Cannot Save file, stuck in a catch-22?

[jo_3_]

Hi Everyone,

A colleague of mine is working on a work-shared file. She set her computer to render, then moved to a different computer to create a new local file and continue working. Without thinking, she changed the user-name on the new computer to the same user-name on the first computer, and started working in the file.

When she tries to save, she gets an error message telling her she can't save because the username that created the local file is different from the current username.

When she tries to change the username, she gets an error message telling her she can't change her username because the file contains unsaved changes.

She gets an error message when trying to open the work sharing dialogue box, and another error when she tries to "save as" to create a new central file.

Does anyone have a solution for this? (This is Revit 2010) There are 8 hours of work on the line...

Thanks!

[eric.piotrowicz]

If its only modeling changes, you can open a fresh file and copy/paste the whole model and then get your user names straighten out and copy paste part of it back. If its sheets changes and annotation, then you aren't going to like the answer, close out and redo.

This is a really good reason why Revit throws up a warning right when it opens the file that says "This Loacl File has been saved by user 'X', current user is 'y'. Please change your user name or stop working on this file." Too many people around my office just go blindly clicking thru warning without reading them and then come asking "what happened to my file" after is way too late. If nothing else hopefully its a good learning experience.

[jo_3_]

thanks for the input. I just asked her, and she said the sheets don't matter, but the views do. we thought about copy and pasting the entire model into a new project, closing the current local file, creating a new local the proper way, and copying it back in. (or can we transfer the views?) At any rate, then she told me she made changes in multiple design options, and i believe those will be lost.

so... yes, i think we'll have to chalk this all up to a "learning experience."

[eric.piotrowicz]

Unfortunately views don't transfer with a copy/paste either. Also if I came across a bit strong I apologize I did not mean to offend but only note the importance of being on top of what Revit is saying because it can prevent situations like this from happening.
On a slightly different note, 8-hours without a Synch With Central is bound to cause problems sooner or later. Larger projects can take what seems like forever to save at times but it beats working all morning and having the power go out leaving nothing to salavge.

[twiceroadsfool]

Also a brutally important question to ask: How the heck was someone working for 8 hours without a Synchronize, and thinking that was okay??

[eric.piotrowicz]

Yeah I was trying to soften the words but it sounds like through any variety of reasons there are some awful habits developing. Its a wise move to break those habits ASAP before a few bad habits spread and become the daily standard operating proceedure. Its not too late but the longer this behavior goes on the harder it will be to break.

[jo_3_]

No worries, I was rather surprised when she came to me at the end of the day with this issue, and all I can figure is that sleep deprivation and the need to meet a deadline kept her from giving it another thought.

The good news is that 1. her computer was powerful enough to get the job done, 2. we copied and pasted the entire model into a new file as suggested, along with her camera view and saved it out separately (she was working on a perspective rendering) and 3. she definitely won't ever let this happen again!