Elements have duplicate Mark values

[cbukowski]

Today my co-worker and I started putting in 35,000 square feet of existing ceiling conditions. I created the ceiling in a couple different chunks since we can't put elements in the same ceiling due to permission issues. However, when she STC - she gets this warning "Elements have duplicate Mark values" and it selects a whole bunch of her elements and then selects the same number of my elements. I don't get this error when I STC - so far it's only happening to her.

We both create new locals every morning, and STC every 1/2 hour.

The first time it happened it was only about 12 items so I just deleted them and put them in again. This past time it was 37 items, and I ended up selecting all 37 items by their ID number and STC both stations, and then pasted them back in on her station since that's where the error came from.

The elements aren't always the same family/type either. Sometimes it's the same family and type, other times it's a totally different family (i.e. a troffer light and a can light). It seems (from the most recent error) that each error stays in the same category (i.e. mechanical equipment, or lighting fixtures).

This has happened 2x now just this morning, and I can only see this getting worse as we will be adding more people (brand new to Revit people) to the file in the coming weeks. My co-worker is relatively new to Revit - she did work on a project in Revit last summer - but hasn't done anything in Revit since.

We're using Revit 2009 up to web update 3. I'm on a x64 and she's a x32 machine. My build number is 20081118_1045(x64) and her's is 20081118_1045.

Any insight would be extremely helpful! Thanks!

Cassandra

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Sounds to me like you might be duplicating each other's work.
The next time you get that error try isolating the elements and seeing if they are placed on top of each other.

[cbukowski]

That was the first thing I thought - maybe she had accidentally copied the items and not realized it...but this isn't the case. The items on opposite sides of the building. Most of the time the items aren't even in the same ceiling...

[nsinha73]

The Ceiling she created has the same mark value with the one you created.

In the Element properties of the Ceiling (Instance Parameter), change the "MARK"

[cbukowski]

The ceilings don't have a Mark value. There's no value there. And I created all of the ceilings on Thursday, she hasn't created any of the ceilings.

And I know I can go through and change the Mark value after they're in - but it seems strange that they can end up having the same Mark when they have different element IDs. And it's rather inefficient. I'd rather them all have different Mark values when they get put into the model...

[eric.piotrowicz]

This hasn't been tested but it has been my observation that Revit will add Mark values in sequential order based on what has already been used. However when two users open their local files and STC each local file then has the same Mark values already used so when each of you begin placing items (light ifxtures) both sessions of Revit are grabbing the next available Mark value for that family type (both cans and troffers are recognized by Revit as lights) because the Central file doesn't know that the other local file has used that value. Also I believe that the first person to STC will not get any errors but the second person will get the errors and it isn't a case of either your or her local files having problems. If she STC first then you should get the Dulicate Mark error when you STC and visa versa.

[cbukowski]

well - if that is the case - then it seems like the only option is to go through the warnings once we're done placing all of the ceiling fixtures and copy -> paste aligned one of them for every warning...

Thanks for your help.

Cassandra

[eric.piotrowicz]

Is it possible to not have both people placing the same types of families? Maybe one works on lighting layout while another does floor finishes or starts elevations and sections. In my experience Revit has always been frustating to work with when multiple people are doing the same type of work. Although it wasn't even possible back in the AutoCAD world.
If you must both work on placing lights then here is something that just came to mind. Decide ahead of time what series on lights you will each place. For example, say 200 lights need placed and in your area of the building all the lights will be 100's and she will be placing all the 200's. Both of you place your first light and go into the properties and change the Mark value to 100 and 200 respectively. Now continue placing lights and they should be given sequentially increasing Mark values based on the first one each of you placed and changed, so the next one you place will be automatically given the Mark value 101 and hers will be 201 and thus eliminating the Duplicate Mark error when STC is done.

[cbukowski]

Eric,

I quickly tried that - and it seems to work with my small little test. We just need to make sure we start at different enough Mark values that we won't overlap again!

Thanks!

Cassandra

[patricks]

Yep it's definitely your light fixture mark numbers. I would suggest not having 2 people be working on the same elements at the same time, or if you have to, alter the mark number of the first one you place as was already suggested.

[Phillip_Miller]

well - if that is the case - then it seems like the only option is to go through the warnings once we're done placing all of the ceiling fixtures and copy -> paste aligned one of them for every warning...

Thanks for your help.

Cassandra

Hi Cassandra

You might like to try out our trial version on Element Renumber? If you don't care what numbers your light fittings are our program will renumber all of them in one Button click and remove any duplicates. Try out our trial at

http://www.kiwicodes.co.nz/Downloads.aspx

and use catorgory renumber.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers

Phillip Miller
www.kiwicodes.co.nz