Autodesk Revit Architecture
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Visual depth in elevation
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So here's my question:
How do you guys do to visually represent depth in an elevation?
The only answer I've found is to use linework, but that can't be the way to go in a program such as revit. That's the whole point of it, right? To not have to sit and do things manually and then have to change the lines every time something in the building changes. I know that Archicad can show line thickness depending on distance from elevation line. And god do i dislike Archicad, but that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Another answer I've found is to use shadows, but then you get the problem of only being able to print as raster = no sharp lines.
So, anyone? I can't be the only one with this problem?
Thanks!
Victoria
Solved! Go to Solution.
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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There is one trick that works, but only for presentation elevations, meaning not actual elevations with annotations, but a "front" 3d view from the Cube. As shown in this image, a family that is just a sheet of glass with 50 % transparency, is placed among the model, separating it in parts, as per the depth. The front part of the house displays as it is. The second part is behind one sheet of glass, and displays lighter than the first part. The third part is behind two sheets of glass, and displays lighter than the second part, etc...
Planta1 Revit Online Consulting | info@planta1.com
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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Nice work Alfredo,
Youn can also achieve the same result using masses. In the visibility graphics for the elevation you can set the Mass > Form projection lines to be white so they don't show. Also use filters to control which masses are visible for the different elevations.
KarelCAD Application Support Specialist
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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Thanks for the replies!
However....I still think it's strange that a thing like that should be solved with work arounds as apposed to an actual solution. Or, if there isnt a solution I think there should be a reason for that, and therefor another way of thinking/working with it. And as long as showing shadows mean that you can only print in raster ( = unsharp drawings) I cant think of a decent way of doing it.
But please let me know if someone knows how they think over at the autodesk hq ![]()
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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Maybe "workaround" is just another name for "solution".
Planta1 Revit Online Consulting | info@planta1.com
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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Hmm....maybe.....
But in my world a solution would be "set line weight according to distance from elevation/section point".
If crappy archicad can do it I think awesome Revit should be able to, too!
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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You can set up multiple elevations with limited view depths, then overlay the elevations on a single sheet. The first elevation can have all linework set to have thicker lines, the next to have medium lines, the third to have thinner lines etc. That way you can add annotations. Bit fiddly but the only way I've been able to achieve line weights in elevation. Agreed this is one aspect of revit which should have been fixed by now.
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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Here is a simple algorithm that Autodesk could implement if they wanted to.
- The eye point and the object point of a view is known, even if only internally
- Therefore, the distance from the eyepoint to the centroid of any object can be calculated
- A sliding table of linewights can be created based on the distance from the eyepoint
- Lineweights in the view are looked up in the table and displayed based on the distance from the eyepoint
BTW: The email address of this post is my IT manager. My email is michael@riccigreene.com
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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For all who've had the same issues as I've had:
I just now thought of a workaround (until the Revit ppl fix a way to do it properly);
In the elevation view, select all objects that you want to be displayed as further away > right click > override graphics in view > by element
and then set a thinner lineweight or halftone
Or am I missing something here? Seems like a fairly easy solution, far from perfect, but works.
A bit surprised that I havent found any similar suggestions in all the forums I've searched, so
wondering if maybe there's something that I havent thought of, making it a bad idea.
Re: Visual depth in elevation
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a06vsh wrote:
...Or am I missing something here? ..
Please look at the attachments in message # 2 and # 3 above. If we select the roof and make it halftone, the whole roof would become halftone, instead of having shades of gray as per the visual depth, as in those examples.
Planta1 Revit Online Consulting | info@planta1.com


