Detecting Space Junk in Models

[Anonymous]

Some of the models that I convert into NWDs (via Naviswork's automation API ) may contain left over artifacts that the designer left, often in outer space, which causes the constructed NWD (and thus any other NWD that has appended the erroneous one) to have very large extents.

What would be an approach in detecting such artifacts in the DWG via the API? I'd like to construct a .NET app that would run to scan the models for such space junk before being processed by Navisworks?

[Anonymous]

No one has a suggestion or an approach to take?

[kerry_w_brown]

I think it would be VERY difficult to automate satisfactorily.

How would you set the rules ???

Better to educate the operators so they DON'T leave any ' space junk'

Regards

[Anonymous]

I agree it is best to educate the operator as you suggest, but the fact of the matter is that this does happen even when strict checking and standards are in place. I think this type of detection would be very useful.

And yes I agree that setting the "rules", would be difficult, but how about a simple sanity check for the model. But wouldn't there be a way to detect "well most of the items are in this vacinity/bounding box, but this item is wayyyy out there, so lets flag this as a potential model that needs correction".

Possible?

[DiningPhilosopher]

I think how easy/difficult it would be, would depend on what the 'space junk' is.

What types of objects is it (usually or occasionally)?

Is the drawing supposed to contain a single 3DSOLID representing a single model, or multiple 3DSOLIDS representing one or more models? 

The logical approach would be to look for whatever you don't expect to be in the file, and then analyze that to try to come to some determination as to whether you can classify it as space junk or part of the model.

Of course, I've come across designs that could easily be mistaken for space junk, but that's another matter.