Revit file sizes and file names

[patricks]

Anybody know why after working on a project for several weeks, when the Revit file size has grown quite a bit, you can then save the file with a different file name and the file size gets considerably smaller?

Just a minute ago I took a rather simple project, 5000 s.f. shell building for offices, 22MB file size. I didn't even purge unused families or anything, I just saved the file with a different name and the size dropped to 14 MB. On another project that we had been working on in Revit for over a year and 2 or 3 different releases, the file size was close to 50MB, with a TON of sheets, views, walls with edited profiles all over the place, etc. I saved that file with a different name and voila! File size is now less than 25 MB.

Does the Compact Central File option do the same thing as changing the file name? If so, why is this function not available for all Revit files, whether worksetted or not?

[Mike Hardy-Brown]

Patrick
Try this one...
Found this thru trial and error...
save your rvt file in a 3d view, then have a look at the file size.
Close all hidden window, then save in a floor plan or drafting view...
The file size usually decreases considerably.

[patricks]

hmm I don't think that made any difference. Here's what I just did:

Open a file, file size was 9,276 KB
Change to a 3D view, topography and all turned on, saved, file size became 9,272 KB

Then I went back and with the same 3D view showing, I saved the file with a different file name - 7,740 KB
Then I changed to just the title sheet view and saved another file - 7,744 KB.

I also tried closing all other views except the title sheet, and it was still 7,744 KB.

[Mike Hardy-Brown]

try a floor plan view only?

[patricks]

nope, same result - 7,744 KB.

Changing the file name on prorjects that have been going for awhile seems to purge out something... or maybe recompiles the data in the file somehow, like when you run defrag on your hard drive.

[irwin]

Does the Compact Central File option do the same thing as changing the file name? If so, why is this function not available for all Revit files, whether worksetted or not?
Go to Save As, but instead of changing the file name pick "Options..." and check "Compact File". See this thread for more discussion: http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=25710