Column visibility problem

[patricks]

I loaded a Tuscan column family into a project (which I have used in several projects before) and for some reason any floor slab at ground level obscures visibility of the column above the floor level. It's almost as if my floors are filled regions that keep my column from showing. If I drag the column off the slab, it shows up. I can also pick the column if I pull a pick window around where it's located (it will highlight with a pick window, but not when just mousing over the area). I've never had this problem before, and it works fine in a new project.

[patricks]

Well I tried to attach the file, but I couldn't get it any smaller than 3 MB for some reason.

If the cut plane goes through the column, the floor slab below it obscures the column's visibility in plan. If the cut plane passes above the column like in the roof plan, the columns show up fine. Anyone know?

[Dean Camlin]

Make sure the Tuscan family itself has been saved in 8.1 format. As I recall, there was a problem back in 6.0 with column visibility, but that was fixed in subsequent versions. If it's not that, I don't know what could be causing this behavior.

[patricks]

I'll try it, but I just recently used the same family in an 8.1 project and it worked fine.

*edit I saved the family in 8.1 and reloaded it but the problem remains.

[Dean Camlin]

Sounds like one for Product Support.

[aaronrumple]

See the attached for some column related issues that might come into play.

Is the column sitting on the same level as the associated level? What levels are the floors associated with? Do you have a finish floor layer sitting on top of a structural floor? What is the cut plane within the column family itself?

The view range inside the column family affects the visibility and will override the view settings. However, the views settings determine if the column is "cut" or not.

[patricks]

I see how the cut plane affects what is visible in plan, but I still don't really understand how or why.

In my project, I just have a ground floor level. I have a floor slab at 0 and the column also sits on the level. The cut plane in the column family is at 4 ft. My floor plan's cut plane is also 4 ft. Now even if I move the slab down below the level, and the column up above the level (so that neither is on the level or touching one another), and yet the floor still completely obscures the column in plan view. I also tried changing the floor plan's cut plane to 8 ft. and still no change.