Data Validation for 3D Measurement
- Steve Peregrine
Page Contents
Introduction
This page is intended to describe a temporary solution to data validation pending software updates in WinCan VX. This solution can be used in any version build of WinCan VX.
The idea of the Data Validator is to check the validity of data that is included inside the current WinCan project. The tool is used extensively in different territories around the world for checking things like the quality of data for export and Data Exchange.
Here, we have created some special validation rules to help operators ensure that their data is in a good shape before they begin a 3D measurement, which does not check any other parts of the data outside of 3D.
When the tool is executed, it will validate all objects in the database and give an error report and must be explicitly launched by the user, but in a future release, this will launch automatically when a user starts the 3D Measurement process and will only validate the currently selected section or lateral where the user wishes to make a measurement.
Setup
This step is only needed in WinCan VX v14.2 or lower.
With WinCan VX closed, navigate to C:\Users\Public\Documents\CDLAB\Common\DataValidator
Unzip the attached file and place the contents inside the folder.
Launch WinCan VX and open a project.
The validation rule files here are currently only for the German market.
Using the Data Validator
The Data Validator in WinCan VX must be activated by the user every time they wish to use it, and also on laterals and sections. To launch the tool, click either of these two buttons:
The Data Validator will run and will validate all of the objects in the current view and give the result.
If this is the first time you have used the Data Validator, then it will load the default ruleset for the current inspection standard - see here:
For 3D Measurement validation, please select the ruleset for your current project inspection standard that ends with ‘_3D’ and hit the refresh button, like this:
See in the main panel that there are no results. This means that the data has passed all validation tests with no errors or warnings and the data is in great shape to begin a 3D Measurement.
But, if you see results like this, expand the + icon for the current object to see the results:
This example is showing 1 error and 3 warning for pipe number 1, ID = MH1X.
There are 2 types of result:
Errors - these are shown in pink and are critical data errors that must be fixed before moving forwards with a measurement. In the future version, you will be blocked from beginning a 3D Measurement if there are any errors.
Warnings - these are shown in yellow and are non-critical errors that may lead to bad data, but can be ignored if the user wishes, but it is not a good idea to ignore. In the future version, you will be able to begin a 3D Measurement if there are warnings, but you will still be advised to fix them first.
User should go back to their section, lateral and nodes and fix these errors, and then come back to the validator and refresh the result until there are no more results.
Note - there are some warnings referring to invert levels.
Invert levels of pipe are the height of the base of the object above sea level, so they can be calculated from the Cover Level - the Object Depth.
This tool in the ribbon bar will calculate these values for you and can be pressed at any time, which can give even better results in the data validator and quickly remove a number of warnings very easily:
When there are no errors, the data should be in a good shape to begin the measurement. If there are no errors and no warnings, then the data should be in an excellent shape to begin the measurement.
These validation rules are easily configurable and can be quickly edited and amended as required.