You can now set a default spatial container.

This will supersede having an active Blender collection selected.

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

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ classes = (
     operator.SelectDecomposedElements,
     operator.SelectProduct,
     operator.SelectSimilarContainer,
+    operator.SetDefaultContainer,
     prop.SpatialElement,
     prop.Element,
     prop.BIMSpatialProperties,

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

@@ -92,9 +92,19 @@ class SpatialDecompositionData:
     def load(cls):
         cls.is_loaded = True
         cls.data = {
+            "default_container": cls.default_container(),
             "subelement_class": cls.subelement_class(),
         }
 
+    @classmethod
+    def default_container(cls) -> str:
+        props = bpy.context.scene.BIMSpatialDecompositionProperties
+        if props.default_container:
+            try:
+                return tool.Ifc.get().by_id(props.default_container).Name
+            except:
+                pass
+
     @classmethod
     def subelement_class(cls):
         results = []

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

@@ -17,16 +17,12 @@
 # along with BlenderBIM Add-on.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import bpy
-import ifcopenshell.api
-import ifcopenshell.util.element
 import blenderbim.tool as tool
 import blenderbim.core.spatial as core
 import blenderbim.core.geometry
 import blenderbim.core.aggregate
 import blenderbim.core.root
 import blenderbim.bim.handler
-from blenderbim.bim.ifc import IfcStore
-from blenderbim.bim.module.spatial.data import SpatialData
 
 
 class ReferenceStructure(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
@@ -235,4 +231,13 @@ class SelectDecomposedElements(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
 
     def _execute(self, context):
         core.select_decomposed_elements(tool.Spatial)
-        return {"FINISHED"}
+
+
+class SetDefaultContainer(bpy.types.Operator, tool.Ifc.Operator):
+    bl_idname = "bim.set_default_container"
+    bl_label = "Set Default Container"
+    bl_options = {"REGISTER", "UNDO"}
+    container: bpy.props.IntProperty()
+
+    def _execute(self, context):
+        core.set_default_container(tool.Spatial, container=tool.Ifc.get().by_id(self.container))

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

@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class BIMSpatialDecompositionProperties(PropertyGroup):
     active_element_index: IntProperty(name="Active Element Index")
     total_elements: IntProperty(name="Total Elements")
     subelement_class: bpy.props.EnumProperty(items=get_subelement_class, name="Subelement Class")
+    default_container: IntProperty(name="Default Container", default=0)
 
     @property
     def active_container(self):

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

@@ -109,30 +109,34 @@ class BIM_PT_spatial_decomposition(Panel):
             SpatialDecompositionData.load()
         self.props = context.scene.BIMSpatialDecompositionProperties
 
-        if self.props.active_container:
+        if SpatialDecompositionData.data['default_container']:
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             row.label(
-                text=f"Active: {self.props.active_container.name}",
+                text=f"Default: {SpatialDecompositionData.data['default_container']}",
                 icon="OUTLINER_COLLECTION",
             )
             row.operator("bim.import_spatial_decomposition", icon="FILE_REFRESH", text="")
+        else:
+            row = self.layout.row(align=True)
+            row.label(text="Warning: No Default Container", icon="ERROR")
+            row.operator("bim.import_spatial_decomposition", icon="FILE_REFRESH", text="")
 
-            if self.props.active_container.ifc_class != "IfcProject":
+        if self.props.active_container:
-                row = self.layout.row(align=True)
+            ifc_definition_id = self.props.active_container.ifc_definition_id if self.props.active_container else 0
-                row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="HIDE_OFF", text=f"Isolate {self.props.active_container.ifc_class}")
-                row.operator("bim.delete_container", icon="X", text="").container = (
-                    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="")
-            op.element = self.props.active_container.ifc_definition_id
+            op.element = ifc_definition_id
             op.part_class = self.props.subelement_class
-        else:
+
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
-            row.label(text="Warning: No Active Container", icon="ERROR")
+            if self.props.active_container.ifc_class == "IfcProject":
-            row.operator("bim.import_spatial_decomposition", icon="FILE_REFRESH", text="")
+                row.enabled = False
+            op = row.operator("bim.set_default_container", icon="OUTLINER_COLLECTION", text="Set Default")
+            op.container = ifc_definition_id
+            row.operator("bim.select_decomposed_elements", icon="HIDE_OFF", text=f"Isolate {self.props.active_container.ifc_class}")
+            op = row.operator("bim.delete_container", icon="X", text="")
+            op.container = ifc_definition_id
 
         self.layout.template_list(
             "BIM_UL_containers_manager",

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/core/spatial.py

@@ -238,3 +238,7 @@ def toggle_hide_spaces(ifc, spatial):
     if not spaces:
         return
     spatial.toggle_hide_spaces(spaces)
+
+
+def set_default_container(spatial: tool.Spatial, container: ifcopenshell.entity_instance):
+    spatial.set_default_container(container)

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/core/tool.py

@@ -855,6 +855,7 @@ class Spatial:
     def select_products(cls, products, unhide=False): pass
     def set_active_object(cls, obj): pass
     def set_relative_object_matrix(cls, target_obj, relative_to_obj, matrix): pass
+    def set_default_container(cls, container): pass
     def show_scene_objects(cls): pass
     #HERE STARTS SPATIAL TOOL
     def is_bounding_class(cls, visible_element): pass

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/spatial.py

@@ -826,3 +826,7 @@ class Spatial(blenderbim.core.tool.Spatial):
             for space in spaces:
                 obj = tool.Ifc.get_object(space)
                 obj.hide_set(False)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def set_default_container(cls, container):
+        bpy.context.scene.BIMSpatialDecompositionProperties.default_container = container.id()