New IFC authoring mode - when enabled, exporting the IFC auto saves the Blender file too. See #1360.

src/ifcblenderexport/blenderbim/bim/export_ifc.py

@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ class IfcExporter:
                 jsonData = ifcjson.IFC2JSON5a(self.file, self.ifc_export_settings.json_compact).spf2Json()
                 with open(self.ifc_export_settings.output_file, "w") as outfile:
                     json.dump(jsonData, outfile, indent=None if self.ifc_export_settings.json_compact else 4)
+        if bpy.context.scene.BIMProjectProperties.is_authoring:
+            bpy.ops.wm.save_mainfile()
 
     def set_header(self):
         # TODO: add all metadata, pending bug #747

src/ifcblenderexport/blenderbim/bim/module/project/__init__.py

@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 import bpy
-from . import ui, operator
+from . import ui, prop, operator
 
 classes = (
     operator.CreateProject,
     operator.ValidateIfcFile,
+    prop.BIMProjectProperties,
     ui.BIM_PT_project,
 )
 
 
 def register():
-    pass
+    bpy.types.Scene.BIMProjectProperties = bpy.props.PointerProperty(type=prop.BIMProjectProperties)
 
 
 def unregister():
-    pass
+    del bpy.types.Scene.BIMProjectProperties

src/ifcblenderexport/blenderbim/bim/module/project/prop.py

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import bpy
+from bpy.types import PropertyGroup
+from bpy.props import (
+    PointerProperty,
+    StringProperty,
+    EnumProperty,
+    BoolProperty,
+    IntProperty,
+    FloatProperty,
+    FloatVectorProperty,
+    CollectionProperty,
+)
+
+
+class BIMProjectProperties(PropertyGroup):
+    is_authoring: BoolProperty(name="Enable Authoring Mode")

src/ifcblenderexport/blenderbim/bim/module/project/ui.py

@@ -22,11 +22,13 @@ class BIM_PT_project(Panel):
 
     def draw_project_ui(self, context):
         props = context.scene.BIMProperties
+        pprops = context.scene.BIMProjectProperties
         row = self.layout.row(align=True)
         row.label(text="IFC Filename", icon="FILE")
         row.label(text=os.path.basename(props.ifc_file) or "No File Found")
 
         if IfcStore.get_file():
+            row.prop(pprops, "is_authoring", icon="GREASEPENCIL", text="")
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             row.label(text="IFC Schema", icon="FILE_CACHE")
             row.label(text=IfcStore.get_file().schema)