Clash groups & HTML Reporting

[mitch.cornelius]

Has anyone created HTML reports using clash groups yet? For some reason, Navisworks and I disagree on how it should work. I'm not terribly savvy in editing the xsl files, but I've done a little. I'd like the clash groups to report in the HTML report the same way the individual clashes do (with one image showing all clashes) but I don't want to see each sub-clash of the group.

My current process is to export the batch, under "For Clash Groups, include:" I select group headers only (because I don't want every individual clash...sometimes there are 100 of them). Am I confusing anyone else but myself?

As a sidenote, the html output doesn't seem to work in firefox 3 as it used to. The formatting ends up a little strange and no images show up. All is well in internet explorer.

Anyone else been struggling with this?

[dfrancis]

You will not get anywhere with the xsl, it is a primative version of css style sheets. We tried just adding a page break so when we generate a pdf it will not break across two sheets, but from all our research and testing it is not possible with the xsl.
We generate a jpg snapshot of the level and area with all the clashes shown and all other entities dimmed. This is a pretty good view to see area clusters of clashes. We add that to the front of the reports so users can see "hot spots" since the clash numbers are based on the depth of the collision not clustered in areas.
We also generate an NWD with viewpoints of all clashes, that seems to be where most of our users go to check there list. The clash groups in 2010 are a big help to group clusters together.

We have broken down our clash detection into two phases. We start looking for all hard or 0" clearance collisions. The only one we add clearance to is the steel to allow for monocoat. We also check just pipe/duct/conduit no hangers/supports or seismic at this point. Any insulated pipe/duct with external insualtion, we turn off the pipe/duct and leave the insualtion so it does not double the number of clashes for the same hit of entity and entity insulation.

After we resolve these conflicts, we turn on the hangers and supports and set the clerance to 1/2" to identify any entites that are tight and could become possible field issues

The biggest issue with the program sometimes as with CAD in general is that it is too perfect sometimes versus the field. We are still fine tuning things to eliiminate false or tolerable issues. We expect this will minimize the reports and expedite the clash process.
Anyone have any better ideas or approach, we are all ears.