iTwin is all about the data, whether that be engineering modeling data, IoT sensor data, drone footage, 3d meshes, or drawings. One of the critical aspects of gathering insights from all this information is making sure everything is correctly spatially located.
Here, you will find documentation and best practices for geolocating your iTwin based on data types.
Share your feedback and vote on which data types or formats we should document next here.
If you want to learn more about iModel Display Extents, you can find documentation here.
For developer resources, you can find more information in the Spatial alignment guide on the Developer Portal here.
Table of Contents
Bringing spatially aligned data to an iTwin
Validating CAD and BIM data positioning
The main goal of validating spatial positioning is to properly position files or reposition the data near where it should be before synchronizing it to an iModel.
CAD and BIM files may or may not be drawn with coordinates representing real-world positions. Specifying correct coordinates and validating those within a design application would help eliminate the misalignment problems inside the iModel. If all your data is designed according to the assigned coordinate system, it will be properly positioned in an iModel. If some files are not correctly geolocated, more work will be required to adjust their position and resynchronize data.
Below, you can find best practices on how to geolocate data in various design applications and with specific file formats before synchronizing it to an iModel.
| MicroStation | .dgn | |
| Revit | .rvt | Publishing Revit model files |
| AutoCAD, Civil 3D | .dwg | Publishing DWG models |
| Navisworks | .nwd |
Share your feedback and vote on which data types or formats we should document next here.
Validating data interchange formats positioning
Below, you can find best practices on how to geolocate various interchange formats and synchronize them to an iModel.
| IFC | .ifc | Publishing IFC model files |
Share your feedback and vote on which data types or formats we should document next here.
Validating Reality Data positioning
In Digital Twins, Reality Data are seldom used alone. They are typically visualized in conjunction with various other geolocated data, including BIM models, GIS layers, readings from IoT sensors, inspection artefacts, and more. The virtue of a Digital Twin is achieved from the synergy of all the information it contains.
Learn more about common spatial alignment problems around Reality Data here.
Below, you can find best practices on how to geolocate reality data based on its type.
Share your feedback and vote on which data types or formats we should document next here.
Validating GIS data positioning
There are two ways to access GIS data in the iTwin. One way is by synchronizing it in an iModel, and the other is by referencing it to the iModel through the Map Layers widget in iTwin viewer-based applications.
If you do not know where to start, this user guide will help you to choose the best solution for your needs -
Below, you can find best practices on how to solve the most common spatial alignment problems with GIS data.
| Synchronizing GIS data | https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0098370#GISSync |
| Referencing GIS data through Map Layers widget | https://bentleysystems.service-now.com/community?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0098370#GISReference |
Share your feedback and vote on which data types or formats we should document next here.