Add API documentation for the material module

src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/material/add_profile.py

@@ -18,11 +18,69 @@
 
 
 class Usecase:
-    def __init__(self, file, **settings):
+    def __init__(self, file, profile_set=None, material=None, profile=None):
+        """Add a new profile item to a profile set
+
+        A profile item in a profile set represents an extruded 2D profile curve
+        that is extruded along the axis of the element. Most commonly there will
+        only be a single profile item in a profile set. For example, a beam will
+        have a material profile set containing a single profile item, which may
+        have a steel material and a I-beam shaped profile curve.
+
+        Note that the "profile item" represents a single extrusion in the
+        profile set, whereas the "profile curve" represents a 2D curve used by a
+        "profile item".
+
+        In some cases, a profiled element (i.e. beam, column) may be a composite
+        beam or column and include multiple extrusions. This is rare. The order
+        of the profiles does not matter.
+
+        :param profile_set: The IfcMaterialProfileSet that the profile is part of. The
+            profile set represents a group of profile items. See
+            ifcopenshell.api.material.add_material_set for more information on
+            how to add a profile set.
+        :type profile_set: ifcopenshell.entity_instance.entity_instance
+        :param material: The IfcMaterial that the profile item is made out of.
+        :type material: ifcopenshell.entity_instance.entity_instance
+        :param profile: The IfcProfileDef that represents the 2D cross section
+            of the the profile item.
+        :type profile: ifcopenshell.entity_instance.entity_instance
+        :return: The newly created IfcMaterialProfile
+        :rtype: ifcopenshell.entity_instance.entity_instance
+
+        Example::
+
+            # Let's imagine we have a steel I-beam. Notice we are assigning to
+            # the type only, as all occurrences of that type will automatically
+            # inherit the material.
+            beam_type = ifcopenshell.api.run("root.create_entity", model, ifc_class="IfcBeamType", name="B1")
+
+            # First, let's create a material set. This will later be assigned
+            # to our beam type element.
+            material_set = ifcopenshell.api.run("material.add_profile_set", model,
+                name="B1", set_type="IfcMaterialProfileSet")
+
+            # Create a steel material.
+            steel = ifcopenshell.api.run("material.add_material", model, name="ST01", category="steel")
+
+            # Create an I-beam profile curve. Notice how we name our profiles
+            # based on standardised steel profile names.
+            hea100 = self.file.create_entity(
+                "IfcIShapeProfileDef", ProfileName="HEA100", ProfileType="AREA",
+                OverallWidth=100, OverallDepth=96, WebThickness=5, FlangeThickness=8, FilletRadius=12,
+            )
+
+            # Define that steel material and cross section as a single profile
+            # item. If this were a composite beam, we might add multiple profile
+            # items instead, but this is rarely the case in most construction.
+            ifcopenshell.api.run("material.add_profile", model,
+                profile_set=material_set, material=steel, profile=hea100)
+
+            # Great! Let's assign our material set to our beam type.
+            ifcopenshell.api.run("material.assign_material", model, product=beam_type, material=material_set)
+        """
         self.file = file
-        self.settings = {"profile_set": None, "material": None, "profile": None}
-        for key, value in settings.items():
-            self.settings[key] = value
+        self.settings = {"profile_set": profile_set, "material": material, "profile": profile}
 
     def execute(self):
         profiles = list(self.settings["profile_set"].MaterialProfiles or [])