Filled Regions and Floor PLans

[sfraney]

Hi,

I'm trying to resolve a graphic issue concerning Fill Regions when placed on floor plans. It seems that the display order does not allow me to send the Filled Region "to the back" when looking at a floor plan. I can hatch an area on the floor plan with no problem but the concern I have is that the hatch continues to lay over the walls not under them. Any ideas?

[kpaxton]

Hi,

I'm trying to resolve a graphic issue concerning Fill Regions when placed on floor plans. It seems that the display order does not allow me to send the Filled Region "to the back" when looking at a floor plan. I can hatch an area on the floor plan with no problem but the concern I have is that the hatch continues to lay over the walls not under them. Any ideas?
sfraney,

You're right - it should allow you to, but it's not for me either. I guess I'd like to ask what it is that you're intending to use the Region for? Obscure something or perhaps to show a tile pattern, etc? You can either set the Region to have a Transparent background (as opposed to Opaque). Another option is when creating to place it from wall edge to wall edge, not from wall centerlines.

If you're wanting to create tile patterns, etc. we've found good use of making a new Floor definition for the tile. We make the structure 1/8" thick and set it 1/8" above the "main concrete floor" (for example). We've made a number of different hatching patterns and make a new floor definition for each one (ie: 8" x8" tile, 12" x 12"-45 tile, etc). This allows us control of those items if we need, plus we can pull areas from them if needed independant from the main slab areas. - See the attached JPG.

Not sure if this helps, but let me know what your intending the regions to do.

-Kyle

[sfraney]

kpaxton,

thanks for the reply. Everything you mentioned is an alternative and would work. I basically need the fill region to depict a different type of space from the rest of the plan. From a speed approach, drawing a filled region over several rooms at a time would be great and then just sending the image to the first level.

The other alternative that will work for me is to draw a floor type over my existing floor with the desired hatching and then just stretching it across the area i need, this would, in effect, eliminate the issue of the hatching crossing over the walls. Only thing is, I don't need a smart element like a floor for this simple room hatch identification task. Just sending a filled regoin backwards or to the level line would be a nice feature.

[abarrette]

If the space is clearly defined in separate rooms just duplicate the view (or don't depending on your needs) apply a color fill and set it to fill against Floor Type or some other parameter that you define in the room definiton. Color fills are always (to my knowledge) behind model elements. This will require you to turn off floors, Topo, and site information in this view.

If the area is unbounded, make an area plan, sketch your boundries and color fill it there... I use this option for Location Plans where I want the construction to be visible for exiting review by city officials. This choice requires you to have a separate view with the color fills.

[janunson]

It would be nice if color fills were something you could set the transparency and elevation of (if they live on the cut plane and could be made a % transparent) because then you could have BOTH floor patterns and color codes on your plans. Also, things like stairs and certain families that contain blocking fills wouldn't show up white over the top of the color filled plans.

[abarrette]

You can add hatch patterns to color fills. In the properties of the Color Fill Legend when you are editing the Color Scheme you can select a Fill Pattern that will be visible over the color. As far as visibility with regards to suspended object such as stairs... your only option as far as I know is post production in a graphics program such as Photoshop. That seems a ridiculous extent to go to to for something such as this. I would just use the tools that have been given to you.

[artitech]

You may be interested in this thread which dealt with the same "color fill" issue...

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=22177&highlight=color+fills