PLAM cabinet - Dashed line in Plan Views

[saeborne]

Hi all,

We've created a bunch of plastic laminate millwork components. Overall, they work ok, except for one minor thing...

For over head cabinets, I would like the outline to be shown as a dotted line in the floor plan view. Sounds fairly simple, but I can't get it to behave the way I want.

Here are things I have tried, and why they don't work:

Attempt 1
In the Family .rfa file, create a symbolic line that is locked to the outline of the overhead cab.

Failure 1
In the floor plan view, the symbolic line will not appear. With a typical 4' high view cut plane, the overhead cabs are not in the view, and therefore the symbolic line does not appear.


Attempt 2
Create the outline with a model line

Failure 2
As model lines, these dashed lines are visible in multiple views. As model lines, they exist as a specific elevation. In some cases it will be obscured by the counter top. I could control the elevation of the model lines, but this seems like a sloppy solution.

Worst of all, the model lines show up in 3D views. I could control the visibility with a sub category, but this would mean everyone in the future would have to turn off these lines most of their views.

Not to mention, now that the component has a model line on the floor, the whole component is now considered "cut" and the MDF stuff above shows in the floor plan view.



Attempt 3
Create an RCP underlay, in the plan view, then use the linework pen tool to make the edge dashed.

Failure 3
The linework tool will create lines around all faces, not just the front face. Yuck!



I'm at a loss here. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Bryan

[Andre Carvalho]

4th attempt: In the family, create a vertical model line set to invisible. Lock it to the reference level and to the cabinet. Now since your cabinet family will be cut by the cut plane, doesn't matter the height it is placed (because of the vertical model line), it should show your symbolic lines. And the vertical model line won't show on your project because it is invisible.

I hope it helps,

Andre Carvalho

[saeborne]

Andre,

As always, very keen insight. I love the concept of tricking the family into being cut with an invisible line.

Now the Symbolic Lines work (drawn as an "X" for clarity's sake). But there is a downside to this method. Now the solid extrusion forms which represent the MDF and Plastic Laminate read as "Cut in Plan."

I understand why it's cutting, because in the family editor, the Family Element Visibility Settings are set as:

Display in 3D views and: When cut in Plan/RCP (if category permits)

--

In an ideal world, a given MDF panel would only be visible when that element is cut, not when any portion of the component is cut.

I guess that is the trade off with this nifty technique. Overhead cabs are only visible as dashed lines in any plan / RCP view, regardless of the cut plane.

Thanks,

Bryan

[Andre Carvalho]

Bryan,

I see what you mean. Another thing that can be done is to make all the 3D stuff not visible in plan and then draw symbolic lines to represent it. So you have dashed symbolic lines to represent it as overhead and solid symbolic lines to represent it as being cut. You can add visibility parameters to switch between overhead / cut.

See the attached example. I think you can even make it better by creating a formula to automatically turn overhead off is cut is ON and vice-versa.

Andre Carvalho

[saeborne]

Thanks for the tip Andre,

As always, really incisive. I think for the time being, I'm going to set it as, "Overhead Cabinets are always dashed in plan. Period."

This actually could solve a potential problem. If the overhead cab is visible in an RCP, it has the potential of obscuring the ceiling above, if the ceiling actually continues to the partition.

If the cabinet always dashed, at least we can avoid this RFI.

Thanks again,

Bryan