customizing the Revit installer

[MikeJarosz]

After Revit has been installed, the default path for user files is set to user\...\documents. That folder usually contains all sorts of Revit-unrelated user stuff - good and bad. I would like to add a subfolder called \locals that would contain only the Revit local files. I know it is easy to just ask each user to do it themselves and reset the default path in their own project options, but it doesn't always happen that way. If the installer could be customized to make the folder and set it as default, the user would never know the difference. Most of them just sit down to Revit and take what they get anyway.

After the default path is reset, I give them a shortcut on their screen to that locals folder, so they can get there quickly and delete their locals more often. There was a time when I would schedule a task to delete locals during the night but I've gotten lazy over the years.

Any installer experts out there?

[patricks]

I only have 4 or 5 Revit installations to deal with, but I've been using the Public Documents folder for local files, and I create the folder Users\Public\Public Docs\Revit Files. Then I set the installer to put local files there. After it installs I then add that Revit Files folder to the list of Places on the left side of the Open/Save dialog boxes.

I do wish there were a way to automate some of that setup stuff I still have to do after the installation finishes.

[MikeJarosz]

Then I set the installer to put local files there.

That was my question! Apparently, the answer is yes......but where? how?

It sounds like you're not comfortable with batch scripts. They can do a lot of the setup stuff you are doing manually. One thing that the windows environment has created is a generation of users who have never faced the C:\ > prompt. A command like:

mkdir C:\users\mike\mydocuments\locals

would create the locals directory I mention above. The user's name can even be retrieved as a variable, making the script adaptable to every user in your group.

[dhurtubise]

Are you referring to the local file created from a central file? If so it's in the ini.
C:\Users\{Username}\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit 2014

[MikeJarosz]

Found it, but......

Wasn't that file put there by the Revit installer? Ideally, I would like to change what the installer is installing before installation. Is that even possible?

[jsteinhauer]

Mike,

Yes, it is possible to map the locations of not only your local files, but also firm wide content libraries. You will need to copy an .ini file and make some internal changes. Also, you should coordinate with your IT department to make sure the computer ghost is setup with the corresponding file structure. I'm not sure Revit will build it for you when the custom deployment is run.

http://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/05/deploying-revit-2012-with-a-customized-revitini-file.html

Hope this helps,
Jeff S.

[MikeJarosz]

Thanks! That was more like the technical background I was looking for.

BTW: The link is to the Harlan Brumm blog. I met him at AU last Dec.

[patricks]

That was my question! Apparently, the answer is yes......but where? how?

It sounds like you're not comfortable with batch scripts. They can do a lot of the setup stuff you are doing manually. One thing that the windows environment has created is a generation of users who have never faced the C:\ > prompt. A command like:

mkdir C:\users\mike\mydocuments\locals

would create the locals directory I mention above. The user's name can even be retrieved as a variable, making the script adaptable to every user in your group.

I know and use command prompt many times, even today. I grew up in the 80's doing DOS stuff and playing DOS games, but I never got into writing commands that heavily. I have a few batch files that I use but I usually have to Google search what commands and syntax to use.

For years I've had a scheduled batch file on the server that runs Robocopy each night to back up project files. It's one of 4 other daily backup methods. :)