topic Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP in Revit Architecture Forum

Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

vanderloo5 — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:40:31 GMT

I have a feeling this question has been asked a hundred times but I can't seem to find the answer. After seeing differences of opinion on doing electrical, (residential), plans in a floor plan view vs. RCP, I have, at least for the time being, managed to get the setup and display I want in an RCP view. Except now I need to find out how to get switches and outlets to display along with ceiling fixtures.

Thank You

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

L.Maas — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:24:07 GMT

Depending on how you have your project/view setup. It might be a matter of modifying the view range or making use of the underlay function. Depending on the family categories and visibility setting of the families you might need to make changes to the families and/or visbility graphics overrides.

If you need a better answer for you particular project you would to upload (a relvant part of) your project so we can have a look at what you have sofar.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:35:04 GMT

There's always the old invisible model line trick...

https://revitoped.blogspot.com/2008/01/aaaahthe-old-invisible-line-trick-eh-99.html

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:30:15 GMT

RCPs are for ceiling items. The practice of showing ceiling grids on floor plans has made a mess out of people's conceptions of what RCPs are for.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

vanderloo5 — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:11:30 GMT

Well, maybe RSomppi but in my 40+ years as a contractor, every electrical plan I've ever seen has ceiling fixtures and wall outlets on the same view.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 11:42:58 GMT

I don't doubt that at all. You did say plan, not RCP. It is common practice to show ceiling grids on floor plans. That's where the misconception comes in.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

vanderloo5 — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:16:12 GMT

@barthbradley- Ya there's always that but I would think/hope there would be a simple easy way. I have too many outlet and switch types to go that route. I'm not an architect, but as I mentioned in my reply to @Anonymous, residential electrical plans have ALWAYS shown light fixtures and switches on the same sheet. I guess maybe I should go back to doing my electrical plans in a floor plan view.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:21:15 GMT

@vanderloo5 wrote:
@Anonymous, residential electrical plans have ALWAYS shown light fixtures and switches on the same sheet.

Yes and other trades do it too but they are floor plans. RCPs are for ceiling items (only). It is "acceptable" to show ceiling grids on floor plans. In RCPs, hidden lines and breaks in ducts and pipes get reversed and cause confucion.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:28:59 GMT

Electrical Plans in Floor Plans? How's that working out for you?

Anyways, this is primarily a View Range thing. The Cut Plane in RCP is coincident to the Bottom Plane. All the other distances are "looking up" from the Cut Plane.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:46:01 GMT

@barthbradley wrote:
Electrical Plans in Floor Plans? How's that working out for you?

It's common practice in the trade. It works quite well. Especially when accompanied by proper RCPs for coordination.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:04:32 GMT

@RSomppi wrote:
@barthbradley wrote:
Electrical Plans in Floor Plans? How's that working out for you?
It's common practice in the trade. It works quite well. Especially when accompanied by proper RCPs for coordination.

I'm not following what point you're making. I've been Architectural Planning for nearly 30 years and my planning always included an Electrical Plan (e.g. where switches and outlets are placed and what they operate).

FWIW @vanderloo5:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-5D8831F6-6F15-4BF3-ACEB-06FBC14A5491

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:19:30 GMT

I've been doing MEP for about the same amount of time and we only used RCPs for coordination of ceiling items.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

curtisridenour — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:36:21 GMT

I think if you adjust your view range, your RCP should work fine. We do all of our Electrical Lighting RCPs with lights/switches showing. In the past we also used the invisible line in the switch family trick as stated by @barthbradley to ensure that the switch was CUT in the RCP.

What version of Revit are you using? The orientation of nested annotations changed in like 2022 or something like that.

Are your switches Face Based?

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:40:37 GMT

@vanderloo5 : Do you switch your View Discipline to Electrical? See link I posted above.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 02:30:46 GMT

@RSomppi wrote:
I've been doing MEP for about the same amount of time and we only used RCPs for coordination of ceiling items.

Ah! I think I understand your point now. You don't do your Electrical Planning in Revit RCP Views. That's fine. Whatever floats your boat. But there is no hard and fast "BIM" rule against it. I mean, you don't get red-lines/comments about the "View" you created the Electrical Plan in. Right?

BTW: In 30 years of planning, only about a third of that time has been in Revit. ACAD and Hand-Drafting proceeded that. No "Views" to consider. 😉

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 11:44:56 GMT

@barthbradley wrote:
there is no hard and fast "BIM" rule against it.

That's correct. What I'm talking about is drafting 101. A practice that has been lost through the years.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 15:36:00 GMT

@RSomppi wrote:
@barthbradley wrote:
there is no hard and fast "BIM" rule against it.
That's correct. What I'm talking about is drafting 101. A practice that has been lost through the years.

Drafting 101? What does that mean? What's been lost?

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 15:41:24 GMT

@barthbradley wrote:
Drafting 101? What does that mean?

"101" denotes an introductory course at college or university in the subject specified.

@barthbradley wrote:
What's been lost?

Drafting practices that are taught in those classes. Probably, because no one takes or cares about them any more.

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

barthbradley — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:49:43 GMT

@RSomppi wrote:
@barthbradley wrote:
Drafting 101? What does that mean?
"101" denotes an introductory course at college or university in the subject specified.

@barthbradley wrote:
What's been lost?
Drafting practices that are taught in those classes. Probably, because no one takes or cares about them any more.

Oops. You lost me again, but sorry to hear that no one in your orbit cares. That certainly doesn't describe the people in my orbit. With that said, how does this relate to the subject at hand? "Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP".

Re: Getting switches and outlets to display in RCP

RSomppi — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:52:57 GMT

I'm sorry that you can't grasp this. It seems that you may not understand the drafting practices of RCPs. What I am saying actually eliminates the need for the question because those items are not a part of a traditional RCP.