HELP! Complex Linking - I really need Advise Please (attached image diagram)

[sash.kazeminejad288046]

All,

I have a complex linking issue that I could really use some advise on. Part of me thinks that I am overthinking things and part of me thinks otherwise.

I have a large building in which I have recieved some AutoCAD files from the owner. The final deliverable is in AutoCAD. We are not going to be doing a whole lot of modeling for this project, but the whole building will have work done to it. The building is approx 12 acres in size.

At a higher level, it was decided to do this projet in Revit, so no AutoCAD will be used. My thinking was to break this building up into 5-8 pieces and then link all of the pieces into one master file. This is where I am thinking I can do the export of the dwg files to compile the new delieverable for the owner.

Since these DWG's are big and there are 5 of them, linking them into one Revit file slows the model down, which is one of the reasons why I am wanting to break the Revit file up into pieces and then re-compile them into a master file.

Here are the issues that I am running into:

1. When I link the AutoCAD files into each of the individual Revit files, there is no option to link the AutoCAD files as an overlay or an attachment. They appear to be an attachment.

2. When I link each of the individual files into the master, compiled file, it brings in the AutoCAD file with them. Since each individual Revit file has 5 CAD files, I am looking at (or am I not?) 40 AutoCAD links in the master file. The AutoCAD files are not broken up into pieces.

3. If I manage to make this scenario work, how do I reference details, sections, etc that are common throughtout the project if the details are done in the individual Revit files. For example, If I draw a detail in the Building A file, how do I reference this detail in all of the other Revit files?

There will more than likely be a lot of issues. I need some help in establishing a best practice for this. It is a large project and I need to get it right from the start. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have an attached image of a diagram that I came up with. Thanks

Sash

[damon.sidel]

When you say the whole project will be done in Revit, the final deliverables will be in Autocad, but there isn't going to be a lot of modeling, I'm not sure I understand. All those statements say to me, do it in Autocad... heretical as that is to say on these forums.

What are the file sizes for the Autocad base drawings? I'm surprised that 5 files, even 12 acres worth of building, are slowing Revit down to warrant such a complex linking organization.

[sash.kazeminejad288046]

I was decided by others that we need to do this project in Revit, so we have to draft on top of of the AutoCAD files. The CAd files have a lot of data associated with them. I even placed the linked CAD files on individual worksets, which has helped a little bit.

We have 5 links, the files are slowing down the Revit file for sure. I am wondering if I need to srtip the AutoCAD files down to the bare essentials and then see what happens from there. Maybe Revit will work a little bit better for me. We are anticipating well over 150 sheets for this project.



When you say the whole project will be done in Revit, the final deliverables will be in Autocad, but there isn't going to be a lot of modeling, I'm not sure I understand. All those statements say to me, do it in Autocad... heretical as that is to say on these forums.

What are the file sizes for the Autocad base drawings? I'm surprised that 5 files, even 12 acres worth of building, are slowing Revit down to warrant such a complex linking organization.

[damon.sidel]

You could also try view templates to control the visibility of the linked ACAD layers. If you need a lot of information to show on the plans you print, you could set up duplicate views for printing and working and keep the working ones' visibility settings bare bones so it's easier to maneuver.

[jsteinhauer]

Sash,

You LINKED the files? Or did you INSERT the files? AutoCAD files are not able to set as Overlay or Attachment. Simplifying the AutoCad files may help, but you need to get them out of your models ASAP. Those will slow down your models much faster then file size. Trace over the top of them quickly, then remove them. If need be, re-link them.

I don't think that you can reference views from a linked file. You would either have to print everything from the master or develop a detail in one model and copy view to the rest of the models.

As for project deliverables, my condolences to intern that will have to spend time getting the exported Revit models to any sort of Client Standards. As a good friend of mine says all the time, "Its NOT just hit a button".

Best of luck,
Jeff S.

[sash.kazeminejad288046]

Jeff,

The CAD files have a lot of info in them and since we are going to add elements from Revit atop of the CAD files, I need to leave them in the file (I know, I know, none of what I am describing here is a good idea at all). Tracing over the CAD files will not work since they the building is huge. It is literally .5 miles x .5 miles in size.

That poor intern is going to be me! I have done this before and yes, it is not that simple.

At this point, I think I am going to streamline the CAD files as much as possible, and keep the CAD files on worksets. I am going to have a lot of sheets. This should be interesting.....

Thanks


Sash,

You LINKED the files? Or did you INSERT the files? AutoCAD files are not able to set as Overlay or Attachment. Simplifying the AutoCad files may help, but you need to get them out of your models ASAP. Those will slow down your models much faster then file size. Trace over the top of them quickly, then remove them. If need be, re-link them.

I don't think that you can reference views from a linked file. You would either have to print everything from the master or develop a detail in one model and copy view to the rest of the models.

As for project deliverables, my condolences to intern that will have to spend time getting the exported Revit models to any sort of Client Standards. As a good friend of mine says all the time, "Its NOT just hit a button".

Best of luck,
Jeff S.

[sash.kazeminejad288046]

Oh, I almost forgot. I linked the files.


Sash,

You LINKED the files? Or did you INSERT the files? AutoCAD files are not able to set as Overlay or Attachment. Simplifying the AutoCad files may help, but you need to get them out of your models ASAP. Those will slow down your models much faster then file size. Trace over the top of them quickly, then remove them. If need be, re-link them.

I don't think that you can reference views from a linked file. You would either have to print everything from the master or develop a detail in one model and copy view to the rest of the models.

As for project deliverables, my condolences to intern that will have to spend time getting the exported Revit models to any sort of Client Standards. As a good friend of mine says all the time, "Its NOT just hit a button".

Best of luck,
Jeff S.