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defining project orgAnizAtion 37

Creating any datum is easy. Simply select the desired tool from the Architecture tab, and
then pick two points to define the start and end locations. Despite their two-dimensional
appearance, all datum objects have three-dimensional extents that help you manage their
appearance throughout a project. You will explore this further in the section “Explaining 3D
and 2D Datum Extents” later in this chapter.

Creating and Duplicating Levels
In the previous section, we discussed the overall purpose of datum objects; however, there are
special conditions related to the creation of levels. First, you should understand that a level does
not always require an associated plan view. Levels that have plan views will have a blue graphic
symbol at the end (double-click it to go to that view), whereas those that don’t will have a black
graphic symbol. When you create a new level, you have the option to create a corresponding
plan view by using the Make Plan View option from the Options bar.
Copying an existing level will not create the corresponding plan views. This is useful if
you are working on a larger project, such as a high-rise, and you want to quickly configure
multiple levels without creating them one at a time. You might also want to use levels just
as a reference for content but not for a specific plan, such as for an intermediate landing or
mezzanine.
While it is easy to create many levels by copying or arraying, only create the levels that
are necessary to manage major parts of your project. You don’t need to create a level for
every slab, stair, or floor offset. Too many levels can have a negative impact on your project’s
performance.
Let’s explore the creation and duplication of levels with an exercise. First, download and
open the file c02-Levels-Start.rvt or c02-Levels-Start-Metric.rvt from this book’s
website at www.sybex.com/go/masteringrevit2015. Then follow these steps:
1. Open the exercise file and activate the South elevation view.
You will see two levels that are usually present when you create a new project using the
default template.
2. From the Architecture tab in the ribbon, find the Datum panel and click the Level tool. In
the Options bar, ensure that the Make Plan View option is selected.
3. From left to right, draw a new level exactly 10’-0” (3000 mm) above Level 2.
When you hover the mouse pointer anywhere near either endpoint of the existing levels,
you will see alignment guides (dashed lines) that help keep the extents of the datum
objects consistent.
4. Click the Modify button or press the Esc key, and you will notice that the new level has a
blue target. Double-click the target for Level 3, and the Level 3 floor plan will open.
5. Return to the South elevation view and select Level 3. From the Modify tab in the ribbon,
click the Copy tool. In the Options bar, select the Multiple option.
6. Create two copies of Level 3: one that is 2’-0” (600 mm) above Level 3 and one that is 8’-0”
(2400 mm) above that one, as shown in Figure 2.24.

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