Refactor UI preferences to use 'save_metadata_blend_file' instead of 'user_ui_customization' for metadata handling

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/operator.py

@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ class LoadProject(bpy.types.Operator, IFCFileSelector, ImportHelper):
         return tooltip
 
     def execute(self, context):
-        if (tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization 
+        if (tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().save_metadata_blend_file 
             and self.should_start_fresh_session 
             and not self.is_advanced):
             filepath = self.get_filepath()
@@ -1758,7 +1758,7 @@ class ExportIFC(bpy.types.Operator, ExportHelper):
             tool.Ifc.set_path(output_file)
         bim_props.is_dirty = False
         
-        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization:
+        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().save_metadata_blend_file:
             try:
                 bpy.ops.bim.save_blend_metadata_file()
                 blendmetadata_path = output_file + ".metadata.blend"

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/ui.py

@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class BIM_PT_project(Panel):
         col.prop(props, "ifc_file", text="")
         row.operator("bim.select_ifc_file", icon="FILE_FOLDER", text="")
 
-        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization:
+        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().save_metadata_blend_file:
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             col = row.column()
             col.enabled = False

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/operator.py

@@ -257,27 +257,43 @@ class SaveBlendMetadataFile(bpy.types.Operator):
         temp_path = bpy.path.abspath('//__temp_blendmetadata.blend')
         bpy.ops.wm.save_as_mainfile(filepath=temp_path, copy=True)
 
-        # Prepare Python script to run in background Blender to remove geometry
         cleanup_script = f"""
 import bpy
-# Remove all mesh objects and mesh collections
-for obj in bpy.data.objects:
-    if obj.type == 'MESH':
-        bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)
-for collection in bpy.data.collections:
-    # Remove collections that only contain mesh objects
-    if all(o.type == 'MESH' for o in collection.objects):
-        bpy.data.collections.remove(collection)
+
+def remove_ifc_collections():
+    \"\"\"Remove all collections that start with 'IfcProject' and their contents.\"\"\"
+    collections_to_remove = []
+    
+    # Find all IfcProject collections
+    for collection in bpy.data.collections:
+        if collection.name.startswith('IfcProject'):
+            collections_to_remove.append(collection)
+    
+    # Remove objects in these collections first
+    for collection in collections_to_remove:
+        for obj in list(collection.objects):
+            bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)
+        
+        # Also remove any child collections
+        for child in list(collection.children):
+            bpy.data.collections.remove(child, do_unlink=True)
+    
+    # Remove the IfcProject collections themselves
+    for collection in collections_to_remove:
+        bpy.data.collections.remove(collection, do_unlink=True)
+
+# Remove IFC-related data
+remove_ifc_collections()
+
+# Save the metadata file
 bpy.ops.wm.save_as_mainfile(filepath=r'{blendmetadata_path}')
 """
 
-        # Save cleanup script to temp file
         import tempfile
         with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile('w', suffix='.py', delete=False) as script_file:
             script_file.write(cleanup_script)
             script_path = script_file.name
 
-        # Run Blender in background to clean and save metadata file
         blender_exe = bpy.app.binary_path
         import subprocess
         result = subprocess.run([
@@ -287,7 +303,6 @@ bpy.ops.wm.save_as_mainfile(filepath=r'{blendmetadata_path}')
             '--python', script_path
         ], capture_output=True)
 
-        # Clean up temp files
         try:
             os.remove(temp_path)
             os.remove(script_path)

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/ui.py

@@ -701,6 +701,11 @@ class BIM_ADDON_preferences(bpy.types.AddonPreferences):
         name="Mass and time units in project wizard",
         description="Show mass and time units section in the new project wizard panel",
         default=False,
+    )
+    save_metadata_blend_file: BoolProperty(
+        name="Save non ifc data to .metadata.blend File",
+        description="Save session data (window layout, settings) to a .metadata.blend file alongside the IFC file. This file is automatically loaded when opening the project.",
+        default=False,
     )
         user_ui_customization: BoolProperty(
         name="User UI Customization",
@@ -758,6 +763,7 @@ class BIM_ADDON_preferences(bpy.types.AddonPreferences):
         mass_time_units_in_wizard: bool
         chain_filter_with_set_operations: bool
         default_filter_with_set_operations_for_globalid_and_class: bool
+        save_metadata_blend_file: bool
         user_ui_customization: bool
 
     def draw(self, context: bpy.types.Context) -> None:
@@ -949,7 +955,11 @@ class BIM_ADDON_preferences(bpy.types.AddonPreferences):
         row = box.row(align=True)
         row.prop(self, "default_filter_with_set_operations_for_globalid_and_class")
         row.operator("bim.open_uri", text="", icon="HELP").uri = "https://community.osarch.org/discussion/comment/27030"
-        layout.prop(self, "user_ui_customization")
+        layout.prop(self, "save_metadata_blend_file")
+        if self.save_metadata_blend_file:
+            row = layout.row()
+            row.separator()
+            row.prop(self, "user_ui_customization")
 
 
 # Scene panel groups
@@ -967,6 +977,7 @@ class BIM_PT_tabs(Panel):
             UIData.load()
         is_ifc_project = bool(tool.Ifc.get())
         aprops = tool.Blender.get_area_props(context)
+        addon_prefs = tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences()
         ifc_icon = f"{UIData.data['tabs_icon_color_mode']}_ifc"
 
         split = self.layout.split(factor=0.9)
@@ -996,7 +1007,7 @@ class BIM_PT_tabs(Panel):
             self.draw_tab_entry(row_left, "PACKAGE", "FM", True, aprops.tab == "FM")
         if get_tab_visibility("QUALITY"):
             self.draw_tab_entry(row_left, "COMMUNITY", "QUALITY", True, aprops.tab == "QUALITY")
-        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization and get_tab_visibility("BOOKMARK"):
+        if addon_prefs.save_metadata_blend_file and addon_prefs.user_ui_customization and get_tab_visibility("BOOKMARK"):
             self.draw_tab_entry(row_left, "SOLO_ON", "BOOKMARK", True, aprops.tab == "BOOKMARK")
         row_left.operator("bim.switch_tab", text="", emboss=False, icon="UV_SYNC_SELECT")
 
@@ -1005,7 +1016,7 @@ class BIM_PT_tabs(Panel):
         row_left.alignment = "CENTER"
         row_left.scale_y = 0.2
 
-        if not tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization:
+        if not (addon_prefs.save_metadata_blend_file and addon_prefs.user_ui_customization):
             row_left.prop(aprops, "inactive_tab", text="", icon="BLANK1", emboss=False)
         
         for tab in get_tab_names():
@@ -1020,13 +1031,13 @@ class BIM_PT_tabs(Panel):
         row_right = col_right.row(align=True)
         row_right.alignment = "RIGHT"
 
-        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization:
+        if addon_prefs.save_metadata_blend_file and addon_prefs.user_ui_customization:
             row_right.operator("bim.manage_tab_visibility", icon="PREFERENCES", text="")
 
         row = self.layout.row(align=True)
         row.prop(aprops, "tab", text="")
 
-        if tool.Blender.get_addon_preferences().user_ui_customization:
+        if addon_prefs.save_metadata_blend_file and addon_prefs.user_ui_customization:
             for tab in get_tab_names():
                 if get_tab_visibility(tab):
                     if aprops.tab == tab: