api.boundary.edit_attributes: add PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary and InternalOrExternalBoundary params

Both attributes are required by the IFC schema but were not settable via
the API function. Add physical_or_virtual and internal_or_external parameters
with "NOTDEFINED" defaults for backward compatibility. Update Bonsai boundary
panel to expose both fields in the editor.

Generated with the assistance of an AI coding tool.

Author: brunopostle

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/boundary/operator.py

@@ -377,6 +377,8 @@ def execute(self, context):
             obj = tool.Ifc.get_object(entity)
             if entity and obj:
                 setattr(bprops, blender_property, obj)
+        bprops.physical_or_virtual = boundary.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary or "NOTDEFINED"
+        bprops.internal_or_external = boundary.InternalOrExternalBoundary or "NOTDEFINED"
         return {"FINISHED"}
 
 
@@ -392,6 +394,8 @@ def execute(self, context):
         bprops.is_editing = False
         for ifc_attribute, blender_property in EDITABLE_ATTRIBUTES.items():
             setattr(bprops, blender_property, None)
+        bprops.physical_or_virtual = "NOTDEFINED"
+        bprops.internal_or_external = "NOTDEFINED"
         return {"FINISHED"}
 
 
@@ -411,6 +415,8 @@ def _execute(self, context):
             obj = getattr(bprops, blender_property, None)
             entity = tool.Ifc.get_entity(obj)
             attributes[blender_property] = entity
+        attributes["physical_or_virtual"] = bprops.physical_or_virtual
+        attributes["internal_or_external"] = bprops.internal_or_external
         ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(tool.Ifc.get(), entity=boundary, **attributes)
         bpy.ops.bim.disable_editing_boundary()
         return {"FINISHED"}

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/boundary/prop.py

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import bpy
 from bpy.props import (
     BoolProperty,
+    EnumProperty,
     PointerProperty,
 )
 from bpy.types import PropertyGroup
@@ -50,19 +51,52 @@ def element_filter(self: "BIMObjectBoundaryProperties", object: bpy.types.Object
     return False
 
 
+def get_internal_or_external_items(
+    self: "BIMObjectBoundaryProperties", context: bpy.types.Context | None
+) -> list[tuple[str, str, str]]:
+    items = [
+        ("INTERNAL", "Internal", ""),
+        ("EXTERNAL", "External", ""),
+    ]
+    ifc = tool.Ifc.get()
+    if not ifc or ifc.schema != "IFC2X3":
+        items += [
+            ("EXTERNAL_EARTH", "External Earth", ""),
+            ("EXTERNAL_WATER", "External Water", ""),
+            ("EXTERNAL_FIRE", "External Fire", ""),
+        ]
+    items.append(("NOTDEFINED", "Not Defined", ""))
+    return items
+
+
 class BIMObjectBoundaryProperties(PropertyGroup):
     is_editing: BoolProperty(name="Is Editing")
     relating_space: PointerProperty(name="RelatingSpace", type=bpy.types.Object, poll=space_filter)
     related_building_element: PointerProperty(name="RelatedBuildingElement", type=bpy.types.Object, poll=element_filter)
     parent_boundary: PointerProperty(name="ParentBoundary", type=bpy.types.Object, poll=boundary_filter)
     corresponding_boundary: PointerProperty(name="CorrespondingBoundary", type=bpy.types.Object, poll=boundary_filter)
+    physical_or_virtual: EnumProperty(
+        name="PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary",
+        items=[
+            ("PHYSICAL", "Physical", ""),
+            ("VIRTUAL", "Virtual", ""),
+            ("NOTDEFINED", "Not Defined", ""),
+        ],
+        default="NOTDEFINED",
+    )
+    internal_or_external: EnumProperty(
+        name="InternalOrExternalBoundary",
+        items=get_internal_or_external_items,
+    )
 
     if TYPE_CHECKING:
         is_editing: bool
         relating_space: Union[bpy.types.Object, None]
         related_building_element: Union[bpy.types.Object, None]
         parent_boundary: Union[bpy.types.Object, None]
         corresponding_boundary: Union[bpy.types.Object, None]
+        physical_or_virtual: str
+        internal_or_external: str  # values depend on schema: IFC2X3 omits EXTERNAL_EARTH/WATER/FIRE
 
 
 class BIMBoundaryProperties(PropertyGroup):

src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/boundary/ui.py

@@ -77,13 +77,19 @@ def draw(self, context):
             self.draw_relation_editor(boundary, "RelatedBuildingElement", "related_building_element")
             self.draw_relation_editor(boundary, "ParentBoundary", "parent_boundary")
             self.draw_relation_editor(boundary, "CorrespondingBoundary", "corresponding_boundary")
+            row = self.layout.row()
+            row.prop(self.bprops, "physical_or_virtual")
+            row = self.layout.row()
+            row.prop(self.bprops, "internal_or_external")
         else:
             row = self.layout.row()
             row.operator("bim.enable_editing_boundary", icon="GREASEPENCIL", text="Edit")
             self.draw_relation_data(boundary, "RelatingSpace")
             self.draw_relation_data(boundary, "RelatedBuildingElement")
             self.draw_relation_data(boundary, "ParentBoundary")
             self.draw_relation_data(boundary, "CorrespondingBoundary")
+            self.draw_enum_data(boundary, "PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary")
+            self.draw_enum_data(boundary, "InternalOrExternalBoundary")
             if hasattr(boundary, "InnerBoundaries"):
                 for i, inner_boundary in enumerate(getattr(boundary, "InnerBoundaries", ())):
                     row = self.layout.row(align=True)
@@ -110,6 +116,11 @@ def draw_relation_data(self, boundary, ifc_attribute: str):
             else:
                 row.label(text="")
 
+    def draw_enum_data(self, boundary, ifc_attribute: str):
+        row = self.layout.row(align=True)
+        row.label(text=ifc_attribute)
+        row.label(text=getattr(boundary, ifc_attribute, "") or "")
+
     def draw_relation_editor(self, boundary, ifc_attribute: str, blender_property: str):
         if hasattr(boundary, ifc_attribute):
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)

src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/api/boundary/edit_attributes.py

@@ -27,12 +27,11 @@ def edit_attributes(
     related_building_element: ifcopenshell.entity_instance,
     parent_boundary: Optional[ifcopenshell.entity_instance] = None,
     corresponding_boundary: Optional[ifcopenshell.entity_instance] = None,
+    physical_or_virtual: str = "NOTDEFINED",
+    internal_or_external: str = "NOTDEFINED",
 ) -> None:
     """Modify the relationships of a space boundary relationship
 
-    Currently this function is quite minimal and offers no advantage to
-    manual assignment of the space boundary attributes.
-
     :param entity: The IfcRelSpaceBoundary to modify
     :param relating_space: The IfcSpace or IfcExternalSpatialElement that
         the space boundary is related to.
@@ -44,17 +43,18 @@ def edit_attributes(
     :param corresponding_boundary: The other IfcRelSpaceBoundary on the
         other side of the related element. The pair together represents a
         thermal boundary. This only applies to 2nd level boundaries.
+    :param physical_or_virtual: IfcPhysicalOrVirtualEnum value: "PHYSICAL",
+        "VIRTUAL", or "NOTDEFINED".
+    :param internal_or_external: IfcInternalOrExternalEnum value:
+        "INTERNAL", "EXTERNAL", "EXTERNAL_EARTH", "EXTERNAL_WATER",
+        "EXTERNAL_FIRE", or "NOTDEFINED".
     :return: None
     """
-    entity = entity
-    relating_space = relating_space
-    related_building_element = related_building_element
-    parent_boundary = parent_boundary
-    corresponding_boundary = corresponding_boundary
-
     entity.RelatingSpace = relating_space
     entity.RelatedBuildingElement = related_building_element
     if hasattr(entity, "ParentBoundary"):
         entity.ParentBoundary = parent_boundary
     if hasattr(entity, "CorrespondingBoundary"):
         entity.CorrespondingBoundary = corresponding_boundary
+    entity.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary = physical_or_virtual
+    entity.InternalOrExternalBoundary = internal_or_external

