The view range is a tool that allows you to control which elements are visible in your plan views and how they are displayed.
It can be confusing if you don’t understand its logic and components. So here are 9 tips to help you take the next step in managing your views.
1- Create a new view range
You can create a view range for any plan view, including floor plans, ceiling plans, area plans, structural plans, etc.
Step 1 – Open a plan view
In the Project Browser, double-click a plan view name to open it.
Step 2 – Click on the view range button
In the Properties palette, under Extents, click the View Range edit box (Shortcut: VR).
Step 3 – Customize settings
For your floor plans, all you need to do is adjust the Bottom and Cut planes.
Step 4 – Click OK
The view range defines the primary range and view depth of a plan view using four horizontal planes. Table 1 lists the parameter names, descriptions, and their effects on elements.
| Parameter | Description | Elements |
|---|---|---|
| Top | The upper limit of the primary range. | Invisible above this plane. |
| Cut Plane | The height at which elements are cut. | Cut. |
| Bottom | The lower limit of the primary range. | “Beyond” line style below this plane. |
| View Depth | The additional plane below the bottom plane that extends the visibility. | “Beyond” line style between this plane and top or bottom. |
Note: Click on the “<< Show” button in the dialog box to see a graphical representation of these planes.
2- Set up the reflected ceiling plan view range
For a ceiling plan view, the cut plane is the same as the bottom plane, and the bottom plane is disabled.
This means that you only need to adjust the Top and Cut planes to control which elements are shown as cut or projected in your ceiling plan view.
Set the view range of an RCP:
- In the Project Browser, open the reflected ceiling plan.
- Press “VR” on the keyboard.
- Set the Top to Level 2 and the Offset to 3.30m.
- Set the Cut Plane to Level 1 and the offset to 1.40m.
- Click OK.
3- Specify the cut plane
The cut plane determines which elements are shown from the inside in your plan view. However, not all elements can be cut.
Cuttable Categories
It’s mostly MEP families that can’t be cut.
You can check which categories are cuttable in the Visibility /Graphics dialog (Shortcut: VG). There you will see a Cut column that is grayed out for categories that are not cuttable.
Walls, columns, floors, and stairs
If the top constraint of the wall or column is set to Unconnected, for some unknown reason it will not appear as a cut.
To make your top constraint the correct height, set it to a level with a negative offset value.
Each plane has an effect on how the basic families appear in the plan views. Table 2 summarizes the rules for each family type and how they change with different view range options.
| Type | Above Cut Plane | At Cut Plane | Below Cut Plane | Crosses Cut Plane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor/Wall | Projected | Cut | Projected | Partially Cut |
| Stair Run | Projected | Cut | Invisible | Partially Cut |
| Stair Landing | Invisible | Cut | Invisible | Visible |
| Direction Indicator | Invisible | Visible | Invisible | Visible |
4- Understand the view depth
The view depth is an additional plane below the bottom plane (floor plans) or above the top plane (RCPs) that determines how far below or above the cut plane the view displays elements.
Elements between the bottom/top plane and the view depth are displayed in your plan view using the “beyond” line style (solid by default). Learn how to edit your line styles
To set the view depth, you must specify the height of the plane relative to a level or an offset from a level. You can also use the “unlimited” value if you don’t want to limit it.
5- Use plan regions for multiple ranges
Plan regions can be used to adjust the view range in specific areas of a view. This is useful if you need to show elements that are above or below the primary view range.
6- Use view templates for multiple views
After you’ve made the necessary changes to your view range, you can save it as a view template to apply to other views.
View templates are a way to store and reuse view properties for different types of views.
To make a view template:
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > drop-down View Templates menu.
- Click Create Template from Current View.
- Name your view template.
- Under View Properties, click the edit box of View Range.
- Change the settings of the view range > click OK.
- In another view, drop-down the View Templates menu.
- Click Apply Template Properties to Current View.
Learn more about view templates
You can create view templates for common scenarios, such as floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, or site plans, and apply them to existing or new views.
7- Use model lines or reference planes
To see and adjust the view range in a graphical way, you can draw three markers (model lines or reference planes) on a sectional view that correspond to your view range: top, cut, and bottom. Use them as guides or references in 3D views.
✨ Tip: to see a reference plane in a 3d view, go to the Architecture tab > Work Plane panel > click Show. Drop-down the Set menu, click Set Work Plane, select the new reference plane, and then click OK.
8- Use underlays for special elements
You can use an underlay to show elements that are outside your view range but are relevant to your plan view.
For example, you can use an underlay to show the ceiling grid or the roof structure in your floor plan view.
By using an underlay, you can show elements from other levels in your plan view without changing your view range settings.
9- Linked models
Periodically check the view range settings of linked models to make sure they match your host model. Any mismatch can lead to incorrect visualizations.
One way to copy all your view templates to another project in the current session is to use the Transfer Project Standards feature:
- Open both project files.
- Go to the Manage tab > Settings panel > click Transfer Project Standards.
- Select the project file in the “Copy from” drop-down menu.
- Check “View templates”.
- Click OK.
To copy only one view template to your host project, you must “Save As” the main project, delete all view templates except one, and then transfer it to the host project using the method above.
If you’re linking to a project where views have already been modified, be sure to select the following settings for the linked view:
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > click Visibility /Graphics.
- In the Revit Links tab, click on the file’s “Display Settings” box.
- Select “By Linked View”.
You can also customize the display settings to show only the view range of the RVT linked project by selecting “Custom”. This ensures consistency and accuracy between the host and linked models.
Mohamed Fakhry has helped thousands of architects and designers find their next project with step-by-step guidance on his blog, mashyo.com. About Mohamed
His journey began during his university years when he recognized the need for information-rich 3D models to accelerate learning and improve production processes. Now, Mohamed shares his expertise through Revit tutorials that are accessible to all.
