Model lines in an electrical plan

[stever66]

Is there any way to draw model lines on an electrical plan and not have them halftoned?

By "electrical" plan, I mean the discipline of the view is set to "Electrical".  I don't really want to move all my plans to coordination just to be able to draw lines.

Even selecting the lines and trying to override them by element or category doesn't work.

It seems the only option is to convert them to detail lines, but then they only show up on a single plan. 

[robert.klempau]

ould be nice Hello @stever66,

Unfortunately, you will always see Model lines in Halftone when your View has the Discipline set to Mechanical, Electrical or Plumbing.

Where do you need the Model lines for?

I would be nice if we could.

Let's create an Idea for this.

[stever66]

Mostly for drawing conduits, and sometimes just boxes to represent electrical equipment.

On large scale plans, there really isn't any need for conduits, and trying to get the fittings to work just to make a turn is a real pain.

I guess I'll just have to covert everything to detail lines, and redraw them on large scale plans.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Do you fancy a workaround?  Create a model in-place and choose Conduit Fittings category, or basically any category that is not half-toned under Electrical Discipline, then you can draw model lines freely and when you are done, they will show as full toned.

You can actually draw 1 invisible model line and the rest symbolic lines within the in place family and they still show for all plan view (in case you don't want them to show in 3d view).

[stever66]

That works for me.  Much easier than messing with conduits, and they can still show up on multiple plans.

[steve.lacroix]

I know this has been solved, but this has to be addressed.  I was hoping that 2020 would solve this the problem, however it gets worse.  Model lines become unselectable in MEP views.  

The work around I found was to use a Coordination view and use VG to halftone what I want grayed out.

[stever66]

You probably have the "Select Underlay Elements" disabled.  Revit 2020 included some selection option buttons on the lower right of the screen.

Refer to this:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-756F6241-C5D8-48D5-B703-9363E8C8FD65

[steve.lacroix]

Underlay elements?  The model lines are the focus of the view.  Why are model lines exclusive to Arch & Struc?  That does not solve the fact that model lines grayed out in MEP views.    How am I supposed to draw my grounding wires, lighting zone lines, & Fire alarm zone areas?  Don't even think to tell me to use Annotation lines, they only show up on the view they are drawn on.  

[stever66]

You said you couldn't select model lines.

You can still select model lines.  I was trying to show you how.

And you go on a rant???  Don't blame me - I'm not the one who decides what "features" to include in revit.

[steve.lacroix]

It wasn't meant as a personal attack.  I apologize that it came out that way.  I'm just upset that Revit keeps catering to Arch & Struc; and MEP is more of an after thought.  

[stever66]

Well, we both agree that it shouldn't be like this. 

It basically makes model lines useless.  Either that, or the view disciplines are useless.  They make us pick one or the other.

Someone had to decide half-toning all the model lines was something the MEP people had to have.  No idea why they thought that would be a good feature.

Anyhow, Revit Idea submitted to change this:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/not-halftone-model-lines-on-electrical-mech-or-plumbing/i...

Please add your vote for changing how this works.

[ToanDN]

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@steve.lacroix wrote:

Underlay elements?  The model lines are the focus of the view.  Why are model lines exclusive to Arch & Struc?  That does not solve the fact that model lines grayed out in MEP views.    How am I supposed to draw my grounding wires, lighting zone lines, & Fire alarm zone areas?  Don't even think to tell me to use Annotation lines, they only show up on the view they are drawn on.  

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Draw the lines in an in-place model as suggested in the  marked solution.

[jonzx]

I like this workaround.  Using it for thermostat wiring.  ⛷