Scan_Facility - KeithSloan/GDML GitHub Wiki

Scan Facility : Dealing with large GDML files

For very large GDML files (such as CERN's Alice.gdml), loading the full geometry at once would take many minutes. The Scan facility provides a faster alternative: it loads only the top-level volume names, and individual volumes can then be expanded on demand. This allows you to inspect and work with the parts of the geometry you need without waiting for the entire file to load.

The following is an attempt to illustrate the modus operandi of using the Scan Facility.

With the GDML workbench installed opening a GDML file will cause the following the following dialog prompt

Opening a large file such as Alice.gdml which is supplied in the SampleFiles / CERN directory and then clicking on Scan Vol will cause a scan of the high level GDML Volumes in the file.

Expanding the ALIC Part

Selecting an unexpanded volume as indicated by the name starting with NOT_Expanded and using the Expand Volume function, 'Capital E' icon will expand the selected Volume.

The Following two screen captures show the result of performing expansion of the Volume L3MO_ in the Alice.gdml file