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

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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