You can now make a spatial element the active object from the spatial decomposition panel

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/spatial/operator.py

@@ -146,9 +146,17 @@ class SelectContainer(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
     bl_idname = "bim.select_container"
     bl_label = "Select Container"
     bl_options = {"REGISTER", "UNDO"}
+    container: bpy.props.IntProperty()
 
     def _execute(self, context):
-        core.select_container(tool.Ifc, tool.Spatial, obj=context.active_object)
+        if self.container:
+            container = tool.Ifc.get().by_id(self.container)
+        elif element := tool.Ifc.get_entity(context.active_object):
+            container = ifcopenshell.util.element.get_container(element)
+        else:
+            return
+        if container:
+            core.select_container(tool.Ifc, tool.Spatial, container=container)
 
 
 class SelectSimilarContainer(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
@@ -233,7 +241,7 @@ class SelectDecomposedElements(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
 
     @classmethod
     def description(cls, context, operator):
-        return f"Select all elements contained in {operator.ifc_class}"
+        return f"Select all elements contained in this {operator.ifc_class}"
 
     def _execute(self, context):
         core.select_decomposed_elements(tool.Spatial, container=tool.Ifc.get().by_id(self.container))

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/spatial/ui.py

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class BIM_PT_spatial(Panel):
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             if SpatialData.data["label"]:
                 row.label(text=SpatialData.data["label"])
-                row.operator("bim.select_container", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="")
+                row.operator("bim.select_container", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="").container = 0
                 row.operator("bim.select_similar_container", icon="RESTRICT_SELECT_OFF", text="")
                 row.operator("bim.enable_editing_container", icon="GREASEPENCIL", text="")
                 if SpatialData.data["is_directly_contained"]:
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class BIM_PT_spatial_decomposition(Panel):
         row.operator("bim.import_spatial_decomposition", icon="FILE_REFRESH", text="")
 
         if self.props.active_container:
-            ifc_definition_id = self.props.active_container.ifc_definition_id if self.props.active_container else 0
+            ifc_definition_id = self.props.active_container.ifc_definition_id
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             row.prop(self.props, "subelement_class", text="")
             op = row.operator("bim.add_part_to_object", icon="ADD", text="")
@@ -136,8 +136,10 @@ class BIM_PT_spatial_decomposition(Panel):
             row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="FULLSCREEN_EXIT", text="Isolate")
             row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="HIDE_OFF", text="")
             row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="HIDE_ON", text="")
-            row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="")
-            row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="RESTRICT_SELECT_OFF", text="")
+            row.operator("bim.select_container", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="").container = ifc_definition_id
+            op = row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="RESTRICT_SELECT_OFF", text="")
+            op.ifc_class = self.props.active_container.ifc_class
+            op.container = ifc_definition_id
             op = row.operator("bim.delete_container", icon="X", text="")
             op.container = ifc_definition_id
 

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/core/spatial.py

@@ -109,11 +109,8 @@ def copy_to_container(
     return result_objs
 
 
-def select_container(ifc: tool.Ifc, spatial: tool.Spatial, obj: bpy.types.Object) -> None:
-    element = ifc.get_entity(obj)
-    if not element:
-        return
-    spatial.set_active_object(ifc.get_object(spatial.get_container(element)))
+def select_container(ifc: tool.Ifc, spatial: tool.Spatial, container: ifcopenshell.entity_instance) -> None:
+    spatial.set_active_object(ifc.get_object(container))
 
 
 def select_similar_container(ifc: tool.Ifc, spatial: tool.Spatial, obj: bpy.types.Object) -> None: