Linked CAD file migration!

[NDsmaug]

I am currently using Revit Architecture 2009 and I keep having problems with linked AutoCAD files. I am linking a civil site plan into my model, only to come back into the file later to find that the CAD file has ran away.
I clean up the CAD file to its minimum information. Then I import the file into Revit using the Link option. I place the plan where it needs to be using a manual center option. It is even on its own workset. Then I pin the plan to position. I'll take the time to get the linework and visibility graphic the way I need them (which is pretty time consuming) and go about my day. Then the next time I open Revit, the CAD file has decided to fly off into never never land. If I zoom all, the zoom is so far out I see neither the site plan nor my building so I have no way of finding it to move it back. Reloading does nothing to help the situation.
HELP PLEASE!!!! What is the deal? How do I get this to stop happening. It takes forever to unload, reload, and go through all the steps of getting it correct again. Anyone else have this problem?
Thanks!

[cliff collins]

You need to use Shared Coordinates, to make sure the cad and Revit files
have the same location.

see this tutorial:

http://designreform.net/2009/07/revit-architecture-2010-2009-explained-coordinate-systems-side-by-side/

This explains both Revit 2009 and 2010 ways of working with Shared Coordinates.

Hope this helps.

cheers........

[andrewharle]

I have had the same problem with Revit 2009 and DWGs. I am experiencing different but equally frustrating problems having moved over to Revit 2010 this week!

The whole system of linking DWGs in Revit seems flawed.

It seems that if a DWG has its origin more than 1/2 mile or so from the drawing Revit will not acquire coordinates properly from the drawing, and they have to be manually set.

What's more, having manually set the coordinates, the next time you open the file the DWG will have jumped away from the centre of your Revit file about the distance from the DWG's origin to the centre of the drawing. You then have to move it manually back into position (saving the location if you wish). It will then stay in place until the next time the DWG is updated, then it will fly away again and you will need to move it to the centre of your drawing, and of course when you open the file up again it won't be in the right place!

It gets even weirder if you have several Revit files linked together, trying to work to shared coordinates.

The only answer I know at the moment is to ensure all DWGs you import are close to the origin. This can be a problem (impossible) if you have an existing survey with an existing grid already set and all the other consultants working to those coordinates.

We will have to see if Autodesk can really fix DWG import by the time Revit 2011 arrives.