Understanding Revit View Range

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.

About the Author

Gregory Lee

Sr Technical Support Specialist<br><br> Skilled in AutoCAD, Mixed-use, Renovation, Revit, and Sustainable Design. Strong arts and design professional with a BA in Urban design focused in Architecture from University of Washington.

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