Huge File Size

[twollifur]

I am working on a masterplanning project in Revit, but for some reason my file has gotten HUGE (240,888 KB). I have been trying to isolate what is making the file so large, but I can't figure it out.

The file consists of:
-Imported CAD file from which I created the topography, then I deleted it after the topography was made.
-subregions
-about 30 grids and 20 levels (floor plans)
-pads and floor plates
-a few in place masses which are mainly just boxes
-some imported masses that are parametric boxes
-imported CAD files and images at each level

I know that it is hard to determine from this list, but has anyone else had an unexplained huge project like this? and if so, do you know what elements in particular are larger than others? I tried testing it out by erasing one element at a time to see if it changed the file size, but nothing actually hugely affected it. Could it be corrupt somehow?

The file is so big, that when I save it takes from 30min. to 1hr. to save, so I have it linked in to another file and am just working on it from there. I tried to bind it too, but it crashed.

Thanks in advance,

[eric.piotrowicz]

How large is the site topo? It may help to break it into several smaller areas and then link those into the main project. Also in place masses/families can add extra bulk, try making them as families and then load into the project.

[cliff collins]

I suspect the cadd imports and especially the "images" could be bloating the file size.

Are they tiffs, jpgs, --how big are the image files, and how many are in the project?

cheers

[cdatechguy]

yeah, try ditching the images...

[johnf.77896]

Hi, one thing that we do is make the site separate and link it to the model. This seems to help us.

John Fleming
GMK Architecture, inc.

[DaveP]

When you say

-imported CAD files and images at each level

Do you really mean imported? You should almost never Iimport CAD files. Linking them is a much better practice than Importing. Imported CAD files are difficult to find - especially if they've been Imported to "this View Only", And, please tell me you haven't Exploded them. Exploding CAD files is even worse than Importing them, and pretty much a guarantee of unmanageable file size.

[twollifur]

Thank you all for the responses! The weird thing is that when I do delete the different elements and save the file, it doesn't get any smaller.

I have lots of jpegs inserted into each floor plan, but when I deleted them, the file size only got a bit smaller. I even tried purging the file several times, but nothing seems to change the file size. Is there a delay in the reporting of the file size?

[Scott Womack]

When you saved it, did you tell it to compact the file?

[Elmo]

As Scott stated did you do a compact save file? Simpy go File>Save As and inside the options section you have to click a tick box that says compact file. This should remove a lot of redundent information that your file seems to keep.

[twollifur]

Thank you Scott and Elmo! I tried compacting the file and it went from 240,888 KB to 237,784 KB. I will continue to clean up the file, compact it as I go, and separate elements to link them in.

Thanks for all the help!