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    Default Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    Is anyone else having trouble with the Central File locking users out?

    We have a 90 MB project with linked structural file, and anywhere from 3 to 7 users working on local files. Every 2 days they all get locked out because the central file thinks it's busy. The only way to clear the problem has been to make one of the locals into a new Central.

    This has happened to other 2010 projects, but much less often.

    All users are patched up to the current build.

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    Wink Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    What OS are you running? 32 bit Windows with 4 GB RAM limitation?

    If so, you should upgrade to Windows 7 64 bit and get some more RAM--
    8 GB min., the more the better.

    Just a thought, as we saw these isuues before going to 64 bit.

    cheers........

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    Quote Originally Posted by eric-bowman View Post
    Is anyone else having trouble with the Central File locking users out?

    We have a 90 MB project with linked structural file, and anywhere from 3 to 7 users working on local files. Every 2 days they all get locked out because the central file thinks it's busy. The only way to clear the problem has been to make one of the locals into a new Central.

    This has happened to other 2010 projects, but much less often.

    All users are patched up to the current build.
    Have you verified there is not a hung save? We see this when someone STCs and leaves their desk, but some error (obscure DWG link not found, etc) hangs their save. The Central is locked because the save started, no one else can STC, and the culprit isn't around. Work Sharing Monitor will let you see who is in the act of saving. And if it isn't the recoverable hung save, at least let you see who is actually the one with the lock, which can help with further troubleshooting.

    Gordon

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    We're on XP 32 bit with 3GB of RAM and it's definately not a hung save. It has happened three times, so each time we've "reinforced" our STC protocols.

    We get two messages. One is the busy popup and the other states that the file we're tyring to synchronise is an incompatable version.

    Our reseller has suggested that:

    A) The Central File keeps track of each and every local file that ever gets created and tries to ping them for changes. When you re-create the Central it starts over with a new list and performance improves. So, we should make on local and stick with it.

    B) Overwriting local files compounds the issue because the Central file is now looking for two files with the same name where only one exists. (opening two sessions of Revit with the same user name bypasses the rights management and results in an irreconilable local so I can see where overwriting locals might confuse the Central)

    C) The 2010 feature for creating a new Local from Central does open the central file for a brief moment while it creates the local. I was thinking it was copyinig in the background and then opening, so I'm a little uncomfortable with that feature now.

    Net-net: We are going to try using the old fashioned copy-paste-rename technique of making Local files and have users refrain from making new locals each day, which was the previous best practice.

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    We have found that occasionally a file in the backup folder for the central file will get locked open to one user. Most of the time it is the .slog file, but sometimes it is one of the .dat files. Kill the connection to the file and everything goes back to normal, with no loss of work.

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    Final answer:

    It was a single users PC that occasionally locked the users.dat file in the Central File backup folder. We still don't know how or why his PC/ Installation does this, but the only way to fix it is to shut his PC down completely. At that moment everyone can STC again. The offending user can open his old Local and Synchronise when he reboots.

    Sent all the Journal files and Central history to Autodesk about a week ago... Still no feedback.

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    Quote Originally Posted by eric-bowman View Post
    We're on XP 32 bit with 3GB of RAM and it's definately not a hung save. It has happened three times, so each time we've "reinforced" our STC protocols.

    We get two messages. One is the busy popup and the other states that the file we're tyring to synchronise is an incompatable version.

    Our reseller has suggested that:

    A) The Central File keeps track of each and every local file that ever gets created and tries to ping them for changes. When you re-create the Central it starts over with a new list and performance improves. So, we should make on local and stick with it.

    B) Overwriting local files compounds the issue because the Central file is now looking for two files with the same name where only one exists. (opening two sessions of Revit with the same user name bypasses the rights management and results in an irreconilable local so I can see where overwriting locals might confuse the Central)

    C) The 2010 feature for creating a new Local from Central does open the central file for a brief moment while it creates the local. I was thinking it was copyinig in the background and then opening, so I'm a little uncomfortable with that feature now.

    Net-net: We are going to try using the old fashioned copy-paste-rename technique of making Local files and have users refrain from making new locals each day, which was the previous best practice.
    I am pretty sure 1 & 2 don't work like this. As I understand it the local files know about central, not the other way around. Basically the file knows the "central file location" and it's own location. When they are the same it is a Central File. When they are different it is a Local File. The local file will ping central to STC, Reload Latest and when an object is borrowed. All the central tracks is users, not local files. This is why you can open two local files as the same user and cause havoc. If Revit tracked the file as well as the user there would be no problems, as long as it understood machine name as well.

    I have never liked the "make a new local every day" kludge because it also breaks the ability to open with a saved set of worksets. The last used workset list is save in the local file and lost with daily new locals.

    Gordon

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    Default Re: Revit 2010 - Central File is Busy

    We've been seeing this same problem cropping up more and more. Below is an excerpt from a memo I sent to "the guys who sign the checks" as part of my effort to get upgrades for my department:

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Over the last 3-4 days, we've lost more than 24 hours of work on the XXXXX project alone, due to:

    1. The time it takes to load the model (0:5:57).

    2. The number of times Revit exhibits what I believe are memory-related problems, causing EACH user to have to reboot (0:2:25). This happens on average of 3-5 times per day.

    3. The amount of time it takes for someone to resolve the issue each time (say, 0:15:0 minimum).

    4. Each user's time lost (the same 0:15:0 minimum) sitting around waiting for the issue to be resolved before they can reload the model and get back to work.


    So, considering the 5 people working on the project, we have:

    ((5 users * ((4 reboots * 0:2:25) + (4 model loads * 0:5:57) + (4 standing around * 0:15:0)) + (4 problem resolutions * 0:15:0)) * 3 days) / (60 min/hr) = 26.4 hours!!!!


    Additionally, one of the things we've done in an attempt to give Revit enough memory to open the AVERAGE-size models we're working with is to follow Autodesk's white paper recommendation to set what is known as the "3Gb switch." This takes 1Gb away from the 2Gb in which Windows normally operates, and gives it to Revit so it has a 3Gb playpen. While this allows Revit to open the files, it appears to hinder Windows' need for system resources to the point that it causes numerous problems with other programs, such as MicroStation V8i. Users are not able to plot consistently. They can't access the [network] drive without closing all other programs, etc.

    Finally, [one of my drafters] has been using the 64-bit machine the last couple of days and, while it doesn't seem to perform much faster in Revit, he hasn't experience ANY of these problems.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------


    I *did* find some info on the "/Userva" boot.ini switch that might let us tweak the space allocated to system resources, but I think the BEST solution is moving to 64-bit Windows 7 machines.

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