columns not showing up dark in plan

[dwickus]

I have some concrete columns that rise only 2'-0" above the floor I'm working on and I would like them to show up dark, but they are showing up light. I've found that if I raise top of my column to 4'-0" it will show up dark. I've also been changing the elevation of the cut plane in the view properties, and I've changed the top and bottom limits, but nothing seems to affect it unless I change the height of the column. Is there something else I'm forgetting?

[Paul Andersen]

I was unable to duplicate what you describe.

Assuming that your top of floor elevation is the same as your defined level elevation your column should display with the cut line weight and cut patterns as long as your cut plane in the view range is set at or below 2'-0" in your example.

Do you have a plan region defined in this area?

Is it possible that your defined level is higher than you think in relation to your top of floor and top of column (for example: if you cut a section and dimension from the level to the top of column is it 2'-0")? We had a user define a work plane for a depressed area and inadvertently placed or moved a bunch of members to this work plane outside of the depressed area which resulted in some odd display.

Have you joined geometry between the column and anything else?

Can you duplicate this with a single column in a blank project to post so we could have a look?
If not would you be willing to post a portion of your project?

[Jos Arpink]

I was able to duplicate this, in both RS2 and RS3.
I've seen some visibility weirdness and unexpected behaviour when the extent of an object hovers at or near the upper/lower bounds of the view range. It can be quite mysterious. There's an allusion to this in the Revit help. Try searching "Additional View Range Rules", and something should come up. Through trial and error, I've learned that +/- 4' is the range within which the visibility of some elements can be be unexpectedly handled.

[rmcelvain.103137]

I was able to duplicate it with a single column, here's a couple of images that might clarify the issue (since I have absolutely no answers to fix it :Oops: )....

There are 2 images, one with hatch and one without. They both have the same visibility settings and the only thing that is different is the offset from the 2nd level (-6' and -8' ).

The Cut plane and Top Primary Ranges are both still below the top of the column.

Is there a need to be a certain height above the Base Level? Or to span a certain percentage between the Base and Top Levels?

More questions than answers,

[rmcelvain.103137]

..... I've learned that +/- 4' is the range within which the visibility of some elements can be be unexpectedly handled.
Similar results here....

[dwickus]

thanx paul,

I'm checking into some of the thing you mentioned. Rick McElvain posted a single column with this problem. I work with him, so if you can just look at that it's probably the easiest thing for now. If worse comes to worse I'll just change the column lines to a heavier weight.

dave

[Paul Andersen]

Interesting . . . I misread the initial post and thought it was a multi-story column that terminated 2'-0" above a given level. So I placed a column on level 2 down to level 1 and set the top offset to be 2'-0". No problems. I can now reproduce the problem creating a 2'-0" high unconnected column as Rick has shown.

Now for the interesting part. Try this:

1. Highlight the column and hit the edit family button in the option bar.
2. Save As the family to your desktop with the exact same name.
3. Open the Lower Ref. Level Floor plan view and check it's view range. Mine was set with everything at associated level and offsets of 7'-6", 4'-0", 0'-0" and 0'-0".
4. Change these to match the default structural template (2'-0", 1'-0", -4'-0", -6'-0") and save.
5. Load this family back into your project and hit yes on the reload family pop-up dialog.

Now everything should display correctly. It seems to be a view range conflict between the family and the project if that's possible. Should probably send this issue in as a support request.

[rmcelvain.103137]

Now for the interesting part. Try this:

1. Highlight the column and hit the edit family button in the option bar.
2. Save As the family to your desktop with the exact same name.
3. Open the Lower Ref. Level Floor plan view and check it's view range. Mine was set with everything at associated level and offsets of 7'-6", 4'-0", 0'-0" and 0'-0".
4. Change these to match the default structural template (2'-0", 1'-0", -4'-0", -6'-0") and save.
5. Load this family back into your project and hit yes on the reload family pop-up dialog.

Now everything should display correctly. It seems to be a view range conflict between the family and the project if that's possible. Should probably send this issue in as a support request.
You are a freak (and I mean that in the nicest way possible)! How did you ever think of that?

Impressive Paul.....

[Paul Andersen]

The kids shared a pretty nasty cold with me this weekend. I've got a good over the counter cocktail going on so it may have come to me in a vision.

[dwickus]

Thanx much Paul. You just keep on drinking those cocktails if it helps you come up with answers like this :)

[Jos Arpink]

Ahh...good drugs. Thanks for looking into this, Paul. Seems a very obscure thing.
I've played around with it some more, and the column won't inherit its host-view's range no matter how it's set. Hmmm...

[Paul Andersen]

Dwickus and Rick, Thanks for sharing this issue . . . great find. It's always nice to know about these things before you run into them on a project.

Jos, I'm finding the same thing here. Quite odd actually. This seems to be the case with all of the delivered column families (wood, steel, concrete . . . ) at least in the imperial content library.

[Scott Hammond]

Wow, thanks Paul..
My work is done here (Even though you finished before I started!)

[jselle]

I have a similar, but slightly different issue with wall and column display relative to cut plane that I'm hoping someone can help with. See the attached image. I have a wall that is not full height - 5' high, with a structural column coming up through it. My cut plane is set at 3'-6" - a foot and a half below the top of wall, but for some reason, the wall does not display as cut in section and the column is hidden by the wall. If I make the wall 1' higher, however, they display just fine. Of course, in the project I'm working on, I don't want to raise the wall, and I like where the cut plane is set with regard to other geometry. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

John

Oops. Didn't realize this was a Revit Structure thread.... I'm in Revit Building, don't want to confuse the issue....