8.1-N) Sticky worksets

[fvarela]

After creating worksets for steel framing, columns, concrete walls, foundations, etc., why is Revit not smart enough to know that I don't want to put a new steel column in the foundation workset, and automatically do it for me? It would be great if you could assign types of elements to worksets and let the computer put everything new in the right cubby hole instead of relying on me to make the correct workset current before adding the new whatever.

[dbaldacchino]

Not a bad wish, however you need to ask yourself an inportant question: What am I trying to achieve? It sounds to me like you're thinking "layers". Revit already knows that a column is different than foundation and different than a beam, etc. Revit knows each object's category, so there's really no need on your side to "re-classify" objects. To a certain extent, worksets are now obsolete, with the exception of their use for controlling grid visibility for additions/renovations and to control the amount of data to load in RAM (memory management). And in some cases, they can be used for "security" reasons, such as locking certain things out so users cannot touch them, such as linked Revit files etc. So, why are you really spending your time putting elements on different worksets?

[fvarela]

[QUOTE=dbaldacchino;867434 So, why are you really spending your time putting elements on different worksets?[/QUOTE]

I think I did that after doing the Revit Structure Worksets tutorial. (See attached "Worksets tutorial.jpg". It inspired me to create what may have been something of an overkill. See attached "Worksets my project.jpg". But putting everything in its right cubby hole is proving to be a chore. I would like to learn more about how to do some of the other uses you mention: "... use for controlling grid visibility for additions/renovations and to control the amount of data to load in RAM (memory management). And in some cases, they can be used for "security" reasons, such as locking certain things out so users cannot touch them, such as linked Revit files etc"
I have not come across a discussion on using worksets for those purposes.

Thank you very much for your reply!

[dbaldacchino]

You're welcome :) That's why I brought the subject up...as I kinda felt you might have been doing all this manual cataloging for no real reason.

First, a little history: Worksets were introduced a while ago to enable users to work together on the same project. Basically, imagine worksets as a series of containers. You place model elements in them and then each user can check out one or more of those containers to work on their contents. While they're checked out, no one can do anything with the contents, except the owner of the container. Once done working on them, the entire container can be checked in and someone else can check the container out and work on it.

But in Revit 8.1, Autodesk introduced the concept of element borrowing, where you could borrow any element transparently without needing to check out an entire workset (no need to take the whole container of objects; just take that one object you want to work on). So in essence, you no longer need to structure your project with a lot of worksets in order to organize work. Now you use worksets to control the amount of data that you load in RAM. For example if you have a large project and little RAM, you could have 2 worksets and you place half your building on one and half on the other. Then you load only the workset you need to work on and close the other. This would be similar to working on a project that is half as big.

Workset visibility can be turned on or off. So you could use them for that purpose but I advise against that. Having said that, grid visibility can only be controlled through worksets. So if you had an additions & renovation project, you would create an "Existing Grids" workset for example and make existing grids part of that workset. Then in views that show new work, you would uncheck visibility of that workset, thus turning off existing grids and only showing those that apply to new work.

As for their use with regards to security, you could place linked files on a workset and have someone create a local file under some unique username (I like to use "RevitCop" just for kicks, although lately I've seen users having fun and logging in as "YoMama"!) and then checking that workset out. Then you would exit without relinquishing the workset, which now belongs to "RevitCop" or whatever username. So other regular users cannot do anything to elements on that workset since it's checked out all the time by that unique username, thus being able to use it for "security" reasons as a consequence.

I highly suggest you go through one of the ATP courses on worksets (click HERE (http://www.augi.com/education/archive.asp?page=293) to visit the ATP page), then filter for the 2006 courses and download the February course by Jeffrey McGrew titled "ATP107 Worksets Reloaded: The new way of working together in Revit 8.1 (javascript:ShowDetail('107'))"

[fvarela]

Dave,

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply in such detail. I will take your advice and download the ATP course. Seem like everyone has their own idea on how to use worksets!

Thanks again,

Frank