very good tool to visualize models and interactive as you are requesting.

chris

@nuno Tracer has some problems with huge models.

Another interesting tool is https://www.seve-up.com/
Much faster than tracer, really good default data structure in powerBi. I like a lot

agroni

Thanx for the tip @chris. I will also give it a look.
The price is a bit high thout (I think!). Do you use is so much in one or two projects (standard plan) during a month period?
Sorry, we drifted a bit from Solibri with this Topic

chris

@agroni nothing is for free I only tried the free plan. I liked a lot…

Alex.J

3D Repo also started some developments by the beginning of this year.
https://3drepo.com/power-bi-custom-visual/
I like the workflow (they have a well-documented API that might nicely handle automated processes), but the viewer still lacks behind.

lasse.lindqvist

Hi. An upcoming Solibri version makes this directly possible without exporting any data to outside files or databases, so if you are interesting in testing it out, join the testing group https://society.solibri.com/topic/1194/upcoming-solibri-version-testers-wanted

JSN

@lasse-lindqvist said in Displaying model in PowerBi:

An upcoming Solibri version makes this directly possible without exporting any data to outside files or databases

Makes what possible?

lasse.lindqvist

@jsn said in Displaying model in PowerBi:

@lasse-lindqvist said in Displaying model in PowerBi:

An upcoming Solibri version makes this directly possible without exporting any data to outside files or databases

Makes what possible?

It allows you to load a Solibri project file to PowerBI and visualize data such as classification results, ITO calculations and checking results.
The 3D data is available as well, but there also seems to be some PowerBI visualizer that work with IFC sources based on the links.Not sure how well they work in reality.

Lauri Luoma

@Jack-Allason @chris @Nuno @agroni @Alexander-Joslyn @JSN

Here is a simple example of saving a model to a new file format (.solibri) with the new Solibri version (currently in alpha) and visualizing the classifications of the model in PowerBI:

classification powerBI.gif

As @lasse-lindqvist mentioned it is also possible to access other data in the models.

agroni

@Lauri-Luoma
that looks very promising.
I assume that this .solibri database is readable in PowerBI and other queries could be generated.
Respectively, is the type of information in the .solibri file adaptable, meaning that we can decide what to export?

chris

@Lauri-Luoma Great News! To have a Solibri 3D Viewer Visual directly in the PowerBI would be really great…

JSN

@agroni said in Displaying model in PowerBi:

I assume that this .solibri database is readable in PowerBI and other queries could be generated.
Respectively, is the type of information in the .solibri file adaptable, meaning that we can decide what to export?

Will it blend, that is the question!

Would be indeed good to know if there are custom visuals involved - as I assume there will most likely be one for the mentioned 3D view - and can the data be accessed as tables e.g. to create relationships and use it with other visuals? Anyhow, good to see that progress is made in that direction as well!

Jack.Allason

@lauri-luoma this looks interesting. How do I open the info in PowerBi? Is it still having to be exported into an excel, or is it straight from a solibri file?

lasse.lindqvist

@jack-allason said in Displaying model in PowerBi:

@lauri-luoma this looks interesting. How do I open the info in PowerBi? Is it still having to be exported into an excel, or is it straight from a solibri file?

PowerBI can read the Solibri file directly, without any need to export to Excel or other formats. You will need to import the Solibri file as an SQLite 3 database file as an ODBC datasource. More instructions on that can be found for example in https://www.biinsight.com/visualise-sqlite-data-in-power-bi/ but we will also provide more detailed instructions on how to work with Solibri files later.

Nuno

Hi @lasse-lindqvist

It would be nice to see an example for this connection.

I tried to follw the instructions in the site you refer. As path to the database I gave a solibri file. However I don’t get access to any table:

I wounder about what I have missed, or if it is just possible with the export with Solibri API, or if it is possible with files save in the current version, or in the coming version Solibri 10…

I’m looking forward to use this funcionality of Solibri.

Regards

Nuno