Video: Create and Use Scope Boxes

Crop views and control the visibility of datum elements using scope boxes.

This video demonstrates the following:

  1. Understand the purpose and use of scope boxes.
  2. Create and assign scope boxes to control views of different parts of a project.
  3. Assign grids to the scope boxes.
  4. Adjust the visibility of the scope boxes.
Note: This video was recorded using Revit 2018. When using a newer software release, you may notice differences in functionality and user interface.

Transcript

To control the visibility of datum elements (grids and levels) and crop regions of views, use scope boxes. When you assign a grid or a level to a scope box, the 3D extent of the datum element is set to and controlled by the boundary of the scope box. When you apply a scope box to a view, the crop region of the view is controlled by the boundary of the scope box. ​

In this project, there are 2 wings to the building, at angles to one another. We will create and assign scope boxes to control the views of each wing of the building. The scope boxes will make it easier to read the views and understand where the grids of the two wings intersect. ​

On the View tab, select Scope Box. If desired, name the scope box on the Options Bar. Click to place the scope box around the horizontal wing of the building. Create another scope box in a similar way, and then rotate and position it around the angled wing of the building. ​

Now, assign the grids to the scope boxes. First, select the grids to assign. In this example, select the grids of the horizontal wing. On the Properties palette, assign the grids to the Main Building scope box. In the view, you see a change to the extents of the grids. The scope box now controls the 3D extents of the grids, and the 2D extents are adjusted away from the scope box boundary, based on a predefined offset. In a similar way, assign the grids for the angled wing to the other scope box. ​

Apply a scope box to a view to control the view crop. Activate the horizontal dependent view, and on the Properties palette, set the scope box to Main Building. The view crop is adjusted to the boundary of the scope box. Turn off the visibility of the crop region on the View Control Bar. Apply a scope box to the view of the angled wing in a similar way. In this case, the view is also rotated to align the view crop with the application frame. The Orientation property of the view is set to By Scope Box. ​

To clean up the grids in each view, you can override the visibility of the scope boxes. Select a scope box, and on the Properties palette, for the Views Visible property, click Edit. In the dialog, set the override to Invisible in the view where you do not want to see the scope box or the datum elements assigned to the scope box. Click OK. The datums from the other wing of the building are no longer visible. ​

Use scope boxes to control the extents of datum elements and cropping of views. Scope boxes make views more consistent and clean throughout your project, making it easier for you to control a view by adjusting the boundary of a scope box.