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Linking Revit models together is a necessary part of many projects, in order to produce
predictable and consistent results some guidelines need to be explored and setup by
project teams. The following is a framework to create a team dialog and the project
specific strategies necessary to keep linked files working to maximum benefit.
Additionally included herein are some learned best practices to use and build on.
Understand that these coordination concepts are best thought of as a work in progress
and will evolve with your experience, specific project needs and future Revit
functionality.
It is recommended that all parties who are creating Revit Project files, including all
consultants, etc., devise and implement these or similar file & link protocols. This will
dramatically enhance overall project performance in an increasingly integrated
AECO/BIM/IPD world.
Contents
• Pre-Coordinating the Revit Model: Coordination and Consultant specific Views
In order to streamline the Visibility/Graphics (VG) work needed by Revit Teams utilizing
linked files, we want to predefine sets of views for any number of possible scenarios.
One of these possibilities is setting up views that are to be used for CAD format exports.
These views would be setup in each Revit file in need of these exports.
Another scenario is having each discipline create sets of views specifically used by the
other discipline teams when they host Revit models. These views will need to be
predefined in the hosted (linked) file. This last scenario could be thought of as being due
to multiple building projects (internal) or when consultants share their Revit files with
each other (external).
There are many more scenarios for creating specific sets of views for any one project
and the team should not only create a good strategy but also re-visit their view strategy
from time to time to ensure functionality and to keep from having too many (or any)
extraneous views.
Image 1
Image 1 above depicts views used for the Structural team when they receive and link in
the Architectural model.
With this method employed a host file can use these predefined and agreed upon views’
VG to ensure that the hosted file and their host model show only those necessary items;
refer to Image 2 below.
o The initial team dialogues where these standards are defined should be as early
in the
project’s Revit process as possible; they should undoubtedly be inclusive, open and well
documented.
o This is recommended to be done for (and by) all teams who will be linking Revit
files into their Revit projects; including but not limited to consultant teams as well
as for any in-house model.
Image 2
The preferred practice is to have all parties using Revit create at least one each of
Plans and Sections pertinent to each of the other Revit team’s needs, based on the
predefined VG setups.
Tip: When creating these extra Sections, if the file to be hosted wants to keep the
section Callouts (symbology) from cluttering up their many views then change the
Section Callouts’ “Hide at scales coarser than” value, found in the Element’s
Properties… Even More of a Tip: If sections are placed in a 1:1 scale view for example
they will automatically have 1:1 as their “Hide at scales coarser than” value; so the
callouts will only show in a 1:1 view, not anywhere else!!!
Notes:
The functionality of specifying Section Views in RVT Links is available with Revit 2009,
on. Once these coordination views are setup you can use View Templates to push
these VG changes to a multitude of other views very quickly. Since the release of Revit
2009 there is a much more rich and granular ability to apply distinct parts of a View
Template, so refer to Revit’s Help (F1) and explore and understand these new features
and functionalities.
Preparing the Revit Model: Project Cleanup
The importance of cleaning the Revit model prior to transferring it or linking it is
paramount, yet often overlooked. Remember the formula: If (Quality In=Quality Out)
then (Quality Out=Quality In). At this point ask yourself these more questions: (and
maybe more)…
• Do we want to clean the detached copy that we are actually going to share? (This is
the method outlined below and is recommended in many cases).
• Do we want to clean this actual central file after backing up a detached (new Central
File) copy?
• Do I want to clean this actual central file and detach the copy I will then transmit?
-The answers should be based on project specifics & informed team choice.
Remember that equation Quality In=Quality Out? Well the converse is true as well and
we don’t want to create files that become corrupt, are unnecessarily large and are
increasingly slower and slower, especially when we can absolutely keep that from
happening, from the start or any point.
• Save to Central and Relinquish (STC/REL) everything!!! Ensure that all members of
the team STC/REL and closed out of Revit, until you complete the detaching procedure.
• Delete all User-Local files and their backup folders. (If you are leery of this then
first back them up to an alternate location or disk) -I am not too worried about deleting
these since the Central file still exists.
• Open the Central File directly (yes, this is one of the few times for that). Choose both
Detach from Central and Audit. Image 3 below is from Revit’s Open dialog but Catapult
has these same functionalities as well.
