How To Extract or Recreate an individual NWC file from an NWD

Let’s say something went wrong, and you have lost an NWC file that you need – but you don’t have access to the originating application or model.  Do you have an NWD file that contains this NWC, preferably a recent one?  Then you should be able to re-create that NWC file, which might get you out of trouble in the short-term.

  1. Open the NWD in Navisworks
  2. In the Selection Tree, select the branch that equates to the NWC you want to regenerate
  3. Hide Unselected
  4. Turn off Sectioning (if you want to make sure you get all of the geometry, uncropped)
  5. Export to 3D DWF or 3D DWFx
  6. In another instance of Navisworks, append that DWF.  Navis will automaticlly make an NWC file.
  7. Rename the NWC to match the one that you have lost
  8. Append or re-path it back to your main NWF file

You will probably have to notify someone that this NWC is now somewhat orphaned or disconnected from normal workflows – but I’ll leave that side of it up to you 🙂

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Alexey
Alexey
4 years ago

Nice tip, thanks!

Franck
Franck
3 years ago

Be aware though. exporting and importing in navis to produce the NWC file, delivered a NWC file just slightly off position (0,033m). So do check the resulting nwc file with a controle model.