You control visibility in Revit through a combination of element-specific overrides, view-specific settings, and broader project settings. Here's a breakdown of the key methods:
1. Element-Specific Visibility Control (Override Graphics in View):
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Right-click method: You can right-click on individual elements in the drawing area and select "Override Graphics in View." This allows you to modify the appearance (color, line weight, pattern, transparency, etc.) and visibility of specific elements in the current view only. This is useful for highlighting or de-emphasizing particular elements.
- By Element: This option allows you to override the graphics of just the selected element.
- By Category: This option overrides the graphics of all elements of the same category as the selected element, but only within the current view.
- By Filter: This allows you to apply a filter (rules) to a selection of elements and override the graphics based on those rules.
2. View Control Bar:
Located at the bottom of the Revit window, the View Control Bar provides quick access to common visibility controls:
- View Scale: Controls the scale of the current view.
- Detail Level: Sets the level of detail displayed (Coarse, Medium, Fine). This affects the complexity of element representations.
- Visual Style: Sets the visual style (Wireframe, Hidden Line, Shaded, Consistent Colors, Realistic, Ray Trace).
- Shadows: Toggles shadows on or off.
- Render Settings: Access rendering settings for creating photorealistic images.
- Crop View: Controls the visible area of the model in the view.
- Temporary Hide/Isolate: Allows you to temporarily hide or isolate elements for easier editing.
- Reveal Hidden Elements: Shows elements that have been hidden in the current view, allowing you to unhide them.
3. Visibility/Graphics Overrides (VG):
This is the primary tool for managing visibility and graphics settings for the entire view. Access it by:
- Typing VG or VV
- Right-clicking in the view and selecting "View Properties," then finding "Visibility/Graphics Overrides" and clicking "Edit..."
- Using the View tab of the ribbon and selecting Visibility/Graphics.
The Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog box allows you to control:
- Model Categories: Control the visibility, line weight, line color, line pattern, and fill patterns of different model categories (e.g., Walls, Doors, Windows, Floors). You can also control the halftone/underlay setting.
- Annotation Categories: Control the visibility and appearance of annotation elements (e.g., Dimensions, Text, Tags).
- Analytical Model Categories: Control the visibility and appearance of analytical model elements.
- Imported Categories: Control the visibility and appearance of imported CAD files or other linked models.
- Filters: Apply view filters to override the graphics of elements that meet specific criteria.
- Revit Links: Control the visibility and display settings of linked Revit models (e.g., entire linked model, specific worksets within the linked model). You can choose to display a linked model with the host model's settings, or with its own.
- Design Options: Manage the visibility of different design options in the view.
4. Worksets:
Worksets are used to divide a Revit project into manageable sections. You can control the visibility of entire worksets, allowing you to show or hide specific parts of the building. This is useful for managing large projects and for coordinating work among team members.
5. View Templates:
View Templates are a powerful way to apply consistent visibility and graphics settings to multiple views. Create a view template with the desired settings and then apply it to other views to ensure uniformity. This is particularly helpful for creating standard sets of drawings.
6. Design Options:
Design Options allow you to explore different design alternatives within the same Revit project. You can control the visibility of design options in each view to show only the desired option.
In summary, Revit provides a flexible and comprehensive system for controlling visibility and graphics, from individual element overrides to project-wide settings, enabling you to create clear and effective construction documentation and visualizations.
