Plan and Section

[RickR]

I can use some help duplicating a traditional plan and section workflow using as much 3D as possible. I thought Design Layer View Ports would do this, but they don't. Because they rotate and change view with the rest of the file, I can't get what I want.

The issue is seeing both plan and section at once, and aligned. This video describes the goal in detail and why I want to do it -

My old technique had me drawing the section manually. Or using a DLSVP and converting it into lines so I can rotate it separately from the plan. It's very time consuming and prone to error.

The only other option seems to be using Sheet Layer Veiwports and annotation. The problem there is that annotations can be very awkward.

What are others doing?

[Pat Stanford]

If you put the DLVP on a separate layer you can set the view independently (if you are not using Unified View).

[RickR]

Aha!

Unified view was not tripping me up, but your comment triggered further thought. The DLSVP presented the ground plan as across the screen. Since you can not rotate a hybrid object I got stuck.(DLVP not aligned)

I've now come up with 2 ways. At first I rotated the floor plan But I don't like having to shift the section from 0,0 nor working "sideways" on most stages.

A 3rd Design layer seems to do the trick. I've created a DLVP of the floor plan to move and turn as I want.

I'm still curious what others are doing... But I'm glad to have the help.

[JBenghiat]

Rick,

I'm a little confused what you are trying to do in terms of 2D and 3D construction. The point of an aligned plan and section is often to deal with not having a 3D view available.

At any rate, 90% of my working views are done in 2D, particularly as I rarely get a venue or scenic drawing in 3D. I'll only really use 3D if I need to figure out shooting lights through irregular shapes at compound angles.

I usually start with a plan, and for ease I'll create a saved view.

Create a new layer for your section, and hide your other layers. Create a DLVP of your plan and rotate it 90? at the 0,0 point. I'll also often crop it in half and mirror it vertically if I'm doing a true center-line section. Move it down on the page out of the way. I then draw or move (if there's a section drawing already) the section so it aligns with the plan view and y=0 at the stage floor. This is another saved view.

I'll do the same sort of thing to construct a front elevation or section -- a DLVP of the plan below and a DLVP of the section to the side.

Now I'll switch back to my plan view and create a new layer. That will contain a DLVP of my section construction. Make sure to crop out the plan viewport you used for construction.

HTH,

Josh

[RickR]

I'm trying to work in 3D, but not quite succeeding. Along the way I sometimes have to do renderings or at least sightline checks. So I'm doing as much 3D as possible.

Too often I have requirements for 2D details that would be ludicrous to model in 3D. IE rigging hardware for installation of curtain tracks and electrics. So a hybrid method is necessary.

I've been doing what you describe for in various programs for decades. But with smarter 3D it's beginning to be more workable. Can save a lot of time with Spotlight elements.

[RickR]

I've also run into another limitation.

Using multiple layers in different 3D modes is good for much of a current project. I'm mixing architects drawings and my 3D. Then I put it on a sheet. Sheet layer viewports are forced to be unified views. Or at least I can't find a way to do anything else.

Do I have to have multiple SLVPs that I align, again. Or do I break some of my links?

[michaelk]

You can put the 2D drawings on the correct plane.

Makes modeling and viewports easier.

hth

mk

[JBenghiat]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think some of the 2D/3D interaction you describe is intended to take place as annotations. I don't mean annotations are necessarily the best solution to drawing 2D over 3D or that there aren't workarounds, but I think it explains why you can't find an easy way to do what you want.

I actually find Convert copy to polygons to be quite useful if you don't need your 2D view to constantly modify from 3D updates.

-Josh