Maintaining "live" Revit detail links

[detroit.architecture]

This is a "best practice" type of question...

We manage our Revit 2-D details in separate .rvt files holding drafting views, per standard practice, and then import them into various ongoing projects as drafting views. No problem so far. But if a change is then made to that detail in the office library's "master" .rvt file, is there anyway the Revit project file (into which it was previously imported) can manage or track this change? Or are we stuck with the original import?

i.e., for linked Revit projects, these are automatically updated everytime you open the project file (there is additionally an option to force Reload within Manage Links). But this only works for model elements, not drafting views, which of course are not linked in such a way but instead are imported.

There is also the clumsy option to do (or keep) details in CAD and link them; these are also refreshed with each project-open and at any time thereafter with Reload .

But surely there must be a way to continually coordinate an external Revit detail? No? If so even within Revit-world, keeping things in CAD has an advantage somehow?

[Scott Womack]

Completely live links are problematic to say the least. Up through the Construction Documentation phase this is something that is really necessary. However, once the project is bid, and we are using the model during the Construction Administration phase, which is usually longer that the sum of the previous phases, automatic live updates are the LAST thing you'd want to happen. Therefore, once implimented, there has to be a way to turn it off.

I'd personnally settle for when you go to insert the view from file, it asking you if you want to replace a view with the imported, or create a new view from it. That way we'd still maintain some control.

[greg.mcdowell]

I experimented with Linked files created from Groups to accomplish this... at least that's my memory of it. Didn't go very far with the tests but it looked promising. Something to try at least.

[twiceroadsfool]

Its completely doable with Linked Files, Linked Views, and the Previous Phase solution discussed in many threads. As for breaking the live link for CA? Easy. Copy the "Detail Master" to your job directory, and redirect the Link. Problem solved.

Is it doable and fairly easy? Yup. Would i ever do it? Nope.

[greg.mcdowell]

I'll bite... why not?

[twiceroadsfool]

Several reasons.

1. In Architecture, i see there as being two kinds of details: Project specific, and Standard Generic. Beliefs differ, but in my world heres what those mean: project specific: Its getting done in whatever medium the job is, IN the job. Wall section, section details, plan details, plans, elevations, etc. Theres nothing here generic enough to warrant having it pull from a master library. (I hear the argument that "sections and section details" are generic enough, and i fundamentally disagree with the philosophy about detailing Architecture.)

Then there is Standard generic. Door Head Details, Roof Flashing Membrane details, Control Joint details. These are all what i could call "dimensional control neutral," at least... They are the way i draw them. Even still, if something has to change in them, that takes me to point number two:

2. Drawings changing automatically without anyone performing due diligence on a project. Someone twelve desks away makes an update to the office standard detail for "This thing" and hits save. That updates a detail in "That Persons" project, only "That Person" doesnt know it changed. Maybe its a serious issue, maybe its not, but ill contend one of the following:

2a. Its a serious issue: standards evolve, and new projects get new standards. Legacy projects get legacy standards. Pulling the rug (even on a single detail) out from under a PM and having them not know, CAN get you in trouble, of someone sees the document is different.

2b. Its not a big deal: if its not a big deal, leave the legacy version of the detail in the project, and itll get changed when it gets imported in to a new project.

We didnt even do that when i worked in AutoCAD houses. I cant imagine doing it now. But thats JUST my two cents. :)