Plan Region

[Michael.c]

Hi all
First post....here goes!
Being new here, I'm also very new with Revit. Just a brief question to start with that I'm sure has an obvious answer.
I have a floor plan, showing ductwork / grilles / ceiling grid etc. NOTE, the cut plane is taken just below the underside of the floor above to ensure that all services in the ceiling are visible in the plan.
What I am finding is that the doors / windows don't show up. I realise this is because the cut plane is high up in the ceiling void and not at a level that cuts through both items, eg, 1500mm above floor, or thereabouts, but obviously, I want the doors / windows to show up. So I put a plan region over the walls at 1500 above floor level. (very time consuming). They now appear, but other items that are above the plan region disappear.
Is the 'plan region' method the standard way of overcoming this problem....or is there another answer?
Many thanks....

[Brian Myers]

I want the doors / windows to show up. So I put a plan region over the walls at 1500 above floor level. (very time consuming). They now appear, but other items that are above the plan region disappear.

Unfortunately I don't believe there is a good way to do what you wish, at least not automatically. You could put the plan in as an Underlay on your reflected ceiling plan then go in and place families/groups of linework / filled regions (depending on the representation you want) over these openings as shown from the underlay locations. Then simply shut the Underlay off as you'll no longer need it.

It's a workaround, but it'll work.

[LRaiz]

Assuming you want a regular plan, not RCP but want to see a number of overhead items you may try the following
set regular cut plane height of 4' above floor
use underlay of the same level to make overhead items visible
use linework tool and pick overhead components to capture the intent to have them displayed
turn off underlay, lineworked overhead components should stay visible

HTH

[Michael.c]

It's a workaround, but it'll work.


Thanks Dilbert / Leo
I am based in Australia and I understand that perhaps we are a little 'behind' down here, as far as Revit is concerned....certainly Revit systems.
My only comment is that I would have thought, or hoped maybe, that there might be a "standard" method of overcoming this 'anomaly'.
I guess a traditional 2D a/c layout showing ducts / grilles etc, prepared on a floor plan (or reflected ceiling plan), is technically wrong in showing doors / windows / furniture etc, because those items should really not be visible. But we always show them, for reference purposes. So, they need to be there in Revit, too. Consequently, in the long term, I think something more than just a "workaround" is needed.

Thanks,

[jason.martin]

If you are using a view with the discipline set to Mechanical then set the cutplane back to where you want it to display for the Architectural model. MEP items above the cut plane will display as long as they are within the view range and the cut plane makes no difference to MEP items (ducts, terminals, pipes, etc.).

[brendan.upton]

If you are using a view with the discipline set to Mechanical then set the cutplane back to where you want it to display for the Architectural model. MEP items above the cut plane will display as long as they are within the view range and the cut plane makes no difference to MEP items (ducts, terminals, pipes, etc.).

You are right the duct work will remain visible with the cut plane placed back at the window level but you loose the ceiling/ceiling grid. It would be preferable to be able to see the ceiling grid and the ductwork and the windows/doors all at the same time.

[dbaldacchino]

The solution might be two overlaid views on one sheet (seems others and myself have been suggesting this a lot lately!). I think the problem with this expected representation is because the Engineers typically get a plan from the Architects which they use as a background and then they draw in their equipment on top. Well, the Architect's plan shows cut doors and windows and so in the model world, we have a dilemma...we kinda need two cut planes.

I'd set a view that shows all the architectural stuff the way you want it. Then create another view with a high cut plane and turn off all architectural elements that already show in the previous view (walls, door, windows, curtainwalls etc.). Now overlay these two views on a sheet and you should get the result you expect (2 composited hybrid plans with two separate cut planes).

[dmb.100468]

I'm confused. Why don't you just change the view type to Reflected Ceiling and adjust the view range to see what you want to see? That way there is no need for underlays.

[dbaldacchino]

That could work as long as the equipment shows up behind the ceiling. I don't have Revit MEP installed so I can't check, but I suppose you can override your ceiling to transparent and still see the grid in it and the objects above it? If that's the case, then that's probably the simplest solution.

[Michael.c]

I'm confused. Why don't you just change the view type to Reflected Ceiling and adjust the view range to see what you want to see? That way there is no need for underlays.

I think the problem with that is, that using a reflected ceiling, we are looking "up" from underneath the services as opposed to looking down from above. Consequently, in a situation where you have services crossing one another and one is hidden by the other, the "hidden" service will actually be at a higher level than the visible service. This will obviously lead to confusion and is therefore not what we want.

[mjdanowski]

I think the problem with that is, that using a reflected ceiling, we are looking "up" from underneath the services as opposed to looking down from above. Consequently, in a situation where you have services crossing one another and one is hidden by the other, the "hidden" service will actually be at a higher level than the visible service. This will obviously lead to confusion and is therefore not what we want.

I just used a floor plan with a large view depth to get around this. (with a mechanical discipline)