LOONNNNGGGG Datum Levels - Use Scope Boxes to Limit!

We had a problem where we had imported some sites that were pretty spread out - so when my using maximized his levels to 3D extents, they went WAAAAY off in space. After a half hour of stretching the grips, it started to get pretty frustrating, so I did what I should always be doing - go to the Autodesk support discussion groups (support.autodesk.com). I found this solution from Cliff B. Collins, a Registered Architect/BIM Manager at Thalden Boyd Emery Architects in St. Louis, MO .....on the Revit Architecture page...go figure, an MEP guy looking to the architect page for help (thanks and kudos to Cliff, BTW).

He recommending using scope boxes to limit the extents of the datum levels. You'll need to do this in the file that the original levels are placed (in our case, the architectural model) From the view tab, pick the scope box tool:

Next, pick two points in a plan view around the building you want to restrict the levels to:

Once the box is placed, you can stretch and rotate the boundaries as needed. Before you switch to an elevation or section view, you need to make sure the scope box is visible. While it's still selected, go to the properties and pick the Edit tool for Views Visible:

Change the elevations from invisible to visible in the view you want to use (I'm picking South - Mech as the override).

Go to that view. You'll see the scope box, and can edit the boundary from here as well. Pick the level you want to pull back to the scope box - when the level is selected, go to Properties, and change to the Scope Box 1 as the extents.

Now the level matches the scope box boundary. This tool comes in handy when you have more than one building on a site, and want to just show the levels relative to the specific structures. If you have more than one structure, name the scope box after the structure so it's clear. When the MEP engineers get your architectural model this way, we'll promise to love you forever...until you ask us to make some other flaky change...

Now we can all play nice - David B.