Level Mapper - Level assignment and level views

Level Mapper helps detect, write, and reorganize level information for model elements. It can also generate level-based views and apply visual coding or structured naming for review workflows.

General Description

The add-in lets users select elements, detect their target level using different calculation modes, and write the result into model parameters. It can also create per-level 3D views, apply color rules, and use BimSyntax for consistent naming.

Key Features

• Two commands in one split button: Map Level (detect/assign a level per element) and Level Views (generate 3D views and color coding per level).
• Map Level — Automatic: Detects each element's target level using Nearest, Nearest Above, or Nearest Below, with an optional Discard Nearest Level and a distance Tolerance.
• Map Level — Custom: Manually pick one Target Level for the whole selection; offsets are recalculated to preserve each element's actual geometry.
• Detect-then-apply workflow: Preview results in a table (Current Level, Detected Level, Status) before committing anything.
• Level Views: Create dedicated 3D views per level, and optionally color elements directly or via view filters.
• BimSyntax integration (optional): Structured naming and level codes for the generated views/filters.
• Profiles: Save and reuse a full configuration.

Requirements

• Map Level's automatic detection needs a writable level (or level-like) parameter to report into, and/or a target parameter for the mapped text.
• BimSyntax naming in Level Views is optional and only relevant if you also use BimSyntax for naming standards.

Usage Procedure

Map Level

1. Open Map Level from the Level Mapper split button on the Model panel (Frata ribbon tab).
2. Choose the Mapping Type: Automatic Level or Custom Level.
3. For Automatic: pick a Detection Mode (Nearest, Nearest Above, Nearest Below), optionally enable Discard Nearest Level, set a Tolerance, and choose the parameter under Write to Parameter.
4. For Custom: pick a single Target Level to apply to every selected element.
5. Select elements, then press Detect to preview results in the table — this is required before applying (see FAQ).
6. Review Current Level / Detected Level / Status for each row, then press Execute (Automatic) or Apply (Custom).

Level Views

1. Open Level Views from the same split button.
2. Use Show levels to select which levels are included in this run.
3. Choose the Level View Mode: Color Elements (apply colors directly to elements in the target 3D views), Color by Filters (create/update view filters instead), or Create 3D Views (views only, no color).
4. Set a Base Color and per-level Color Override as needed, and choose the Target View — Active View, a specific Select 3D View, or Generate for All.
5. Optionally enable Use BimSyntax Naming to assign a structured Code per level and preview the resulting view/filter names.
6. Run the command — the result reports how many views were created and/or how many color rules were applied.

Recommendations

• In Map Level, always run Detect before Execute/Apply — applying without detecting first isn't allowed (see FAQ).
• Use Custom Level mapping when you need to move a specific, known set of elements to one level rather than letting the tool infer it per element.
• Save a profile once your detection mode, tolerance, and target parameter are dialed in, so you don't reconfigure them on every project.

Frequently Asked Questions

I got the message "Run Detect first to preview results." Why? Map Level requires you to run Detect and review the preview table before Execute/Apply becomes meaningful — this prevents committing a mapping you haven't seen.

I got the message "No elements selected." Why? You tried to run the tool without picking any elements. Select elements in the model first.

I got the message "No writable level parameter was found." What does that mean? None of the elements you selected have a level-related parameter the tool can write to. Check that the selected category actually has an editable level parameter.

Some elements are reported as "skipped (parameter not writable)" or "need review." What happened? The target level or mapped text couldn't be written on those specific elements — usually because the parameter is read-only or missing there. Review them individually.

What's the difference between Automatic and Custom mapping? Automatic calculates each element's level based on proximity (Nearest/Above/Below with a tolerance) and can differ per element. Custom applies the same single target level to every element you selected, recalculating offsets to keep their geometry in place.

Is BimSyntax required to use Level Views? No — structured naming via BimSyntax is optional. Without it, Level Views still creates 3D views and color rules using its own default naming.