Network folder setup and organization of resources

[designviz]

Looking for recommendations regarding network folder setup and organization of resources (libraries, templates, etc.) and how to keep straight Autodesk delivered content, Company developed content, Project developed content, and downloaded content.

I initially plan to start with the delivered content and place it on our network under M:\Standards\Revit:
IES
Imperial Library
Imperial Templates
Training

Project content will be contained within the Project folders. I am then debating whether to have folders under the above and their sub-folders for Company and Downloaded content. I fear though this may create an excessive hierarchy. The other option might be to proceed Company developed content with "DSVZ_" and Downloaded content with "DWNL_." This too though could become problematic.

Any examples/recommendations would be appreciated.

Thank you,

[cjehly]

Our filing method is so deep and wide, you need a guide and a compass to navigate.

Of course, I didn't set it up either...

Best of luck, this is a HUGE subject where no 2 people on the planet particularly agree.

[genemarz]

we put all of our customization files in a folder/subfolders, with all menus, fonts, plotter setups, etc.
Projecte each have a main folder, and then subfolders for each trade's design info, calcs, etc. Also subfolders for schedules and notes. We do MEP, so get drawings for the architects,a nd those get filed by date as received in their own subfolders as well.

[bcgatti]

We leave the out of the box content intact (especially regarding file names) in the Imperial Library and Imperial Templates folders. We add our custom content and templates in the appropriately named existing folders underneath Imperial Library and/or Imperial Templates. That way users only have to look in one place for specific categories of content.

Our custom items (content and templates) have an identifier as a prefix ex: "ABCD_" at the beginning of the file name (this matches your example of adding a prefix) so that we can easily identify which components we have created.

We typically do not use other downloaded content without first adding our own parameters to them and verifying their accuracy - once we verify and add the necessary parameters they become part of our library and are named accordingly with the above mentioned prefix.

[jeh.212740]

Sorry this is so late but one practice i utilize is to have the office created content stored within its ownd directory with shortcuts to the Out of the Box content, this way we do not need a prefix but still have quick access to the out of the box content.

[designviz]

Thank you. Better late than never :)

I like your idea of using shortcuts to get to the Out of the Box content from within our office folders, and agree it is overall cleaner and less prone to error than using prefix's in the file names.

We are now in the process of doing our first upgrade from RAC 2009 to 2010, and having Out of the Box content and our own mixed up in the same folders even with prefix's does not make for the most efficient upgrade workflow. Your process would allow us to simply redirect the shortcuts to the new location and leave our content alone, other than to upgrade the file format.

With regard to the Delivered Content, do you then make those folders read-only to avoid accidental overwrites and force the issue that if they change they are made part of your office created content?

Also, while we are somwewhat on the subject and although perhaps I should start another thread, does anyone know if there is a way within Revit itself or a free batch like utility to upgrade an entire folder and sub-folders contents to a new version format, without having to open each family, template, etc. individually?

[designviz]

We typically do not use other downloaded content without first adding our own parameters to them and verifying their accuracy - once we verify and add the necessary parameters they become part of our library and are named accordingly with the above mentioned prefix.

While this downloaded content is being verified and modified where do you store it? I had been using a folder called "WIP" (Work In Progress), within the root folder of the main library folder where items like this would go. Once the verification process was complete including determining the best category for it to go under it would be moved out of this folder into the appropriate folder.

Sound reasonable?

[timsea81]

Has anyone ever tried using a blank project to store content? The idea has crossed my mind a few times, but we are yet to implement it or really try it out. I don't think it's necessarily a good idea for specialized equipment, but for the things you use frequently but not on every job. It gets kind of confusing to keep track of which version of the family is loaded on the network, in your project, in the template, etc. So this way, when you're looking for content, you'd open the "content" project, edit the family you want, and load it in to your project.

More so than with .rfa's I think this is the way we're going to do it with schedules, details, legends, etc, so you can "insert from file" from just the one content file, rather than having to keep a whole set of them organized. Anyone else doing this?

[m20roxxers]

All our system families schedules, legends, certain detail components and standard details are stored in Project files. Only customised component families are stored seperately

[designviz]

Though in essence this is what a template file allows as well, and thus at first I questioned this approach. However, I have since come to find that Adesk/Revit has decided for some reason not to allow importing drawings, schedules, etc. directly from a template file. Though you can rename them to .rvt and get around that, it is not really a great workaround. Furthermore, template files themselves generally want to be kept small, and though should of course contain some of the most commonly used items like a few typical door types, etc., they usually don't want to be overly cluttered and bogged down by having every possible item for every possible project and potentially requires teams to first purge out unwanted items.

If we peel the onion and try and get to what the real issue is that needs to be addressed, it is, that though Revit has familes organized in folder structure, it lacks the concept of a library of components and a nice graphical interface for organizing, categorizing, documenting and maintaining these. It would be nice if they could provide a free application/tool that would have a RevitCity or Autodesk Seek type front end but rather than looking at the web would look internally at certain locations on a companies network drives.

Sorry, all that may be obvious to you, I was just thinking out loud a bit.

Someone had mentioned to me the SmartBIM Library (http://www.smartbim.com/). You can also view a demo of the product here (https://rbi.webex.com/rbi/ldr.php?AT=pb&SP=MC&rID=52899117&rKey=3b620de0ada7cf39). What I have yet to determine is if this costs money :) If not, then this may be a worthy solution. If it does, then until such time that Adesk or someone else develops something as described above that is free the idea of having a separate container/library file with all such items intrigues me, partially because it would seem to provide a way to more easily encapsulate/isolate OTB content versus Company created or modified content, and so I would be very interested to hear back periodically as you progress down this road.

[pdavis]

Are you setting up a folder structure for a single location or multiple?

[Chris.Partin]

Someone had mentioned to me the SmartBIM Library (http://www.smartbim.com/). You can also view a demo of the product here (https://rbi.webex.com/rbi/ldr.php?AT=pb&SP=MC&rID=52899117&rKey=3b620de0ada7cf39). What I have yet to determine is if this costs money :)

It looks like its $500 for a license. I don't think that's too bad if you're using Revit as your primary means to develop drawings. I haven't really looked at all it offers, but I think it has potential for some people.

[designviz]

In our particular case at the moment it is a single location. However, long term wise it would be nice if the solution were adapatble to either scenario.

[jeh.212740]

With regard to the Delivered Content, do you then make those folders read-only to avoid accidental overwrites and force the issue that if they change they are made part of your office created content?

I have all the content read only except to myself, this way i can control what is there and can prevent accidental overwrite.

[designviz]

Thanks for the follow-up.

[thillhouse]

Is there an alternate anyone has found to SmartBIM Library? Are there other options that do a similar thing?

I looked into it and $250 seems steep for a seat when you have 50+ in these times...

Also I would like to just be able to catalogue the familes we create, not ones given to us by Reed or Sweets... I'm sure it does that as well, I just don't know if that option can be turned off.

Thanks
TIm