Architecture Links - All plumbing fixtures are bold, whether new or existing

[Brett_Curry_RLF]

The problem I've run into with existing buildings that require projects to have phases, demolition, and renovation is this:

The existing elements from the architecture link are halftoned twice if you use an MEP view discipline. Once through the view discipline, and again through a phase filter that overrides existing elements to be gray. The way to fix this is to have a phase filter from the linked model to NOT override existing elements and have them display by category. This causes a second issue for plumbing drawings:

Plumbing fixtures are all shown as black whether they are existing or new. I've attached pictures to illustrate. One showing the architecture halftoned once, so they walls display properly, but all plumbing fixtures shown bold regardless of whether they are existing or new. The second picture shows architecture the existing halftoned twice, while new architecture is halftoned once, but plumbing fixtures display properly.

Is there any happy medium when using an MEP view setting to have these two things happen?

1) Existing elements are only halftoned once.

2) Existing plumbing fixtures are halftoned, but new plumbing fixtures are black.

[michael.coviello]

Hello @Brett_Curry_RLF 

Thank you for posting your question to the forum!    

One option you may have already considered is to use "By Linked View"

If you set up a view as you'd like it to display in the Arch model, you can then use By Linked view and pick the view in the linked model.

Does this help to achieve the results you are looking for?

[Brett_Curry_RLF]

When my view is set to an MEP discipline I get the same issues. It's still doubled halftoned by the MEP view discipline when it's set to a linked view.

[RobDraw]

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@Brett_Curry_RLF wrote:

When my view is set to an MEP discipline I get the same issues. It's still doubled halftoned by the MEP view discipline when it's set to a linked view.

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I thought your question was about the plumbing fixtures not displaying halftoned as expected. The way I've addressed this is to override the plumbing fixtures category in the arch link with my view templates. 

[Brett_Curry_RLF]

Rob,

I don't want all plumbing fixtures to be halftoned, just the ones that are in existing phases. New plumbing fixtures should be black on a plumbing drawing. The issue is that when a phase filter for architecture is set to override existing elements to gray then the plumbing fixtures look fine, but the walls and all other architectural elements are halftoned twice: Once by the view discipline and once by the phase filter. If existing elements aren't overriden to be gray by a phase filter, then all plumbing fixtures show as black no matter what phase they were created in.

[dmiller_SCE]

@Brett_Curry_RLF because you have halftoned being applied to both the underlay (MEP Setting) and as part of the graphics overrides for phasing you will get double halftoned as you are telling Revit to do so. I would suggest that you remove one of the halftones. Could you not remove the halftone setting for the graphics override of the phasing and just let line weight dictate what is existing? Another option is to remove the automatic halftone of the underlay settings. 

[Brett_Curry_RLF]

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@dmiller_SCE wrote:

@Brett_Curry_RLF because you have halftoned being applied to both the underlay (MEP Setting) and as part of the graphics overrides for phasing you will get double halftoned as you are telling Revit to do so. I would suggest that you remove one of the halftones. Could you not remove the halftone setting for the graphics override of the phasing and just let line weight dictate what is existing? Another option is to remove the automatic halftone of the underlay settings. 

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Removing the halftone from the graphic override and letting the line weight dictate what is existing seems to be the best workaround we've done. It is just much less clear overall when compared to halftone vs black. Still, it's overall better than the double halftone problems. I have tinkered with removing the automatic halftone of the underlay settings, but it ends up causing more problems than it solves. Ideally it would be nice to be able to dig into the MEP discipline view settings and be able to control it more directly, but that's wishful thinking.

[RobDraw]

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@Brett_Curry_RLF wrote:

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be able to control it more directly, but that's wishful thinking.

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Since controlling the graphics through the link is indirect by nature, why not get around all the hoops and copy/monitor the plumbing fixtures into your model where you have direct control.

Wish granted.

[Brett_Curry_RLF]

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@RobDraw wrote:

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@Brett_Curry_RLF wrote:

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be able to control it more directly, but that's wishful thinking.

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Since controlling the graphics through the link is indirect by nature, why not get around all the hoops and copy/monitor the plumbing fixtures into your model where you have direct control.

Wish granted.

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I can see that working for smaller projects, but copy monitoring hundreds of plumbing fixtures would bog down the model (not to mention the number of warnings I would get every time a plumbing fixture is moved a couple inches). It may be worth trying out at least.

[RobDraw]

Yeah, there are pros and cons.

Personally, I prefer to keep them halftoned and let lineweights represent new and existing as @dmiller_SCE suggested.

I remember having the opposite problem where they were solid black in my backgrounds and I couldn't figure out how to get them to be halftoned. Either something has changed since then or I've forgotten how the views were set-up back then. I'll keep thinking about it though (Because I need something else to obsess about.) and get back to you if I remember what it was.

[michael.coviello]

Hello @Brett_Curry_RLF  

I am checking back to see if my post or others helped you with your problem.   Have any of the suggestions helped you on how achieve the graphics?

I understand the frustration of not having the software feature that you've described.

You may be interested in this logged idea which has many votes.

Customize View Discipline Settings - Autodesk Community

I urge you to mention the business impact that this missing functionality has as it can increase the chances of the functionality being integrated in the future.

You can also vote on ideas others have posted, so be sure to let us know if an idea you see there is important to you.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.   Thank you.