Managing Grids, Levels, and Reference Planes with Ideate Explorer

Grids, levels, and reference planes are considered datum elements within the Revit database, meaning that they can be used by other elements to drive geometry. They need to be carefully reviewed using Ideate Explorer as your project progresses.

Grids

Grid lines can duplicate via Copy/Monitor or other methods placing two identical grid lines in the same file and in the same location. When this happens, the grid number can’t be used, and it may cause other unintended results.

Fortunately, you can use Ideate Explorer to quickly review the list of grids. If you find a potential problem, simply double-click on the grid instance to open a view where it can be viewed. Once selected, it can be moved or deleted using Revit methods.

Levels

Model managers need to keep control of levels, because when deleted, level lines can take certain hosted elements with them without warning. Use Ideate Explorer to look for newly created level lines and carefully move elements that have been placed on incorrect level (before the level can be safely deleted).

To move elements from one level to another using Ideate Explorer:

1. Set the Display to "Entire Project"
2. Set the Sort By to "Level"
3. Set the filter to <Model>
4. Select the elements to move
5. Look at the Properties palette for the Level property
6. If Level is an editable property for all elements, switch the level to the proper name. This is easiest with non-hosted elements, such as furniture, casework, and equipment
7. If the Level is not available, you may need to de-select some of the elements and do them in batches. For example, if the selection contains walls and casework, you can move the wall using the Base Level property and then move the casework via the Level property.

NOTE: In-place families won’t have a Level.

Reference Planes

Unnamed reference planes make selection difficult and are a visual distraction. Use Ideate Explorer to quickly delete all unnamed reference planes.