Elevation benchmarks and stories
If a project already has stories defined, you can link elevation benchmarks to existing story levels (or stories). Linked elevation benchmarks can be placed either on design layers or in viewport annotations (sheet layer viewports and vertical section or interior elevation viewports on sheet layers only). If the story level name or elevation changes, the elevation benchmarks linked to that story level update automatically. You can also change the story level elevation from a linked elevation benchmark object, as described below.
Linking from the story level settings
To link elevation benchmarks from the story level settings:
Assign elevation benchmarks when setting up the project story levels (or default story levels); see Creating and managing stories and Default story levels. When you create a viewport, these elevation benchmarks are available by default, but they can be changed.
Linking from a design layer
To link an elevation benchmark to an existing story level:
From a design layer, add an elevation benchmark as described in Adding an elevation benchmark, and select the desired story level (or story) as the Benchmark Datum. The elevation benchmark is constrained to that elevation, and it updates automatically if the story level is changed.
Linking from a viewport
The viewport must be a vertical section or interior elevation viewport on a sheet layer, or a sheet layer viewport where the Projection is orthogonal, and the View is parallel to the Z axis (Front, Back, Left, Right, or a custom view).
To link elevation benchmarks to existing story levels from a viewport:
Do one of the following:
While creating a viewport, click Elevation Benchmarks from the Create Viewport, Create Section Viewport, or Create Interior Elevation Viewports dialog box.
Select an existing viewport, and click Elevation Benchmarks from the Object Info palette.
The Elevation Benchmarks dialog box opens.
Click to place a check mark in the Use column for each story level you want to have an elevation benchmark. Also select a Benchmark Style from the list of markers available in this document (styles whose Benchmark Datum is set by style are not listed). Then specify the position of the markers in the viewport (left, right, or both sides).
Click Set as Defaults to make these settings available for new viewports by default.
Click OK to save the settings; the elevation benchmarks automatically display in an existing viewport immediately, or in a new viewport when it's created. If desired, edit the viewport annotations to edit the markers. To remove a marker, you can either delete it, or remove the check in its Use column in the Elevation Benchmarks dialog box.
To indicate other vertical elements in the viewport (such as a stair landing or a handrail), use the Elevation Benchmark tool to insert an elevation benchmark with the desired story level as its Benchmark Datum, and then enter an Offset from the story elevation.
Changing the story level elevation from an elevation benchmark
If an elevation benchmark is linked to a story level, you can change the elevation of both the marker and the story level from the Object Info palette.
Alternatively, change the story level elevation from the Organization dialog box; see Creating and managing stories.
To change the elevation of a story level:
Select an elevation benchmark that is linked to a story level, and then click Change Story Level Elevation from the Object Info palette. The Change Story Level Elevation dialog box opens.
Alternatively, right-click the elevation benchmark and select Change Story Level Elevation from the context menu.
Select whether to change only this story level, or change multiple levels in the story.
Enter the New Elevation.
If you selected Entire story, select which levels in the story to move from the Story Option list.
The elevations of the selected story levels are updated, along with all linked elevation benchmark objects.
