Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Graphic Display by Category? Really?

Yet another example of categories being used to hard code non-category specific behavior is how they are cut in views. Basically, Autodesk has decided for us that lighting fixtures don't cut in section views. If it is a curved fixture and it obscures a bunch of other stuff, too bad. You have to hide it, and manually draw the section cut in. Can we say yuck?

I do understand that part of the point  in having the category control object display is consistency, and I'm not really suggesting we change that. Some have suggested it be managed at the family level, not the category level. I disagree though. All I think we need to fix this is end user control over ALL the currently hard-coded display settings for categories. I just want a checkbox in Object Styles to control whether a category cuts in section, or whether view depth clip works, etc... Here's why:


And there isn't anything we can do about this currently...

2 comments:

  1. I took a look at the powerpoit display of the different behaviours. very interesting (can you share the revit file or tell me where it is?)
    It seems at first glance that there are a total of five different behavours here (not counting the door tag placement variant)

    Maybe there's a lot more to it than that, e.g. what hides what? I like the approach tho...

    (posted during the actual class @ AU)

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  2. See the Class posting, there is a link right there. Plus the Revit file is up on the AU site too.

    And, you officially win the first commenter award (which unfortunately has no reward but my thanks!)

    Thanks!!!

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