Description

During design I work exclusively with 3D views and sectionboxes to cut them accordingly.
Therefore I use the tools:

• pyRevit-toggles-section box
• pyRevit-modify-3D-section box align
• pyRevit-preflight-level data
• COINS sectionbox

a lot.
I am proposing this little helper tool, combining features and providing previews (thanks for the hint @tay0thman , @thumDer ) using dc3d

Checklist

Before submitting your pull request, ensure the following requirements are met:

• Code follows the PEP 8 style guide.
• Code has been formatted with Black using the command:

  pipenv run black {source_file_or_directory}

• Changes are tested and verified to work as expected.

Related Issues

If applicable, link the issues resolved by this pull request:

• Resolves #[issue number]

Additional Notes

Code: heavily AI supported, please review!
Feature set - AI generated:

Section Box Navigator - Feature Description

Overview

A comprehensive, modeless WPF window for intuitive section box navigation and manipulation in Revit 3D views. This tool provides real-time visual feedback and streamlines the workflow for adjusting section boxes during model coordination and documentation.

Key Features

1. Real-Time Status Display

• Shows current section box top and bottom positions in project units
• Displays the next level above/below each boundary with elevation information
• Automatically updates when section box is modified through any method
• Persists across view changes and manual adjustments

2. Level-Based Navigation

• Top/Bottom Controls: Snap the top or bottom of the section box to the next level up or down
• Box Movement: Move the entire section box up or down while maintaining its height
• Intelligent validation prevents creating invalid boxes (e.g., moving top below bottom)
• Perfect for quickly isolating specific floors or building sections

3. Precise Nudging

• Fine-tune section box boundaries by a specified distance
• Separate controls for top and bottom adjustments
• User-defined nudge amount with automatic unit conversion
• Independent up/down arrows for incremental adjustments
• Ideal for exposing MEP elements just above ceilings or below floors

4. Expand/Shrink Functionality

• Uniformly expand or shrink the section box in all directions (X, Y, Z)
• Maintains the box center point while growing/shrinking
• Works with rotated section boxes (respects local coordinate system)
• User-defined expansion amount with automatic unit conversion
• Perfect for quick context adjustments or focusing on specific areas

5. Interactive Preview System

• Real-time semi-transparent preview mesh on button hover
• Shows exactly how the section box will change before committing
• Color-coded preview (blue with transparency) clearly distinguishes from actual box
• Works for all operations: level snapping, nudging, and expand/shrink
• Can be toggled on/off for performance or preference
• Powered by DC3D server for smooth visualization

6. Section Box Persistence

• Toggle Box: Temporarily hide the section box while preserving its configuration
• Automatically saves section box state per view using pyRevit data files
• Restore previously saved section boxes with a single click
• Survives Revit sessions and model reloads
• Essential for switching between full and sectioned views during coordination

7. Visibility Management

• Hide/Unhide Box: Toggle the visibility of the section box crop region itself
• Uses Revit's reveal hidden mode for safe manipulation
• Useful for creating clean screenshots and presentations

8. Align to Face

• Intelligent face picker for aligning section box orientation
• Works with both model elements and linked models
• Automatically rotates section box perpendicular to selected face
• Maintains box position while updating orientation
• Essential for diagonal walls, rotated grids, and complex geometries

9. Unit System Integration

• Automatically detects and uses project units
• Displays units clearly in the interface
• All inputs and outputs respect project unit formatting
• Seamlessly works with Metric and Imperial projects

10. Modeless Operation

• Window stays on top and accessible while working in Revit
• Continues to function while navigating views and selecting elements
• Non-blocking design allows normal Revit operations
• Clean external event pattern for thread-safe Revit API operations

Technical Highlights

• Event-Driven Updates: Monitors document changes to update display automatically
• Transaction Safety: All modifications wrapped in proper transactions
• Error Handling: Comprehensive validation and user-friendly error messages
• Memory Management: Proper cleanup on window close (DC3D server, event handlers)
• Cross-Version Compatible: Uses pyRevit compatibility layer for ElementId handling
• Serialization: Pickle-based storage for section box persistence

Use Cases

1. MEP Coordination: Quickly adjust section boxes to expose services above/below levels
2. Structural Analysis: Isolate specific floors or bays for detailed review
3. Presentation Views: Fine-tune section cuts for client presentations
4. Clash Detection: Adjust viewing volumes during coordination meetings
5. Documentation: Create consistent section views aligned to building geometry
6. Model Review: Rapidly navigate through building sections during quality control

User Experience Benefits

• Speed: Replace multiple clicks and parameter inputs with single button presses
• Accuracy: Visual preview prevents errors and rework
• Flexibility: Combines level-based and precise numeric control
• Confidence: See changes before applying them
• Consistency: Standardized section box adjustments across project team

Thank you for contributing to pyRevit! 🎉