Issue:
Understanding View Range and how it affects line styles can be confusing, especially for new users. It often leads to frustration and inconsistent documentation.
Causes:
There is a lack of clear, intuitive guidance on how the View Range system works. As a result, many users rely on trial and error to set up views properly.
Solution:
This guide will explain how View Range works, with definitions, visual examples, and how it impacts linework—using a casework category example.
Terminology:
1. Primary Range – Top:
Sets the upper boundary of the view. Elements above this range are typically displayed with Overhead line styles.
2. Primary Range – Cut Plane:
Defines the cut plane height. Elements intersecting this plane are shown using cut line styles, such as bold outlines or hatching (depending on the object style).
3. Primary Range – Bottom:
Sets the lower boundary for the primary range. Elements between the cut plane and bottom are typically shown with projection lines.
4. View Depth:
Extends the view below the primary bottom range. Elements here are displayed using halftone or hidden lines, depending on the settings.
How to Review View Range Settings:
To better understand how these settings affect the view, it's helpful to use a section or elevation view where the View Range planes are more visually evident.
How Line Styles Are Determined:
Each line style shown in plan view is determined by the Object Styles settings for the corresponding category. Let’s look at an example:
Example: Casework Category
Plan Rep – Above Range:
Uses Overhead line style (e.g., Overhead 3/32").
Cut:
Displays bold outlines or cut patterns defined in Line Weight Column next to Category column.
Below Cut Plane:
Shown using Projection Lines for casework.
Result:
Conclusion:
A proper understanding and setup of View Range ensures elements appear correctly in plan views, improves documentation quality, and reduces confusion across teams.
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