Precision placement of sections

[detroit.architecture]

I'm trying to place a section *exactly* perpendicular to a radiused wall in plan, as I need to tick off dimensions on the subsequent section (these are dimensions that are radial in plan but orthoganal in section). Unless the section is exactly perpendicular to the wall (as it is in all cases when a straight wall is sectioned), I don't get an orthogonal cut and Revit doesn't recognize the cut lines in the section for either dimension or alignment purposes (i.e., I can select the entire cut wall but not any of its component lines).

Back at the plan, I have tried to lay a new section perpendicular to the curve, but there seems to be no snapping functionality for the section tool. All I get is the stubby crayon which is hardly a precise icon. Furthermore, I cannot align nor move a section mark with any degree of precision (move and align tools do not snap to the section line.)

Is the section tool really this haphazard, or am I missing something? A related question: How do I get an infinitely thin section with no far clip whatsoever? Right now my "Far Clip Offset" is set to 1/256". If I make the Far Clip inactive of course I get infinite projection, which is rather the opposite of what I need.

Thanks for any help.

Garrick
Los Angeles, CA

[aaronrumple]

I'm trying to place a section *exactly* perpendicular to a radiused wall in plan, as I need to tick off dimensions on the subsequent section (these are dimensions that are radial in plan but orthoganal in section). Unless the section is exactly perpendicular to the wall (as it is in all cases when a straight wall is sectioned), I don't get an orthogonal cut and Revit doesn't recognize the cut lines in the section for either dimension or alignment purposes (i.e., I can select the entire cut wall but not any of its component lines).

Back at the plan, I have tried to lay a new section perpendicular to the curve, but there seems to be no snapping functionality for the section tool. All I get is the stubby crayon which is hardly a precise icon. Furthermore, I cannot align nor move a section mark with any degree of precision (move and align tools do not snap to the section line.)

Is the section tool really this haphazard, or am I missing something? A related question: How do I get an infinitely thin section with no far clip whatsoever? Right now my "Far Clip Offset" is set to 1/256". If I make the Far Clip inactive of course I get infinite projection, which is rather the opposite of what I need.

Thanks for any help.

Garrick
Los Angeles, CA
A trick you can use: Draw a temporay wall and use that to get the secion (or elevation) pointed the way you want - then delete the wall.

[robert.manna]

You can also use reference planes, which tend to create less problems then drawings random temporary walls.

As far as I'm aware what you've got is the best you can do as far as infinitely thin section. I too have often wished there was a setting like what you're looking for. You could draft lines on top and turn of the model, if you really must have it. Where I wanted it was working with curves and strange angles too.

At the same time, it would also be nice to have section depth planes, as sometimes I want the infitie thiness, but then too I want one or two things that are 1' back or something.

-R

[detroit.architecture]

Still doesn't seem to work. I drew a temp wall exactly perpendicular (got the purple perp symbol at the cursor) sticking out of the radiused wall, then split it down its long axis with another section. It seemed promising because this was exactly perpendicular to the radiused wall at the intersection line. However, in the section view, I was only able to snap to the temp wall (since it is orthoganally split) but the radiused wall is still nonresponsive. My guess is the section tool is hard-coded to allow dimensioning/editing of only those elements *entirely* orthogonal to its point of view, not just at the section cut.

I suppose I'll just have to dimension to tiny drafting lines drawn over the radiused wall itself; hate doing this as it is obviously not parametric.

[robert.manna]

Still doesn't seem to work. I drew a temp wall exactly perpendicular (got the purple perp symbol at the cursor) sticking out of the radiused wall, then split it down its long axis with another section. It seemed promising because this was exactly perpendicular to the radiused wall at the intersection line. However, in the section view, I was only able to snap to the temp wall (since it is orthoganally split) but the radiused wall is still nonresponsive. My guess is the section tool is hard-coded to allow dimensioning/editing of only those elements *entirely* orthogonal to its point of view, not just at the section cut.

I suppose I'll just have to dimension to tiny drafting lines drawn over the radiused wall itself; hate doing this as it is obviously not parametric.
yeah, I think you're correct, I seem to recall having similiar problems. I would use reference planes and not drafting lines, but that is my preference. I would also name the ref planes with something meaningful, so that I remember why they're there in the first place, and maybe even go so far as to make a scope box for them, especially if you're going to do alot of these types of sections, maybe even multiple small scope boxes.

Cheers,
-R

[detroit.architecture]

To clarify further, perhaps the section would work if I could snap exactly to either the perpendicular reference plane or the longitudinal midpoint of a perpendicular temp wall. The section tool only allows a "nearby" parallel placement, which is not a *snap to*, since the section tool doesn't support snapping...if it did I could conceivably snap perpendicular to the radius wall itself, just like the reference plane does. As a result the section is not in fact a true radius of the circle.

Thanks for the help.