Improve the way local files are created

[Revit Wishes]

Summary: Revit should make local file creation more "transparent".

Description: Improve the way local files are created.

How Used: We need to eliminate the File>Open>Save As process for creating local files. Even the copy/paste approach is inefficient and prone to mistakes. Many firms are writing scripts or batch files to simplify this process and Revit should resolve it instead.

Ideally a user should be able to attempt to open a central file and have a local file created for them instead (location defineable).

Consider defining a user permission schema for direct central file access for admin duties by qualified users. This way only an authorized user can open a central file directly.

Feature Affinity: Worksharing (Worksets)

Submitted By: Stephen Stafford on September 17, 2007

[Andrew Dobson]

It might also help if there were different file extentions for local and central files (e.g. RCF and RLF for workset projects and keep RVT for standalone projects).

[mtaylor_GGA]

<snip>
Consider defining a user permission schema for direct central file access for admin duties by qualified users. This way only an authorized user can open a central file directly.
<snip>


a-freakin'-men.

It would also be nice to have the option to require admin permission to create an active local file.

[dbaldacchino]

Nah, I don't like your admin idea, sorry :)

I would like Revit to support "switches" in shortcuts though. So if I create a shortcut to a RVT file, it would do the following:

a) project.rvt /W : File opens and the "specify worksets" dialog opens so I can choose what to open;
b) project.rvt /J "journalname.txt" : Opens the project and runs the specified journal;
c) project.rvt /D : Opens a detached (from central) copy of the project;
d) project.rvt /L : You point this shortcut to the central file and you automatically get a local copy to open in Revit with no questions asked, with your windows logon username appended to the filename (or something similar, perhaps user defined).

[Steve_Stafford]

Creating shortcuts is just as much an admin hassle as anything else. Wrong shortcut on desktop...mess. Can't email shortcuts in some offices. Not saying I'd oppose the feature but we need a simpler, cleaner, less error prone process.

[dbaldacchino]

Certainly agree. It would be nice though to have that additional support for those that want to use it (perhaps in the interim until we get THE best solution implemented by the development team).

[mtaylor_GGA]

Nah, I don't like your admin idea, sorry :)


No offense taken.

Upon further reflection, I can see how it would be a pain in the *** for large teams, but most teams in my office are <5 people, so any hassle would be on a small scale.

*note to self: don't forget that other people have ginormous and unwieldy teams to contend with when making suggestions* ;)

[dbaldacchino]

haha that's why I don't like it. Control is good to a certain extent, but too much of it will bog you down.