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Level and Visibility of Openings

Introduction​

Every ConVoid opening is bound to a Base Level and a Top Level. Together with the Cut Plane parameters inside the family, they decide in which plan view the opening appears and how its symbol is drawn.

Get both right and your plans are clean. Get one wrong and the opening is missing, appears on the wrong floor, or shows only as an outline.

Level Constraint​

Set this under Workflow A: Create Openings, Workflow B: Adopt Openings or Workflow C: Create Structural Openings during the ConVoid run. The right choice depends on the opening type.

Level OptionWhen to UseDiagram
Host Level
Recommended for horizontal openings		The opening inherits the levels of its host element. Use for wall and beam openings. Reports the correct distance to the upper and lower slab surfaces.Host Level
Building Story
Recommended for vertical openings		The opening is bound to the Building Story above and below it. Use for floor, ceiling, and roof openings. Visible in both the floor plan and the reflected ceiling plan.Building Story
Reference Level
Match the MEP model		The opening adopts the level of the reference element (for example a duct set to Level 2). Use this to match the level structure of the MEP model.Reference Level
Stepped slabs and walls spanning multiple stories

Two situations where the level is assigned incorrectly and has to be fixed manually:

  • Stepped slabs. When slabs step up or down between Building Stories, a vertical opening may only appear on one of the two connected plans.
  • Walls from basement to top floor. If a structural wall runs across many stories, Host Level puts all openings on the basement. Switch to Building Story and trigger a change on the openings (resize, move, or rerun ConVoid) so the new level is applied.

Change Level After Placement​

To change the level of an opening that is already placed, use the Level/Elevation feature or Plan Check. Once changed, the level stays fixed unless the opening is moved to another level.

Vertical Opening Visibility​

Vertical openings span between the Base Level and the Top Level. The family contains three symbol regions, each controlled by one cut plane parameter. The parameter must match the cut plane offset of the plan view; otherwise the symbol will not be drawn.

The interactive tool below shows which parameter controls which plan. Adjust the values and move the cut plane to preview the result. Copy the same values into the instance parameters of your opening in Revit.

The Three Cut Plane Parameters​

  • Cut Plane Floor Plan - Base Level: Symbol visibility in the floor plan of the lower level. Set this to the cut plane offset of that view (typically 1000 - 1200 mm).
  • Cut Plane Floor Plan - Top Level: Symbol visibility in the floor plan of the upper level. Use this when you want to show the hole in the floor below.
  • Cut Plane Ceiling Plan - Top Level: Symbol visibility in the reflected ceiling plan of the upper level. Set this to the cut plane offset of the RCP.

To check the cut plane offset of a view, open View Properties > View Range > Cut Plane.

Hide the symbol on one plan

To prevent the opening from showing on a specific plan, set the matching parameter to 0 mm. This is the quickest way to clean up duplicated symbols across floors.

Cut Plane Floor Plan - Top Levelmm≤ 2000
Cut Plane Ceiling Plan - Top Levelmm≤ 1800
Cut Plane Floor Plan - Base Levelmm≤ 2300
Cut Plane(Revit View Range)mm↑L1 1200 · ↓L2 1800
ConstraintFloor Plan - Base Level + Ceiling Plan - Top Level ≤ Storey1200 + 700 = 1900 / 3000 mm
Section|A · A
FLOOR PLAN - TOP LEVEL 1200 mm · above L2CEILING PLAN - TOP LEVEL700 mm · below L2FLOOR PLAN - BASE LEVEL1200 mm · above L1OPENINGCUT PLANE · 1200 mm ↑L13000LEVEL 1±0 mmLEVEL 2+3000 mm
Plan|Floor Plan - Base Level· default
AAWALLOPENINGN
1200 mm above L1
Cut Plane Floor Plan - Base Level
Shaft drawn as dashed cross.
Default because cut plane at 1200 mm ↑L1 falls in this zone.

Horizontal Opening Visibility​

Wall and beam openings carry a single symbol. The same principle applies: the Cut Plane Ceiling Plan - Top Level parameter must match the cut plane offset of the RCP; otherwise the symbol is missing in the reflected ceiling plan.

