topic Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines in Revit Architecture Forum

How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

sarahgorrie — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 18:15:07 GMT

Hi,

I am very new to Revit (I am in school currently). I notice that in various Revit tutorial videos, a temporary, light-blue dashed "guide line" will appear when a new element is being placed, which indicates that the new element is in line with an existing element.

In the provided image, which is from a tutorial video, you can see the dashed "guide line" appear as the person places a new level marker, which indicates that the new marker is vertically aligned with the existing level markers. This same dashed guideline appears in many other contexts in tutorial videos I've seen, not just for level markers--this is just one example.

I currently do not see this "guide line" at all when placing new elements in Revit. Does anyone know what this feature is, and how to toggle it ON? It seems like it should be simple, but I've had some trouble finding an answer.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

RDAOU — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 23:10:54 GMT

@sarahgorrie

It does appear when you place the element/datum start/end points (reference to the level datums in the image you posted). And it appears when u click and drag their extents to align/snap to the other datums (Alignment snap in both cases has been triggered)

This behavior or feature in level datum is not general.
It applies when snap of the level extents is triggered or when the extents are locked.

What the dashed line represents though may differ between different elements/components. In level datum it reflects the alignment of the extents vs the status of the locked extents (between level datums exclusivly). Notice the GIF above, the dashed Line will only appears

at the extens of the datum when aligned/locked,
Does not appear when the datum is unlocked
does not appear if you attempt to align to other model elements .

Edit - GIF Added

Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

sarahgorrie — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:52:21 GMT

Thank you for taking the time to read my question and reply.

I will admit that I am still a little bit confused. In these screenshots, the person in the video is placing a U-shaped stair, and it appears (to me, at least) that the dashed lines appear before they place the return run of the stairs. Perhaps I am not understanding what I am really seeing here...? I'm not sure!

I'm sorry to ask, again. Thank you again for your time and initial response.

Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

RDAOU — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 23:09:52 GMT

No you are not missing anything… as I have said those are guideline features and they differ between certain components. The one I was referring to in my previous reply was the image of the level datum which you showed. Those appear when the extents of the level datums are locked to one another.

Those for the level datum appear relative to the datum extents (end grips) when aligned /ocked.
Those for the stairs indicate the defined position of the Location Line relative to the run or stringer
- They will appear when you snap to a recognized snapping angle or parallel to a specific direction (ex: at 45 or 90 or 135 degrees it pops up … at a random 23.7 degrees it doesnt...when it is parallel to a reference plane say at 23 it will pop up again because the parallel snap was triggered)
- When you change the location line to run:center or to run:right you will notice that it changes accordingly
- the same applies to walls. That green dashed line will appear to highlight the location line which is set/defined on the properties panel

Notice behavior described above with respect to 0 & 45...nothing happens for the angles in between then at 23 degrees when parallel snap triggers you see the location line again

If you do not see them at your end, then check the Snaps settings, it might be off.

Type SO or Go to Manage Tab >> under Settings >> open the Snaps Dialog
Uncheck Snap off
You can check/uncheck which trigger you need active as well as

PS: Length and Angle increments are irrelevant and for something else

Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

sarahgorrie — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 14:51:51 GMT

Thank you so much! I think it must have been something in the Snap settings--I will give this a try right now.

Thank you kindly for your help!!

Re: How to Toggle Temporary Guide Lines

sarahgorrie — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 14:54:19 GMT

Just replying again to say--I tried this and it WORKED! I know this is probably such a simple thing, but I am so happy to have it working!!

THANK YOU so much!!