Image 3
Once the project is open in a detached state perform the following: These steps will not
affect the actual Central file, since this is a detached copy so consider if you want to
perform any of these prior to detaching from Central.
• Remove all unnecessarily shared Views including 3D views, User views, Sheets,
Details, Sections*, Elevations*, etc. Basically only transmit those views used for *file link
coordination & the “Generated” views; made by Levels.
• Remove Links: CAD Formats through FILE>MANAGE LINKS or, if needed by others
then include copies of them with your Revit transmittal.
• Purge Unused items through FILE>PURGE UNUSED and select everything unless
there are specific items identified as useful for others. This will remove unused Families,
Groups and Other styles (still families nonetheless).
• Include custom render material bitmaps in the transmittal package. If the project
uses custom rendering materials and the parties you are transmitting to will need to
render views themselves then this is a must: If Revit cannot find the assets used to
create custom materials then those objects will render solid black.
• Save-As and press the OPTIONS button; then ensure that both “Make this a Central
File after save” and “Compact File” (slow) are chosen, then save the file to an
appropriate location. It is not recommended to change the Number of backups for
Central Files; it is not the same as the number of backups for standalone, non-Work
sharing files. In Central files the number of backups should remain at 20.
• Transmit this new file(s) in the method agreed upon by all parties but keep in mind
that transmitting on CD or DVD may be the best, safest, surest transmission for certain
types of transmittals. Files on CD or DVD can also be used as a record copy, if the disk
is closed.
Notes:
All parties receiving others’ Revit files for hosting will need to open transmitted file(s)
and save-as into new Central files, placing them on their systems or networks; be sure
to remind them. This paper will detail a workflow for this later in this document.
Compacting & Auditing are essential practices that are recommended on a regular,
weekly basis. Purging the file is important, though performed less-often and in
accordance with project timelines.
Naming Conventions: Recommended Practices
Teams both internal and external will communicate with one-another early in the project
lifecycle to determine the link transmittal naming conventions and transmittal
frequencies.
There are many strategies possible but below are 2 proven workflows.
• “Reload From” to manage the linked files when the names vary from transmittal to
transmittal. Using FILE>MANAGE LINKS… a team can simply use the Reload From
button to use a new file as the current link. If there are no custom visibility overrides in
the host, for the hosted file then this can be very useful.
• Keep the same name for all files transmitted. The real importance of having files
retain the same name and location they are linked from. So let’s say a consultant adds
a date prefix to the name of the file that they transmit on the second issuance, when the
host creates a new, localized central from that transmitted file, then the new central file
is copied over the pre-existing hosted file.
A few words to the wise: Gauge the teams when choosing any of these strategies; they
both hold benefits and pitfalls. Also remember that VG overrides do not propagate
through re-linked files.
• Based on the previous step we then use FILE>IMPORT/LINK>REVIT and choose the
appropriate consultant’s central file and Link it in using Origin to Origin.
Note: If you didn’t complete the above two steps correctly then you will need to Link the
file in then move it to its North/South, East/West and Elevation correct location manually
or remove and re-link.
Shared Coordinate Projects will have hosted files linked in using the “By Shared
Coordinates” option during linking. These will require a whole set of communications
with all parties as to who creates the shared coordinates and how/when to implement.
Again one more bit of conversation to have: which way is best for our project, at this
point?
• One-for-all: Having one Workset for all linked files may seem like a logical step but it
will not give the control desired if the project is large; but again, your project may be ok
with this.
• One-in-One: Creating one Workset for each linked file (including CAD Links) is the
preferred approach. This gives the most flexibility and the project will scale up
predictably. With this approach you can utilize the ‘specify’ open Worksets when
opening a project file so the tasks you perform aren’t over encumbered by objects (links
in this case) that aren’t necessary at the time.
To reiterate:
Linking Revit models together is a necessary part of many projects, in order to produce
predictable and consistent results. These guidelines need to be explored and setup by
project teams. This framework can be used to create a team dialog and the project
specific strategies necessary to keep linked Revit files working to their maximum
benefit. These best practices should be used and build upon to fit into your firm’s
workflows.