Override Display Settings for this Instance

[BRobertsDAE]

Can someone help me understand the purpose of this: 

I understand the functionality of it and how it can control view graphics. I'm more interested in the idea behind having it. It doesn't seem terribly useful to me so I'm curious how others have used it and/or the idea behind it.

[RobDraw]

It's not useful for some. 

It is useful to those that want to control visibility settings of links. There are a myriad of settings when you dig into the link settings. Just like you have control over the view settings for your model. 

How much or even if you use those settings is up to your requirements. 

[iainsavage]

You might have multiple copies of the same link, but you only want to override one instance:

[BRobertsDAE]

I get having the option to have visibility control over linked files. 

More specifically, I'm talking about the "2" option in this case. It's an instance override for display settings: 

My question is how is this any different from the "parent" link display settings?

[BRobertsDAE]

But those settings are view specific anyways. If you have multiple links, but different views, would it be the same functionality?

[RobDraw]

Yeah, the subcategories would be for multiple copies of the same link. With a single copy, the subcategory isn't necessary. It's present probably because it's one of those things that needs at least one instance that cannot be deleted, even if it isn't used.

[BRobertsDAE]

So this really comes into play when you have multiple copies of the same instance within the same view.

That makes sense. Not a thing I run into often. 

[iainsavage · Accepted solution]

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@BRobertsDAE  schrieb:

But those settings are view specific anyways. If you have multiple links, but different views, would it be the same functionality?

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I don't have different links, I have three copies of the same link and when you expand the option you'll see three different instances of the same link.

Changing the parent link affects all three instances of the link in the view, changing the child affects only one instance e.g. I coloured everything red for just one of the children.

Probably most useful on sites where you maybe have multiple instances of one building type and you want to highlight one of the buildings (for example).