To Link or Not to Link

[Allen Lacy]

I would like some input from you all on linking files. I am working a new sanctuary addition to a church. There is an existing sanctuary building and a separate education building. New addition will be between the two existing, and connect to both. Both existing buildings will have some modifications.

Should I create each building in a separate file and link together in a fourth file with site info? Should I create existing buildings in one file and new in another and link? Create one file with all three? File size could be an issue. All buildings are (being in the Richmond area!?) very traditional, so file size could become an issue.

TIA

[Vincent Valentijn]

From what you say I gather that your biggest concern is file-size and the ability to keep your files 'workable'. So splitting he buildings to seperate files seems a good option.
Splitting to -existing- and -new- however is not a good idea I think, if you do this you loose Revit's great ability to shift phases -inside- a single drawing... and you'll probably have more work in total too.

make a site-drawing and link the three seperate buildings into this, should work just fine.

[sbrown]

In my opinion it comes down to how you need to document the buildings, if they will share door and window schedules and room finish schedules etc. I would make them in one file utilizing worksets and scope boxes, you can open one workset at a time which helps performance. this method allows you to take advantage of scheduling in revit. However if they don't share details and schedules then sep files would be the best and easiest to manage.

[Allen Lacy]

Thanks, Scott. I like the idea of worksets to keep scheduling together. This will be a learning experience, haven't used worksets yet.