One of the most popular addins for Revit to date is the simple section box tool by Coins. But what about doing the same thing in 2D? Paolo has put together a macro (and shared the code) that crops a Plan view around a selection of elements. Nice job!

From Punto Revit:

I’ve been asked by a  reader if it is possible via Revit API to crop a plan view around a selection of objects, if there are no scope boxes associated it can be done in a fairly easy way.

You can find the code here

Original post:
http://puntorevit.blogspot.com/2014/07/crop-view-by-selection-macro.html

Arguably the most useful free add-in for Revit, there are some great new features – the one that particularly grabbed my eye was the automatic alignment and rotation of section boxes to certain elements:

  • Works with elements in linked files (Revit 2014 only).
  • Works with grid lines and level lines.
  • Picking a single wall, beam, duct, or pipe will produce a section box aligned with it.
  • Picking an elevation marker that has a single view associated with it will create a section box from that view.
  • Allow picking of assemblies.
  • Fixed issue where routine would not work if the model contained multiple assemblies with identical view names.
  • Thousands of users are now investigating their models at “the speed of conversation”. Thank you all for making this app one of the highest ranked, most downloaded, and most commented apps on the Autodesk Revit Exchange store!

Download it from here

As you may know, Harry made a free Section Box add-in with automatic rotation to walls a while back:
3D Section Box crop add-in WITH automatic rotation – Boost Your BIM

This is arguably my favourite free add-in for Revit.  Check out the new features:
  •  Support for Revit 2014
  •  New “Toggle Section Box” command
  •  Ability to arrange the section box view side-by-side with the selected view
  •  Support for creating section boxes from view outlines, section lines, and scope boxes
  •  New “Quick Auto-Section” command
  •  Worry-free selections – automatic filtering of 2d and datum elements

Click here for a video showing the top 5 uses, including the new features.

Download at:
COINS Auto-Section Box | Autodesk Revit | Autodesk Exchange Apps

EDIT via MLD in the comments:
In a 3D view;
1 Ensure Section box covers all elements by,Unchecking then rechecking ‘Section Box’
2 Select some objects and the section box
3 Temporary isolate elements
4 Uncheck then recheck ‘Section Box’ again
5 Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate

Another way – is the COINS Auto-Section Box add-in available on Autodesk Exchange.  Install the add-in, restart Revit, select a few objects then click the button.  It will create a section box around those objects in the selected 3D view – very easy!

Download at:
Autodesk Exchange Apps

A third way – is through a nice tip posted by Trey at Wikihelp.  Here are the basic steps:

  1. In a plan or elevation view, create a Callout (View tab > Create panel > Callout).
  2. Open a default 3D view.
  3. Right-click on the View Cube.
  4. Select Orient to View > Floor Plans, and choose the Callout view you just made. Your 3D view will automatically have a Section Box that matches the Crop Region of the Callout!

via
Small 3D View – WikiHelp