UNC pathing verus Drive Letter Mapping

[kenmarcus]

Does anyone know if it is possible to use Drive mapping instead of UNC path mapping when creating network deployment images? I was under the impression that UNC is the required method for network deployments. I have been using the UNC pathing method for machines on the network without issue but now I need to be run Revit on laptops remotely. I was thinking to do this by switching out the revit.ini via a start up script but I am trying to avoid having to re-path the material libraries and shared parameters files each time.

Currently, with ADT we are using a startup script that allows us to re-direct the network drive letter to a folder on the C drive so that the machine and the program thinks it is on the network even though it is really looking a exact copy of the data in a folder on the C Drive. We are not changing the pathing in the .arg file to accomplish this. I was thinking that if Revit still thinks that it is on the network then this might work.

[cphubb]

As far as I am aware, Revit only responds to drive letter mapping during the installation process. However we recently installed a new server and moved the shares over to that server for the Revit project files library etc. We used the same logical drive letters but Revit had to be repathed for everything. It appears under the hood Revit is using UNC under the disguise of logical drives.

[kenmarcus]

chris,

when you created the network image did you originally path to logical drives? I have always created by path to UNC pathing. Old habit based on the requirement of creating AutoCAD and ADT network deployments.

thanks,
ken

[Danny Polkinhorn]

Ken,

You're talking about two different issues.

Network deployments usually require UNC paths for the location of the deployment only. As you're going through setting up the deployment, when prompted for Library paths, etc, you do not need to use a UNC path and you should not.

Once Revit is installed, you don't need the UNC paths anymore, especially if you didn't use them when setting up the deployment. So, your laptops should run fine as long as the Library locations have been made available off-line and you've checked out a license (if you're using network licensing).
Hope that helps,

[cphubb]

Ken,

Once Revit is installed, you don't need the UNC paths anymore


Our experience is that is not true. After installing a new server and moving all our shares over Revit could not find them. We needed to use the options dialog to fix the paths and them copy that .ini file to all the other computers. So at some level Revit must be using UNC

[tim.101799]

I have Revit installed on my laptop, what I do is turn on the windows offline files option and set my network Revit folders to be synchronized with my computer. When off line your computer treats any synchronized folders as if they where part of the network retaining all UNC and drive letter pathing. It works great! Though it could be dangerous if you have allot of people working this way.

[Danny Polkinhorn]

Our experience is that is not true. After installing a new server and moving all our shares over Revit could not find them. We needed to use the options dialog to fix the paths and them copy that .ini file to all the other computers. So at some level Revit must be using UNCThen you used UNC paths when you set up your deployment where you should have used mapped drives. My Revit.ini is free of UNC paths, using only the mapped drives I specified when I set up my deployment.

You should be able to remove the UNC paths from your Revit.ini and replace them with mapped drives and continue working.

Hope that helps,