Overlap tool
One of the recurring problems when editing BRL-CAD geometry is detection and elimination of overlaps - that is, geometric errors where two solid objects claim to occupy the same 3 dimensional volume. Often, one of the jobs of a modeler working on a large model is to identify and fix what can be a multitude of small overlaps.
The task for the summer would be to develop a Tcl/Tk based graphical tool that helps to view and address overlap problems in a model. Roughly, the steps are:
- Run the overlap checker
- Review the results and make appropriate changes
- Re-run the checker to confirm the changes
When resolving the overlap, it is very useful to see what is overlapping - a wireframe visualization of the individual overlapping components would be a virtual must for any tool proposal. The tool should assist with identifying optimal subtractions (subtracting one big geometry tree from another to clear overlaps is usually a bad idea). It should also allow the modeler to editing the geometry and quickly re-test that particular overlapping combination.
Requires:
- Familiarity with C
- Familiarity with Tcl/Tk
Difficulty: low to medium, depending on comfort level with Tcl/Tk graphical programming.
