View Discipline in Revit

Can I change the settings of each View Discipline?
What changes when switching from one discipline to another?

In the View Properties window you can find a “View Discipline” property. This is a not very well documented concept in Revit, not even properly explained in the WikiHelp. This leads to some confusion about the topic, and many users don´t know what to do with it.

What is the view discipline?

This new view property, “View Discipline” appeared when Revit introduced new work disciplines: first Structure and then MEP. The intention is to adapt the visualization for the different work disciplines, as long as what an architect, an structural engineer, or a MEP engineer wants to see or represent in a view is not usually the same.

That said, each View Discipline could be understood as a pack of default view settings.

There are six different View Diciplines:

  • Architectural
  • Structural
  • Mechanical
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Coordination

    • Can I change the settings of each view discipline?

    No, you cannot. Disciplines are system-controled, and cannot be modified.

    The combination of View Discipline, Object Styles, Visibility/Graphics Overrides and View Range are responsible for what we see in each view. These four properties should have complementary settings.

    What changes when switching from one discipline to another?

    Model elements will be shown or not, and they will appear in a certain way, depending on which View Discipline we choose.

    Let´s start with a simple model (see first picture) with some elements corresponding to different disciplines. Let´s say Cut Plane in View Range is set 1.5m above the level, Top Plane 3.00m :

    Coordination:

  • Every object in model will be shown according to Object Styles, or Visibility/Graphics Overrides if something has been changed there.
  • Objects visibility and cutting elements will respect what “View Range” determines, unless that elements belong to MEP Categories (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing).
  • Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Categories will not respect strictly View Range, and will appear as long as they are included in the Primary Range (between Top and Bottom Plane). Just because the intention in Coordination is to show every element in the view.

    • Architectural:

  • Every object in model will be shown according to Object Styles, or Visibility/Graphics Overrides if something has been changed there.
  • Objects visibility and cutting elements will respect what “View Range” determines.

    • Structural:

    Switching to Structural Discipline:

  • NON STRUCTURAL Walls and Floors will hide. But not the elements (like windows or doors) hosted in them. That´s weird.
  • Those structural elements (beams, columns, walls) beneath or behind other elements such as floors or walls will appear according to the Hidden Line sub-category in the corresponding Model Category (Object Styles or Visibility/Graphics Overrides).
  • Other elements will be shown according to Object Styles, Visibility/Graphics Overrides and View Range.

    • Mechanical:

    Setting the view to Mechanical Discipline:

  • All categories belonging to Architectural or Structural Disciplines will appear half-toned.
  • Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Categories will be shown according to Object Styles or Visibility/Graphics Overrides.
  • Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Categories will not respect strictly what View Range determines, and will appear as long as they are included in the Primary Range (between Top and Bottom Plane).
  • When ducts and pipes overlap, the element below will appear in a Hidden Line style.

    • Plumbing:

    Same as Mechanical.

    Electrical:

    Same as Mechanical.

    Then… if some disciplines behave just the same, what are they for? Why do they even exist?

    To get the Project Browser organized according to those different disciplines, if desired.
    If you want to read further on this topic, I recommend following links: Revit OpEd and RevitRocks!.