src/ifcopenshell-python/test/api/boundary/test_edit_attributes.py

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# IfcOpenShell - IFC toolkit and geometry engine
+# Copyright (C) 2026 Dion Moult <dion@thinkmoult.com>
+#
+# This file is part of IfcOpenShell.
+#
+# IfcOpenShell is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# IfcOpenShell is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+# along with IfcOpenShell.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+# This file was generated with the assistance of an AI coding tool.
+
+import ifcopenshell.api.boundary
+import ifcopenshell.api.root
+import test.bootstrap
+
+
+class TestEditAttributes(test.bootstrap.IFC4):
+    def setup_boundary(self):
+        space = ifcopenshell.api.root.create_entity(self.file, ifc_class="IfcSpace")
+        wall = ifcopenshell.api.root.create_entity(self.file, ifc_class="IfcWall")
+        boundary = ifcopenshell.api.root.create_entity(self.file, ifc_class="IfcRelSpaceBoundary")
+        return boundary, space, wall
+
+    def test_sets_relating_space_and_building_element(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+            self.file, entity=boundary, relating_space=space, related_building_element=wall
+        )
+        assert boundary.RelatingSpace == space
+        assert boundary.RelatedBuildingElement == wall
+
+    def test_defaults_enums_to_notdefined(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+            self.file, entity=boundary, relating_space=space, related_building_element=wall
+        )
+        assert boundary.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary == "NOTDEFINED"
+        assert boundary.InternalOrExternalBoundary == "NOTDEFINED"
+
+    def test_sets_physical_or_virtual(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+            self.file,
+            entity=boundary,
+            relating_space=space,
+            related_building_element=wall,
+            physical_or_virtual="PHYSICAL",
+        )
+        assert boundary.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary == "PHYSICAL"
+
+    def test_sets_internal_or_external(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+            self.file,
+            entity=boundary,
+            relating_space=space,
+            related_building_element=wall,
+            internal_or_external="EXTERNAL",
+        )
+        assert boundary.InternalOrExternalBoundary == "EXTERNAL"
+
+    def test_sets_all_enum_variants(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        for value in ("PHYSICAL", "VIRTUAL", "NOTDEFINED"):
+            ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+                self.file,
+                entity=boundary,
+                relating_space=space,
+                related_building_element=wall,
+                physical_or_virtual=value,
+            )
+            assert boundary.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary == value
+
+        for value in ("INTERNAL", "EXTERNAL", "EXTERNAL_EARTH", "EXTERNAL_WATER", "EXTERNAL_FIRE", "NOTDEFINED"):
+            ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+                self.file,
+                entity=boundary,
+                relating_space=space,
+                related_building_element=wall,
+                internal_or_external=value,
+            )
+            assert boundary.InternalOrExternalBoundary == value
+
+
+class TestEditAttributesIFC2X3(test.bootstrap.IFC2X3, TestEditAttributes):
+    def test_sets_all_enum_variants(self):
+        boundary, space, wall = self.setup_boundary()
+        for value in ("PHYSICAL", "VIRTUAL", "NOTDEFINED"):
+            ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+                self.file,
+                entity=boundary,
+                relating_space=space,
+                related_building_element=wall,
+                physical_or_virtual=value,
+            )
+            assert boundary.PhysicalOrVirtualBoundary == value
+
+        # IFC2X3 only has INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, NOTDEFINED
+        for value in ("INTERNAL", "EXTERNAL", "NOTDEFINED"):
+            ifcopenshell.api.boundary.edit_attributes(
+                self.file,
+                entity=boundary,
+                relating_space=space,
+                related_building_element=wall,
+                internal_or_external=value,
+            )
+            assert boundary.InternalOrExternalBoundary == value