Annotation Techniques for Revit Pipeline Sectional Views
Since most drawings are presented in two dimensions, sectional elevation views become essential when pipelines are densely packed, especially when stacked vertically. However, in Revit, achieving the same effects as in CAD—such as annotation, element display, and line styles—can be challenging. For instance, the elevation header color remains blue regardless of changes, which has frustrated over 90% of users. Below, we share some practical tips to address these issues.
1. Create a Profile
Start by creating a section using the section tool found in the View panel or Quick Access toolbar.
Draw section markers in the plan view and adjust the section box size as needed.
Then, double-click the section or right-click and select “Go to View” to open the sectional view you want to annotate.
2. Hide Annotations from Linked Files
If you are working with linked structural models, you may notice overlapping grid and elevation annotations.
To clean this up, go to View Visibility > Revit Links and modify the display settings of the linked file.
Click the linked file name, then under Display Settings, choose Customize.
In the annotation category, uncheck the boxes to hide unnecessary annotation categories, resulting in a cleaner grid and elevation display.
3. Annotating Pipeline Parameters and Spacing
Use the alignment annotation tool to standardize spacing between pipelines and structural elements.
Annotate the pipeline boundaries and spacing both longitudinally and transversely in sequence.
Labeling by the centerline is usually easier—just press the Tab key to snap to it.
However, as design requirements become more detailed to guide construction, it’s often necessary to label the top, bottom, and sides of pipelines as well.
One challenge is that the Tab key may not always snap to the pipeline edges, especially with circular pipes and bridge frames. This happens because the pipeline cross-section is hidden by the lifting symbol.
To fix this, disable the lifting symbols for ducts, pipes, bridges, and conduits in the visibility settings. This will allow you to snap to the pipeline boundaries properly.
After completing annotations, the lifting symbols can be re-enabled for display purposes if needed.
This method not only improves annotation accuracy but also makes adjusting pipeline spacing easier—once a pipeline is selected, spacing annotations become editable.
Despite these improvements, you may still notice that the elevation header color remains blue and cannot be changed.
This is because Revit’s designers highlighted the elevation to indicate its association with the plan view but did not consider typical user scenarios or provide customization options.
To work around this, use the Elevation tool and uncheck Create a plan view. Then, draw a new elevation and hide the original one in the sectional view.
Finally, as covered in our previous tutorial, add dimensions, elevation markers, system annotations, and other pipeline details to complete your sectional drawing.
While Revit has some unprofessional and user-unfriendly aspects, often overlooked by large software companies, it’s important for developers to experience the software from the user’s perspective. Equally crucial is maintaining industry professionalism and depth to ensure every feature is practical and applicable.
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