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Thread: Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

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    Default Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

    All,
    I have been searching the forums for some time now and as my mood turns grey (just like the unusual weather here in Denver, cloudy and rainy in August?), I decided to ask for a "little help from my friends".
    I am working on a huge project and things are ticking along nicely, but we have gotten a request from the client to show the Central file name on our title block as opposed to the file path (the latter is much more useful imho). The request (along with an accompanying spreadsheet) as stated has 2 related parts. The first part is that the printed drawings should show only the name of the central model. Now, I know that the short answer is to put the Revit model name in the title block, but wait ‘til you here the second part. The client easily picked up on the fact that we are working in local models and performing STC’s. Their experience is that they have had problems with keeping central files updated while printing, and keeping them coordinated with any additional 3d studies. Again, I can’t stress how enormous this project is, but there is no way that we could stop production to print the entire thing (yes, we break it down as we print, but still). The implied solution is to work only in the central model.
    I am looking for best practices and reasons not to work in the Central File, but I am sure that they may interpret my justifications as biased. I was almost certain that I had seen a list or thread that included vigorous arguments against working in the Central File (in spite of the fact that it theoretically can be done). I can’t find anything even after searching on various terms and phrases related to the subject.
    Any help/guidance is greatly appreciated.
    Regards,
    Jeff

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    Super Moderator CAtDiva's Avatar
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    Default Re: Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

    Well the biggest reason to not work in the Central File is that while someone is in the Central File, no one else can work in it. And if someone opens it and makes changes, but does not relinquish anything, that user effectively has the entire project checked out. This happened to me recently and it took several gyrations to get the Central File back to user friendly status.

    Steve Stafford at RevitOpEd has several posts on Central Files regarding when to work in it and when not to: http://revitoped.blogspot.com/search...Central%20File.

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    Default Re: Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

    Thanks CAtDiva, I found one of Steve's posts, but the language implied that you could work in the central. Looking through the remaining posts did help. Thanks again!

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    Default Re: Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

    Whoa... /shiver. This is familiar territory. While Synchronization with the Central means all players have to play nice, if a client is suggesting that working in the Central File is a solution to said problem: that is *not* a solution. Working in the Central File has nothing to do with the work being more or less Synchronized. Just because there is a Central File does not automatically mean it is the 100% accurate copy at all times. It only is as accurate as the team members contributing toward it.

    There are many ways to approach printing when you have a big team and a lot of players. Yes, pencils down is one method, but it's also a good way to lose momentum. Detach from Central for printing is another method that works well with a rigorous archiving approach for each milestone.

    My stance, if I were in your shoes (and, I have been) would be this: I am sorry <client>, but we cannot work only in the Central File. If we do so, we run the following risks: x, y, z. And, it does not solve our problem of coordinated, synchronized models. Instead, here is our proposed plan (could be your BIM PxP) outlining how we will manage our team at each deliverable. It includes defined tasks for each author and outlines expectations for each deliverable.

    I get a lot ( A LOT ) of push back when this kind of stuff is my answer to Revit problems, but in 12 years I can tell you there has never once been a software solution to managing large projects that stood on its own two legs without a management plan for the people using it.

    I would suggest looking up classes from AU that deal with large project management in Revit and/or reach out to folks on here who have street cred on large projects and ask (not all large projects are allowed to be discussed on the interwebs for opsec reasons, but the experts know... and can advise). There are a few threads on this, some deal with printing techniques.

    In my experience, on large projects, the best management planning for printing is to have your people working in such a way that teams can be distributed around the sets. In other words, assigning someone to do all the doors across everything is not successful planning. Instead, align their work to packages such that they can complete one set, then move on to the next without interfering with the content in the first. If there is, say, four connected towers (call them A, B, C, D) and there is shell/core package being delivered for each tower ahead of the interior fit-out. And, say, Tower A Shell/Core is due Friday, I would have your PM assign the interiors team to be working over in Tower C while Tower A Shell/Core is printed. And, structural should have been finished on Tower A early and should be working over on Tower C, not Tower B while printing is going on in Tower A. The goal would be to keep people away from the content required in the current print sets, yet allow continued progress. Confusing as mud, I know, but there is no easy button for large projects.

    I hope that all might help a touch.

    Cheers,
    LC
    @digihumminbird

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    Revit Forum Manager Steve_Stafford's Avatar
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    Default Re: Revit Central File - Working in the Central Model

    Coming to this thread quite late.

    Regarding the file name and location - There is nothing preventing you from creating a local file that happens to be in the same location as the central file. It just needs a different name than the central file's name. For example, I could create a Local File after changing my user name of Printing or Printer. Then the file would say something like 1234_Project_Name_Printing. There is also a reasonable argument for printing from your local file and keeping the user name intact; it gives each print evidence of not only which file was used to create it but who did it. That would be more interesting to me if I were the one reading this information on a sheet. I could also argue that the file name or location on sheets is irrelevant in the context of BIM, much like Author is a ambiguous concept now too.

    When anyone undertakes printing they should SwC first so they have all the information that others have decided to Sync. Then they should print until done without using SwC again. That way they won't see the changes you wrote that your client experiences. The idea of using DfC (Detach from Central) is a reliable way to stand apart from the active model and any changes occurring concurrently. It also allows us to archive the version of the model that generated those prints. Keep in mind that it does not reconcile changes that can happen to linked files unless those are also archived.

    You've probably worked it out since August, if you happen to read this let us know how you resolved it?

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