Revit MEP 2011 Halftone Resolution

[SKENGINEERS]

I have a model linked into my MEP project and have the linked model set to halftone. If I change a plan view to anything higher than "Hidden", i.e. "Shaded", "Shaded with Edges", etc. the halftone linked arch. model prints too light. It's like the halftone print settings are changed if the resolution of the view is set to anything other than "Hidden". Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

[CoreyDaun]

Revit will automatically half-tone categories that are not part of the view's discipline. A way around that is to change the view's discipline to Architectural or Coordination. Then you would manually change categories if you want them lighter. We have all of our lighting plans set to Architectural because the ceiling grids were printing too lightly.

[SKENGINEERS]

The problem only arises when the view settings are changed to anything higher than hidden. Everything including the halftone background prints fine with the hidden option selected. Once that's changed, everything halftone that is not part of the views discipline (linked model, inserted CAD file, ect.) prints out at almost half the resolution of what the halftone should be.

[CoreyDaun]

I tried it in one of our projects. I see what you mean, but the difference doesn't seem drastic. Have you tried printing with the "Replace Halftone with Thin Lines" checkbox in the Print Setup and/or setting the Colors to "Black Lines"? Also, in the Visibility Settings, is the link itself set to Halftone?

[SKENGINEERS]

I have tried printing using the "Replace Halftone with Thin Lines" but that replaces all the halftone lines in the the other sheets causing them to print too dark. Yes, the Colors to "Black Lines" is set and the link itself has the halftone check box checked. If I uncheck it and then print, it prints the halftone slightly darker than what the halftone should be. That's how I've been getting around it.

[CoreyDaun]

We realized some time ago that Revit is nowhere near capable of replicating the quality of drawings produced by AutoCAD, but then again, I think it was said that that is not what Revit was designed for. Though it is getting better. We print everything with Black Lines and Replace...blah blah... options. You should be able to make adjustments to lineweights within the object styles as well. I can't immediately think of a good way around this problem save changing the view's discipline, but that is not a first-pick solution.

[julianjameson8403]

Isn't the easiest option to just make the links not-halftone for views that you want to print above Hidden line? This could easily be done for multiple views using a view template.

[CoreyDaun]

I think that the problem is that Revit is dictating the halftone links because the objects within it are outside the category of the designated discipline. One of my questions earlier was whether or not the link was halftone under visibility settings.

[SKENGINEERS]

That's exactly how I'm getting around the issue when it comes to printing sheets with views set higher than hidden.

[SKENGINEERS]

Yes the link is set to halftone in the visibility graphics.

[CoreyDaun]

Then the non-discipline objects are printing at quarter-tone, aside from the additional down-toning from this issue. Multiple halftone values multiply rather than override. So if on a mechanical view you mark the link halftone, then walls halftone, then they will ultimately be at eighth-tone. I wish you could override Revit's automatic halftoning of non-view discipline objects.