You can now create new empty types, and select type objects from the type manager

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

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class BIM_PT_Boundary(Panel):
             entity = getattr(boundary, ifc_attribute)
             if entity:
                 row.label(text=f"{entity.is_a()}/{entity.Name}")
-                op = row.operator("bim.select_global_id", text="", icon="TRACKER")
+                op = row.operator("bim.select_global_id", text="", icon="OBJECT_DATA")
                 op.global_id = entity.GlobalId
             else:
                 row.label(text="")

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

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class BIM_PT_debug(Panel):
                 op = row.operator("bim.select_global_id", icon="RESTRICT_SELECT_OFF", text="")
                 op.global_id = attribute.string_value
             if attribute.name == "ObjectPlacement":
-                op = row.operator("bim.print_object_placement", icon="TRACKER", text="")
+                op = row.operator("bim.print_object_placement", icon="OBJECT_ORIGIN", text="")
                 op.step_id = attribute.int_value
             if attribute.int_value:
                 row.operator(

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/model/product.py

@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class LoadTypeThumbnails(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
 
                     x_offset = (size / 2) - (width / 2)
                     y_offset = (size / 2) - (height / 2)
-                    draw.rectangle([x_offset, y_offset, width + x_offset, height + y_offset], outline="white", width=2)
+                    draw.rectangle([x_offset, y_offset, width + x_offset, height + y_offset], outline="white", width=5)
                     current_thickness = 0
                     del thicknesses[-1]
                     for thickness in thicknesses:
@@ -410,8 +410,18 @@ class LoadTypeThumbnails(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
                             x = (current_thickness / total_thickness) * width
                             line = [x_offset + x, y_offset, x_offset + x, y_offset + height]
                         draw.line(line, fill="white", width=2)
+                elif False:
+                    # TODO: things like parametric duct segments
+                    pass
+                elif not element.RepresentationMaps:
+                    # Empties are represented by a generic thumbnail
+                    width = height = 100
+                    x_offset = (size / 2) - (width / 2)
+                    y_offset = (size / 2) - (height / 2)
+                    draw.line([x_offset, y_offset, width + x_offset, height + y_offset], fill="white", width=2)
+                    draw.line([x_offset, y_offset + height, width + x_offset, y_offset], fill="white", width=2)
+                    draw.rectangle([x_offset, y_offset, width + x_offset, height + y_offset], outline="white", width=5)
                 else:
-                    # For things like parametric duct segments
                     draw.line([0, 0, size, size], fill="red", width=2)
                     draw.line([0, size, size, 0], fill="red", width=2)
 

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/model/prop.py

@@ -234,14 +234,14 @@ class BIMModelProperties(PropertyGroup):
     type_page: bpy.props.IntProperty(name="Type Page", default=1, update=update_type_page)
     type_template: bpy.props.EnumProperty(
         items=(
-            ("1", "Custom Mesh", ""),
+            ("MESH", "Custom Mesh", ""),
-            ("2", "Vertical Layers", ""),
+            ("LAYERSET_AXIS2", "Vertical Layers", ""),
-            ("2", "Horizontal Layers", ""),
+            ("LAYERSET_AXIS3", "Horizontal Layers", ""),
-            ("3", "Extruded Profile", ""),
+            ("PROFILESET", "Extruded Profile", ""),
-            ("4", "Non-Geometric Type", ""),
+            ("EMPTY", "Non-Geometric Type", ""),
         ),
         name="Type Template",
-        default="1",
+        default="MESH",
     )
     type_class: bpy.props.EnumProperty(items=get_type_class, name="IFC Class", update=update_type_class)
     type_predefined_type: bpy.props.EnumProperty(items=get_type_predefined_type, name="Predefined Type", default=None)

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

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class LaunchTypeManager(bpy.types.Operator):
         row.alignment = "CENTER"
         row.prop(props, "type_predefined_type", text="")
         row.prop(props, "type_template", text="")
-        op = row.operator("bim.change_type_page", icon="ADD", text="")
+        row.operator("bim.add_type", icon="ADD", text="")
 
         row = columns.row(align=True)
         row.alignment = "RIGHT"
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ class LaunchTypeManager(bpy.types.Operator):
             op.ifc_class = relating_type["ifc_class"]
             op.relating_type_id = relating_type["id"]
 
