What is the difference between 'active design options' and 'view templates' - don't they do the same thing?

[holl0481]

What is the difference between 'active design options' and 'view templates' - don't they do the same thing? Can someone please explain it to me in layman's terms. 

[syman2000]

View template only make changes to that view or multiple views. You can set template to display certain design options that isn't set as primary. Screenshot below show if you leave it as automatic, the primary will be display. If you choose the other design option, only the other design option will show.

[mhiserZFHXS]

Do you mean the difference between changing the design option via the bar at the bottom vs changing it in the view template? Or do you mean the difference between design options and view templates? Those are two very different questions.

[ToanDN]

If the question is read as you ask it then it is rather a strange one because an active design option and a view template is the two entirely different things serving different purposes.  Now do you want to ask again, or explain what you are trying to do that you are at the crossroad of choosing one or the other?

[holl0481]

@mhiserZFHXS @ToanDN @syman2000 Sorry for the confusion everyone. Please have patience with me as I am still learning the program. 

I have a relatively good grasp of view templates and consistently employ them, but it was today that I was made aware of the active design options in the bottom toolbar, and upon asking my colleague I was told that this feature can be used to manipulate what can/cannot be seen and what can/cannot be edited. So my understanding was that it somewhat allows you to have control over visibility and editing permissions (loosely speaking)? So, it was after this description, that view templates and also worksets came to mind and I was essentially left mind boggled. Could someone please provide a straightforward explanation of the active design options tool? What does it do, is it similar to worksets or view templates, if it is similar then why would one deploy this over the others, ect.?

I have a feeling that I may just be utterly misunderstanding or overthinking this. Again I apologize for the naivety, thank you for your patience with me.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-D48B1E7E-BC34-414E-85BD-790F199BB2C0

[mhiserZFHXS]

@holl0481 

Templates and visibility/graphic overrides are meant to customize how you show what is modeled, such as hiding certain model categories in certain views, or changing the scale of the drawings.

Design options modify what is actually modeled in a view. They are generally meant to be used to show things like alternates. So in one design option, you may have an extra porch added on or an extra restroom, and in another option, those extra things are there.

There is plenty of information online for both of these topics. This is just an extremely simplified explanation. I highly suggest looking into it more yourself.

[robert2JCCH]

Suppose I'm a mechanical designer tasked to run exposed ductwork through an open-concept office space. The architect would like to see different routing options and their effectiveness at being concealed behind cloud ceilings.

View Templates and Visibility/Graphic Overrides would allow me to make the cloud ceilings semi-transparent so that you can see ductwork behind the cloud for clarity.

Design Options would allow me to model and display multiple routes in the same model without deleting work.

One offers control over presentation. The other offers control over production.