Creating a Section Viewport
In which we create and manipulate a Section Viewport. This follows on from 9. First Viewports, but can be applied to any design that is sufficiently developed to display something in section. Section Viewports are different from ordinary viewports in that you can't make one by tweaking an existing viewport: instead, you generate it from scratch from one of the plan views. They are useful in generating not only whole building sections, but also interior elevations of a single level, or even a single room.
First, return to the Main Floor plan.
You can do this in a number of ways: either via the Saved Views menu, or from the Layers pop-down list, but returning to it via the Main Floor Plan viewport has the advantage of restoring the Layers and Classes setup (which are turned on and off) that you see in the viewport. To return to a plan via its viewport, double-click the viewport [1], then in the Edit Viewport dialog, choose the Design Layer option, and then choose Main Floor from the list of layers that it shows [2] NOTE: The list of layers shown is those that make up the visible layers of that viewport. In this case, it's the Grid and the Main Floor layers.
Ask for a Section Viewport
Choose View > Create Section Viewport…
Show section line – and viewing direction.
Click-drag an imaginary line through the building [1–2], then click-drag in the direction that you wish to view – then click again – say, at point 3, to indicate that you wish to look in that direction.
Name and place the viewport.
As with all viewports that are created from scratch, you're now asked to name it and place it. You have the option of having it named automatically by its Drawing No. and Sheet No., but in most cases you'll probably prefer to name it yourself – either Section-1, as per the default, or Section A-A, or similar. For placement, I recommend making a new Sheet – say, A3.0 BUILDING SECTIONS – and give it a suitable Drawing Title such as East-West Building Section. OK...
Result.
Change the Layers setup of the viewport to show all building levels.
The result, with a drawing label added, looks like this. This is good if we just wanted an interior elevation of these rooms, but if we want a section through the entire house, we must get the other Design Layers to appear. To do this – as with ordinary viewports, click the Layers… button on the viewport's Obj Info palette [1], and in the Viewport Layer Properties dialog, click the first column of all the design layers to make them visible, but click the second column of the Grid layer to make it invisible [2].
Move the Drawing label.
Update the result to get a section through the entire building [1]. To move the drawing label out of the way, double-click the viewport, choose Annotations, then move the label where you want it [2] Then Exit Viewport Annotations [3].
Note attributes of Section Style
If you're wondering why the sectioned walls and floors are in a heavy line (which they should be) and filled with red (which you may or may not like) – you'll find that a new Class called Section Style has been created automatically. Right-click it to Edit it [1]. and you can view and change the attributes used by that Class for sectioned objects in the Edit Class(es) dialog.
Change to a Perspective projection.
Sections don't have to be orthogonal projections: you can change them to a Perspective one in the Projection popdown [1]. By default, it uses a Custom Perspective Type, with a Perspective Distance of 0.195 [2]. The result – which you see after clicking Update – is a rather exaggerated perspective view.
Change Perspective to Normal
Choose Normal from the Perspective Type popdown [1], then Update, to get a more realistic and useful perspective projection.
Try an Olique Cavalier projection.
This offers an interesting cut-away effect, showing the rest of the building at an oblique angle behind the section.
Reverse Direction
The Reverse Direction button allows you to view the same section, but viewed the other way. NOTE: It also Flips the viewport on its central axis, so if it extends a long way left or right, it will appear to be "flung" far off in one of those directions.
Advanced Properties…
The Advanced Properties… button offers a variety of further options, which we will review later on, after we have inserted non-structural items, such as millwork, fixtures and furniture.