Creating section viewports
A section viewport creates either a vertical or horizontal cross section view of a model at a defined cut plane, but leaves the model intact. The Create Section Viewport command creates a vertical section viewport, and the Create Horizontal Section Viewport command creates a horizontal section viewport.
The section viewport can display a 2D cross section view of only the objects that intersect the cut plane, or you can opt to display objects and hidden objects that are located beyond and/or before (and above and/or below) the cut plane. For a cleaner appearance, you can choose to display 2D components of 3D symbols and many plug-in objects positioned normal to the view (see Concept: 2D components for symbol definitions and plug-in objects). Within a section viewport, you can set display and attributes settings for the viewport overall, and then create override settings for 3D objects in the view by class or individually (see Displaying 3D objects in section viewports).
Create a section viewport from a design layer, from a clip cube, or from a non-section viewport on a sheet layer. You can also create a vertical section viewport from a horizontal section viewport. A section viewport that is created from a design layer or clip cube can be updated when changes are made to the design layer. However, a section viewport that is created from a viewport does not maintain a connection to the viewport that created it. It updates when the design layers that are visible in the source viewport change.
A section viewport can be created on either a sheet layer or a design layer; the functionality and purpose of the two types of section viewports are different.
Sheet layer section viewports can include annotations and automatic drawing coordination of the sheet and drawing numbers (see Document preferences: Display tab). Also, if there are multiple viewports on a sheet layer, each can a have different view and scale.
Design layer section viewports are useful when, for example, a detail section is needed in a Front rendered view. A design layer section viewport allows comparison between a section and an elevation view. In a team environment, the design layer section viewport can be referenced in other files.
Interior elevation viewports are a subcategory of vertical section viewports that display as many as four elevations of a space as seen from within the room, without creating a cross section of the model; see Creating interior elevation viewports.
