Save to Central Problem

[raddis]

Scenario:
I'm logged in as same user on two stations, copied Central project down to those two stations and was working with another person jus fine until all of sudden I get the attached error dialog box, to the effect that my file is no longer compatible with the central file.

What caused this and how might I correct it? I tried changing the User name, but then it wouldn't let me open the local file at all.

[sbrown]

why would you be logged in as the same user? That would certainly confuse the system.

[raddis]

Good question, too complicated toexplain right now.
Won't happen in real life.

More to the point, how do I solve this saving to central issue?
The other interesting FUBAR is that if you change your user id you can't open an RVT file that had been opened under a different user name.

Other than telling me what a dumb idea logging in as the same person, I welcome all additional comments.

Thanks!

[Steve_Stafford]

When you say solve this problem, what does that mean? Save the work done in both files? Prevent the error in the future? Both?

Local files become associated with the username when you create the local file by design. So preventing this in the future means not opening two local files using the same username at the same time.

Changing the same element in two local files belonging to the same user has created a paradox and Revit has taken the "first guy across the line". The other file loses. If you have made substantial changes in the file that loses, since your other file probably isn't as relevant as the one your second person is working in, you could make that local file the new central file and carry on with that file.

or...you might be able to copy to clipboard any changes and paste into the other.

[raddis]

Ok, so...
1. NEVER log in and create two local projects as the same user from the Central file.
2. See 1.

I did cut and paste the work I didn't want to lose into the central fileand updated the other local one, then deleted the 2nd local project under my name, changed the user name on that machine and recreated a new local project.

All seems well for now. Question: the 'puzzle piece" you select to make something editable. If someone else has done this at another station, I assume you will be warned that you can't do this until the other person Saves AND Reliquishes it (Give it up for Revit!)?

[irwin]

All seems well for now. Question: the 'puzzle piece" you select to make something editable. If someone else has done this at another station, I assume you will be warned that you can't do this until the other person Saves AND Reliquishes it (Give it up for Revit!)?
Yes. The purpose of making something editable is to prevent other users from changing it until you relinquish it, and Revit enforces that.

By the way, if somehow the same element has been changed in central and your local file Revit tells you the files are incompatible and won't allow you to save to central, as you described above. One way you might be able to get around this and recover your local file is to delete the conflicting element(s) (in either the central or local file). If you do this, it will then allow you to save to central. Revit doesn't tell you which elements are conflicting, but you might know just by remembering what you changed.

[dbaldacchino]

Also, by "local" file, it doesn't mean the file cannot reside on a network. We've adopted a simple system of creating user folders in the network project folder and then saving local files there with the name of the project and "_username" so there's no mistaking which is your local file. The central filename contains "_CentralFile" at the end and the folder name is "CENTRAL FILE - DO NOT OPEN" just to alert users not to mess with it. Of course if your local files becomes incompatible, you have to open and save a local from it :)

To borrow, you don't even have to click the puzzle piece. Just move/edit and it will automatically be borrowed by you, unless someone else already has it, in which case they have to save to central and relinquish. I have been working off a local file saved to the laptop and connect to the office via VPN and Revit borrows elements just fine that way too. It's been quite seamless. There were cases where I checked out the entire project (user worksets, families, views etc), worked on it later in the evening and then saved to central when getting back to the office and we have not had any problems either. If I were you, I wouldn't mess with logging in with the same username on two different machines, unless you're just plotting. It's easy to create a new local for a new username, so I'd do that instead. You're asking for trouble if you log-in multiple times. I wish Revit would tie itself to the network username, although that doesn't solve the multiple log-ins as you can log on to a network multiple times anyway.

[raddis]

I logged in twice because I'm working with a "guest" from another firm, who doesn't have log in privileges here.

That created the problem. I simply changed the "username" to Reid on his station, and kept mine as Addis and all seems well.

Thanks for all the advice and support.