ifcopenshell.api.system.connect_port

Module Contents

class ifcopenshell.api.system.connect_port.Usecase
execute()
purge_connected_from()
purge_connected_to()
purge_existing_connections_to_other_ports()
set_connected_from()
set_connected_to()
set_realising_element()
ifcopenshell.api.system.connect_port.connect_port(file: ifcopenshell.file, port1: ifcopenshell.entity_instance, port2: ifcopenshell.entity_instance, direction: str = 'NOTDEFINED', element: ifcopenshell.entity_instance | None = None) None

Connects two ports together

A distribution element (e.g. a duct) may be connected to another distribution element (e.g. a fitting) by connecting a port at one of the duct to a port at the same end of the fitting.

Ports may only have one connection, so you cannot have multiple things connected to the same port. Nor can you have incompatible port connections, such as an electrical port connected to an airflow port.

Port connectivity may be explicit or implicit. Explicit connections are where the port connectivity is described for every single distribution element in detail. For example, a duct segment would have port connections to a duct fitting, which would have port connections to another duct segment, all the way from a fan to an air terminal exactly as constructed on site. Implicit connections only consider the key distribution control elements (e.g. the fan and the terminal) and ignore all of the details of the duct segments and fittings in between. Generally, explicit connectivity is preferred for later detailed design, and implicit connectivity is preferred for early phase design.

Parameters:
  • port1 (ifcopenshell.entity_instance) – The port of the first distribution element to connect.

  • port2 (ifcopenshell.entity_instance) – The port of the second distribution element to connect.

  • direction (str) – The directionality of distribution flow through the port connection. NOTDEFINED means that the direction has not yet been determined. This is useful during preliminary system design. SOURCE means that the flow is from the first element to the second element. SINK means that the flow is from the second element to the first element. SOURCEANDSINK means that flow is bi-directional between the first and second element. SOURCEANDSINK is a relatively rare scenario.

  • element (ifcopenshell.entity_instance, optional) – Optionally set an element through which the port connectivity is made, such as a segment or fitting. This is only to be used for implicit port connectivity where the segments and fittings are less important.

Example:

# A completely empty distribution system
system = ifcopenshell.api.system.add_system(model)

# Create a duct and a 90 degree bend fitting
duct = ifcopenshell.api.root.create_entity(model,
    ifc_class="IfcDuctSegment", predefined_type="RIGIDSEGMENT")
fitting = ifcopenshell.api.root.create_entity(model,
    ifc_class="IfcDuctFitting", predefined_type="BEND")

# The duct and fitting is part of the system
ifcopenshell.api.system.assign_system(model, products=[duct], system=system)
ifcopenshell.api.system.assign_system(model, products=[fitting], system=system)

# Create 2 ports, one for either end of both the duct and fitting.
duct_port1 = ifcopenshell.api.system.add_port(model, element=duct)
duct_port2 = ifcopenshell.api.system.add_port(model, element=duct)
fitting_port1 = ifcopenshell.api.system.add_port(model, element=fitting)
fitting_port2 = ifcopenshell.api.system.add_port(model, element=fitting)

# Connect the duct and fitting together. At this point, we have not
# yet determined the direction of the flow, so we leave direction as
# NOTDEFINED.
ifcopenshell.api.system.connect_port(model, port1=duct_port2, port2=fitting_port1)