What is worse? Linked details OR many users

[jontramos]

I am trying to figure out what is "worse" for Revit model performance.

A typical project in our office has about 3-5 Revit users in the file on any given day, and at times (like the day before a deadline) we might have 8-10 users in the file. I have noticed that the more users in the file simultaneously causes significant performance drop in Revit (opening, saving, crashing, etc).

One idea for minimizing the number of users in the file at one time, would be to do the details outside of Revit (say in AutoCAD). That way, come crunch time we could have a handful of people working on the project's details OUTSIDE of Revit, thereby reducing the overall number of users in the Revit model.

HOWEVER, I recently read in the Revit Performance Technical Note white paper, that I should "Minimize the number of linked or imported DWG files." (page 19).

So, the question is: What is worse, linking in the DWG's or having more users in the Revit model?

(For sake of discussion, lets say that the DWG files are exceptionally clean, with very few layers and line types)

Thanks,
Jon

[Andre Carvalho]

(For sake of discussion, lets say that the DWG files are exceptionally clean, with very few layers and line types)

(For sake of discussion, let's say that the users using Revit know what they are doing and the best way to do it in Revit.)

I would keep it 100% in Revit. Too many linked DWG's, on top of decreasing performance, will lead to crashes as well. Just set a time where each user will have to save to central to avoid people waiting in line...

Andre Carvalho

[jontramos]

Thanks Andre. Anyone else have thoughts?
I am also considering detailing in drafting views that are in a seperate project, and then pasting them in. Again, just in an effort to minimize the number of users in the project at once...

[Andre Carvalho]

Jon,

You don't have to copy and paste. Just create the drafting views in different files and then go to your "master file", File menu > Insert from file > Views > select the file > select the views...

Andre Carvalho

[jontramos]

yes, that is what I meant. "inserting" not "pasting" my fingers were typing faster than my brain was thinking.

[Scott Womack]

Jon,

You don't have to copy and paste. Just create the drafting views in different files and then go to your "master file", File menu > Insert from file > Views > select the file > select the views...

Andre Carvalho

Andre's approach is too often over-looked by the majority or Revit users. I've run a large project with 14 or more people in at one time. Yes, it opens more slowly. If you save to central often, each one does not take as long. STC at lunch, and the end of the day can take longer. That same project, approx. 275 meg. central file began crashing when the civil engineer's site was linked in. Linking in AutoCAD files is by FAR much more problematic, and a number of users in the same file.

[twiceroadsfool]

Insert from File is a great approach if theyre just drafting views.

I dont find 8 people in a project to be a problem, unless theyre waiting too long between STC's. That, and you have to make sure theyre not fighting over editing the same elements...

Importing DWG's sucks. I dont use DWG details for anything in any of our projects, EXCEPT where we need to link in a reference of an engineers drawing (like for showing the RTU's on the roof...). We could use a family and place them all, but then we would have to chase them around with the MEP people change them, so we use their linked DWG instead...

Other than that, the details all get done in Revit, one way or another...

[nsinha73]

We have noticed significant drop in performance too, which we later tracked down to too many AutoCAD linking.
We have started doing our entire CD's in Revit Alone....no other CAD software.
If we need a detail, then we clean it up in autocad first before importing, meaning:
In AutoCAD, we create Layers 01,02,03,04 as needed
There layers created in AutoCAD corresponds to our Revit Pen Weights.
Once All our lines have been assigned its layers, we purge!!
Then Import in Revit.
Partial Explode and recheck all lines. To make sure no other unecessary lines crept in.
We purge aagain in Revit.
Our models perform so much better.
No External linking hapenning here....ALL REVIT.

Cleaning up in AutoCAD is Worth your time....Its better for Revit to digest. :-)

Revit, is like a son to me, I talk to it :-D