About Spatial Filters

Spatial filters use volumetric information to determine what components to display or hide in a part or CAD document structure. Parts that are partially or completely within a specified volume are displayed in the part structure pane. Parts not within the specified volume are not displayed in the part structure. A part or CAD document structure that has been filtered using spatial criteria will not include all the parts required to assemble a product, nor will a visual indication be given when a branch of the part structure is missing.

Spatial filters may be used with all other forms of part or CAD document structure filtering. For example, use configuration specification and proximity spatial filters together to show the latest part versions in the “In Work” state within a specified distance of a selected part.

Spatial Filter	Definition
Box	Specify the X, Y, and Z coordinates of diagonally opposite corners of a box. Included parts are partially or completely inside the box. For more information about using the box spatial filter, see Bounding Box Spatial Filters
Sphere	Specify the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the center of a sphere and enter a radius. Included parts are partially or completely inside the sphere. For more information about using the sphere spatial filter, see Sphere Spatial Filters
Proximity	Select a part in the visualization tab and enter a dimension representing a volume around the selected part. Included parts are partially or completely inside the proximity volume. For more information about using the proximity spatial filter, see Proximity Spatial Filters

Spatial filter dimensions can be manipulated graphically using the spatial filter volume representation in the Visualization tab.

• click and drag the coordinate system gnomon by its origin or one of the axes to move the entire filter volume.

• Click and drag a face of the box or sphere to increase or decrease the filter volume.

The spatial filter coordinates change as you modify the filter volume.

Create spatial filters by clicking the Edit Filter

icon on the part or CAD document Structure toolbar, or clicking the Spatial Filter

icon on the Visualization tab toolbar. Creating a spatial filter from the Visualization tab provides the ability to visually confirm the filtered structure.

• All parts to be filtered using spatial criteria must have been created through integration with a CAD modeling application. Parts that do not have geometry will never appear in a part structure that has been filtered using a spatial filter.

• The preference Enable Spatial Expansion Criteria must be set to Yes. Access the Preference Management utility from Quick Links > My Settings > Preferences and expand the Display section to edit the Enable Spatial Expansion Criteria preference.