Fine-Tuning the Symbol Position​

Two instance parameters shift the symbol vertically without changing the level constraint:

  • Offset Symbol Top: shifts the upper symbol up or down.
  • Offset Base Symbol: shifts the lower symbol up or down.

Use these when project-specific level heights push the symbol onto the wrong floor and reassigning the level is not appropriate.

Different Display Above and Below the Cut Plane​

Some standards require wall openings in the cut plane to be hatched and openings above it to be dashed (or vice versa). The horizontal family has only one symbol, so this is handled with a view filter:

  1. Add the shared parameter Distance Void Axis to Base Level from the ConVoid Shared Parameter file as a project parameter to the Generic Models category.
  2. Create a view filter for Generic Models with the rule Distance Void Axis to Base Level < 1200 mm.
  3. Apply a graphic override (lines, patterns, transparency) so the filtered openings differ from the default display.

Color Filters​

ConVoid color filters visualize the approval and drawing status of each opening. Common issues:

  • Filter does not apply on specific floors or views: the project language in the ConVoid Manager has been changed. Open ConVoid Manager > Profile > Project Language, re-select the correct language, and recreate the color filter.
  • Status color does not reflect the latest change: the Approval Status has higher priority than the Drawing Status. An opening that was approved and later changed keeps the approved color. To list these openings, filter in the ConVoid Manager by Drawing Status = Changed and Approved by = [your discipline].
  • Filter should be hidden in plans and only visible in 3D: delete the filter from the 2D views or override it with a neutral color.

Troubleshooting​

Opening is Not Visible​

Check the active view in this order:

  1. Category Generic Models is switched on in Visibility/Graphics.
  2. Category Detail Items is switched on in Visibility/Graphics.
  3. No view filter is hiding the opening.
  4. The opening has a correct Base Level and Top Level constraint.
  5. The cut plane parameter for the current plan type matches the view's cut plane.

If all checks pass and the opening is still missing, use Plan Check for a full overview of the openings on the selected level.

Opening Symbol is Not Filled (only Outline or Dots)​

Detail Level and Discipline

  1. Set the view's Detail Level to Fine.
  2. Set the view's Discipline to Coordination.
  3. Verify that the opening is constrained to both an upper and a lower level.
  4. If you joined the opening with the host element instead of cutting it, the symbol can break due to a Revit behaviour. Delete and recreate the opening, or use the Cut/Uncut function.

Opening Appears on the Wrong Floor​

Most often the level constraint is wrong or a cut plane parameter is set too high. Three quick fixes:

  • Correct the Base Level and Top Level using Level/Elevation or Plan Check.
  • Set the unused cut plane parameter to 0 mm to suppress the symbol on that floor.
  • Use Offset Symbol Top or Offset Base Symbol to shift the symbol without changing the level.

Opening Prints with White Fill in PDF Export​

The opening displays correctly in Revit but prints with a white fill or white shadow. This is a known Revit shadow engine behaviour, independent of the printer or export format.

  1. Check the view mode: the issue mostly affects Hidden Lines. Try exporting in Wireframe mode.
  2. Confirm Detail Level is Fine and Discipline is Coordination.
  3. Most reliable fix: add a virtual section line to the affected horizontal openings. The line does not need to be visible — it only ensures correct rendering in the PDF export.

Plan Regions Do Not Show the Opening​

The symbol relies on the cut plane intersecting the family's internal geometry. If the Plan Region cut plane does not reach it, increase the relevant Cut Plane parameter (for example Cut Plane Ceiling Plan - Top Level to at least 1 mm) so the geometry extends into the Plan Region cut plane.

Verify Your Results​

After running ConVoid, open a representative floor plan and a reflected ceiling plan. If an opening is missing or looks wrong, walk these checks in order:

  1. Category Generic Models is switched on in Visibility/Graphics.
  2. Category Detail Items is switched on in Visibility/Graphics.
  3. Detail Level is set to Fine.
  4. Discipline is set to Coordination.
  5. No view filter is hiding the opening.
  6. The opening has a correct Base Level and Top Level.
  7. The relevant cut plane parameter matches the view's cut plane.

If all checks pass and the opening is still missing, run Plan Check for a full overview of the openings on the selected level.