draw order

[GavrielKing]

I'm using Revit MEP 2009 and I cannot figure out how to get my lights to plot out "on top of" the backround. For example, I have an architectural revit file linked into an electrical revit file. Then I place my light fixtures in the electrical revit file. When I plot, the room names plot out "on top of" the light fixtures. I tried to go into the family editor for my light fixtures, but I did not get the draw order buttons on the options bar. Does anyone know how I can change the draw order of either the background or the light fixtures?

[Martin__Schmid]

Can you take a screen shot of a small portion of this issue and post here? I just want to make sure I understand the issue you are describing.

[GavrielKing]

As you can see, the "room name" text is on top of the light fixture.

[Martin__Schmid]

This is a known issue that I have logged with Product Development.

[GavrielKing]

Ok. Thank you for your help.

[Anonymous]

is this a revit issue or a printer issue. i posted about this back in February when trying to make pdfs.

not all printers, or pdf creators support line merge i guess?

http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5863515

-
aj

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Kingmall,
There may be a solution here for you, but it will involve modification of your Light Fixture Families. Let's start with the current behavior first.

The underlying behavior, from the Revit's perspective, is the interaction between "Half-tone" and "Non-Half-tone" annotation graphics. The behavior there would need to be changed to solve this matter on the software side. That would change graphics in existing views, which is not something we usually do in Web Update, and the code change is pretty significant.

The application can provide the desired appearance, however, by using Model Lines to represent the Symbolic representation of the Light Fixture, rather than using Detail Lines or an Annotation symbols. That is a different graphics scenario, and one that should work properly.

Hope that Helps,
Kyle B
Revit MEP Product Manager

[Anonymous]

Kyle,

I am not clear though whether it is just an issue with his lighting fixture family, or in fact a larger issue. Ductwork behaves the same way for us when plotting. see attached pic.

-
aj

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Alan,
I'm aware of that one, and while it manifests itself in a similar way when plotting, it's actually a separate matter matter from Revit's perspective.

You'll need to use Raster Plotting, or a PDF writer with Line Merge. This one is not an easy change, and require some reconfiguring of a core aspect of the Revit graphics system. Make no mistake, it is something we are keenly aware of on the Product Team.

Cheers,
Kyle B
Revit MEP Product Manager
inside-the-system.typepad.com

[Anonymous]

I am having the same issue with my custom created Wall fins. They are set at floor level, but the pipes that feed them are in the plenum. And when they are placed in a room, the furniture and other stuff in it is drawn over them, therefore they cannot be seen in the plot, be it PDF or plotted to our Kip 5000.

I have heard that KIP's are having issues with Revit, but I don't know if that is just a rumor or an actual issue that others have had as well.

[Anonymous]

I cannot speak on others issues, but for us we are using bluebeam stapler to print PDFs and this method supports line merge. We then print PDFs to our plotter for hard copies. The downside to this is that by using line merge you lose the opaque text border which is frustrating. There are several types of line merge available in bluebeam so perhaps this can be resolved but I have not looked into it.

[Anonymous]

ok. I'll have to look more into that, because Raster plotting just won't work, its quality is most definitely sub-par.

[chriswade]

I regret to say that I also have this problem, but running Revit MEP 2010, come on AutoDesk, we have been reporting this since 2008 (when we started using Revit) as a problem, the Architectural should always be the bottom most object, for example we have outlets, of course they are at a lower elevation that the top of the wall, so the wall obscures our outlets.

If anyone has a fix besides bluebleam, please let us know ASAP, for now I am looking at Bluebeam as an option. Edited by: chriswade on Sep 3, 2009 4:06 PM

[Anonymous]

Using Revit MEP 2011 and still no fix. I have room names that are on top of my duct work/equip and text. The only thing I see so far is to make sure you get your room names on the plan before doing your work. BUT with the Arch. always changing the plans you have to update room names. There is a fix for linked backgrounds but not if you add room names on your plan.

ok they have this on a search from within Revit.

Sorting the Draw Order of Detail Components

You can sort the draw order of detail components in a view. Draw order options are available when you select detail components in the view.

This functionality is also available in the Family Editor (for detail components in the Detail and Profile families), and for raster images.

To specify element draw order

1. In the drawing area, select a detail component.

   The following tools become available on the Modify <element> tabArrange panel.

   • (Bring to Front). Immediately places the detail component in front of all detail components in the view.
   • (Send to Back). Immediately places the detail component behind all detail components in the view.
   • (Bring Forward). Moves the detail component one step closer to the front of all other detail components.
   • (Send Backward). Moves the detail component one step closer to the back of all other detail components.
2. Click the desired option to move the component.

I cannot find a arrange panel?

[asommer]

That seems to be for "Detail Items" ONLY.  I have the same issues with Space Tags and other junk- the "Plot" looks good, but PDFs are lousy.

[Anonymous]

v 2012 and still no progress. This seems really fundamental. I'm drawing a plumbing plan and the pipes don't show clearly. 4 years seems like a long enough lead time to get something this important fixed.

Anyone have a suggested work around?