+            op = row.operator("bim.select_type", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="")
+            op.relating_type = relating_type["id"]
             op = row.operator("bim.duplicate_type", icon="COPYDOWN", text="")
             op.element = relating_type["id"]
             op = row.operator("bim.remove_type", icon="X", text="")

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

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ 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="TRACKER", text="")
+                row.operator("bim.select_container", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="")
                 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"]:

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/type/__init__.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import bpy
 from . import ui, prop, operator
 
 classes = (
+    operator.AddType,
     operator.AssignType,
     operator.DisableEditingType,
     operator.DuplicateType,

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/type/data.py

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TypeData:
             {
                 "is_product": cls.is_product(),
                 "total_instances": cls.total_instances(),
-                "type_name": cls.type_name(),
+                "relating_type": cls.relating_type(),
             }
         )
 
@@ -82,8 +82,11 @@ class TypeData:
         return str(len(ifcopenshell.util.element.get_types(element)))
 
     @classmethod
-    def type_name(cls):
+    def relating_type(cls):
         element = tool.Ifc.get_entity(bpy.context.active_object)
-        type = ifcopenshell.util.element.get_type(element)
+        element_type = ifcopenshell.util.element.get_type(element)
-        if type:
+        if element_type:
-            return f"{type.is_a()}/{type.Name or 'Unnamed'}"
+            return {
+                "id": element_type.id(),
+                "name":f"{element_type.is_a()}/{element_type.Name or 'Unnamed'}"
+            }

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

@@ -113,15 +113,12 @@ class SelectType(bpy.types.Operator):
     bl_idname = "bim.select_type"
     bl_label = "Select Type"
     bl_options = {"REGISTER", "UNDO"}
-    related_object: bpy.props.StringProperty()
+    relating_type: bpy.props.IntProperty()
 
     def execute(self, context):
-        self.file = IfcStore.get_file()
+        element = tool.Ifc.get().by_id(self.relating_type)
-        related_object = bpy.data.objects.get(self.related_object, context.active_object)
+        obj = tool.Ifc.get_object(element)
-        oprops = related_object.BIMObjectProperties
+        if obj:
-        element_type = ifcopenshell.util.element.get_type(self.file.by_id(oprops.ifc_definition_id))
-        if element_type is not None:
-            obj = IfcStore.get_element(element_type.GlobalId)
             context.view_layer.objects.active = obj
             obj.select_set(True)
         return {"FINISHED"}
@@ -169,6 +166,27 @@ class SelectTypeObjects(bpy.types.Operator):
         return {"FINISHED"}
 
 
+class AddType(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
+    bl_idname = "bim.add_type"
+    bl_label = "Add Type"
+    bl_options = {"REGISTER"}
+
+    def _execute(self, context):
+        props = context.scene.BIMModelProperties
+        ifc_class = props.type_class
+        predefined_type = props.type_predefined_type
+        template = props.type_template
+        if template == "EMPTY":
+            obj = bpy.data.objects.new("TYPEX", None)
+            element = ifcopenshell.api.run("root.create_entity", tool.Ifc.get(), ifc_class=ifc_class, predefined_type=predefined_type, name="TYPEX")
+            tool.Ifc.link(element, obj)
+            collection = bpy.data.collections.get("Types")
+            if collection:
+                collection.objects.link(obj)
+        bpy.ops.bim.load_type_thumbnails(ifc_class=ifc_class)
+        return {"FINISHED"}
+
+
 class RemoveType(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
     bl_idname = "bim.remove_type"
     bl_label = "Remove Type"

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

@@ -76,9 +76,10 @@ class BIM_PT_type(Panel):
             row.operator("bim.disable_editing_type", icon="CANCEL", text="")
         else:
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
-            if TypeData.data["type_name"]:
+            if TypeData.data["relating_type"]:
-                row.label(text=TypeData.data["type_name"])
+                row.label(text=TypeData.data["relating_type"]["name"])
-                row.operator("bim.select_type", icon="TRACKER", text="")
+                op = row.operator("bim.select_type", icon="OBJECT_DATA", text="")
+                op.relating_type = TypeData.data["relating_type"]["id"]
                 row.operator("bim.select_similar_type", icon="RESTRICT_SELECT_OFF", text="")
                 row.operator("bim.enable_editing_type", icon="GREASEPENCIL", text="")
                 row.operator("bim.unassign_type", icon="X", text="")