In the PWB it is possible to open a specific document in context, along with any documents that touch its bounding box in the specified context.
For example, if you have an engine and want to visualise only the parts that surround the crankshaft, this is quickly possible with this function. It prevents the requirement of having to open up the entire assembly, not only saving time but also improving the viewability (only see what is required).
To proceed, first select a CATPart in a PDM Structures window. Then in the contextual menu, click on Show Neighborhood.
A query window will show up in which you will have to specify the context assembly. The context is the assembly in which the selected CATPart belongs to (the CATPart does not have to be a direct dependency of the assembly, it can be part of a sub-assembly), and in which surrounding geometry will be search for. Double click on the queried context.
The result is a new PDM Structures Window, with the specified context assembly as the root object, that is filtered out with only the CAD Documents whose bounding boxes overlap with the bounding box of the original selected CATPart. You can open this reduced structure in CATIA. The rest of the structure that does not overlap with the main part, will be displayed in the CATIA tree, but no geometry will be loaded*.
Note: it is only possible to launch the neighbourhood query from a CATPart document, not from a CATProduct. However, it is possible to run several neighbourhood searches in a row. The content of each new PDM Structures Window can be opened and merged in the same CATIA geometry window. Also, the complete assembly can be opened in CATIA at any time.
It is also possible to add a clearance around the bounding box of the selected CATPart, to find more CAD Documents. To modify the clearance value, please go to the connector options and enter the new value.
*If these ‘other’ documents have previously been opened in CATIA and their files are in your cache folder their geometry will also be loaded. They will be displayed as new documents, ‘not in PDM’. If the structure is saved these documents will be prompted to be saved as new references in the PLM. It is not recommended to save these. Instead, please close and reopen the structure normally if you need to make changes.