Unable to bind linked (grouped) revit files

[draughty]

We are subcontractors to a precast manufacturer and I am using in Revit Structure 2009 to model architectural precast concrete panels (curtain panels), so I'm really using features of Revit Architecture. Using the architect's enclosure file, for the sake of speed/efficiency I have created group files for individual planes of the precast enclosure in order to edit the panels (families). After editing, I have a project file into which I have linked my group files - all OK so far. Now I need to bind the linked files into the project file and export to dwg for the GC to combine with models of other systems and run clash detection. But I am unable to bind greater than 50% of my linked files (a dozen files - representing 50% of the building). When binding some files I get this message: "The file you have loaded as a group contains exactly on host and one or more inserts. Would you like this to be treated as an insert group (if no, it will be treated as a group of a host and its inserts together)?" Y/N. I've had more success by selecting N here.
When the files fail to bind, I get this message: "Unable to bind some link instances. Either linked file contains no 3D elements or there was an error loading its elements into the current project."
I've tried reloading, purging unused, saving, reopening, etc. but no success. I'm stumped.

[chodosh]

I'll venture a guess that there are a couple of things happening, the first is that Revit ain't happy with the Group in a Linked RVT being bound into a new file because essentially that is created a nested group within a group and that gets comfusing even for really smart peeps, much less computers. I hate to ask you, but how necessary are the groups in the original file? Can you Workset them instead of Grouping possibly?

HTH,
LC

[draughty]

Hmmm, something I hadn't considered. I assumed that a group file (saved out of the original project & renamed) would have all of the qualities of a stand-alone project file. Maybe you are suggesting that if it were conceived as a group then it retains some group characteristics that effect/limit its future behavior, ie. I am unable to bind it?

[chodosh]

Ah, not necessarily. So, the group was saved-out, made isolated as a unique file, then linked back in (somewhere else?) and that's when you're running into problems, I see, I see... It is re-creating as a new Group with you use the Bind feature, and if it is the same name, well, that's an obvious issue to avoid, and you've done so by renaming it. Strike that off the list, as well as the initial question I posed about the groups. Is it possible that there are overlapping geometries, such that you wouldn't notice if a link overlapped another link or your active file, but now you're compiling everything it is the source of all your troubles? Another curtain wall?

[draughty]

That very well could be the case. I will investigate.

[draughty]

Eight precious hours (that I'll never get back) later and no ground gained on resolving this issue. Although I can't be certain of anything related to Revit, I'd venture a guess that overlapping geometry is not the common cause of this problem. There must be something more obscure, insidious, diabolical at work here.

[chodosh]

Keep your chin up, I think I've been where you are a few times with similar issues. Test thought: can you bind the same file successfully into a blank Revit project?

Good luck,
LC

[draughty]

Thank you for your kind thoughts and words.
Yesterday's futile efforts to resolve this revolved around creating new project files into which I attempted to link and bind the various facade files, after copy-monitoring in the grids and levels from the structural engineer's model or the architectural model. At your suggestion, today I created a new project file w/o first bringing in the grids and levels. The overall rate of success for these differing approaches has been about equal, but there does seem to be some variation, related to the sequence, in which I link/bind the files.
The search for an answer continues...

[Andriusv]

Hi all,

We had this issue in multi-residential Project today. There are Pod groups inside Unit groups and all placed in a Project.
There was a bath component in a Pod which was the main reason of error, however we solved it this way:

- In Unit file made Pod as a link, linked as attachment
- In a Project loaded it as a (Unit(Pod-link)) group
- In a Project opened (Unit(Pod-link) group, selected (Pod-link) and binded it inside
- Saved Unit group and linked it with “Replace with a new file”
- Binded it and it worked
- Tried any other changes in an open Unit file, linked and binded it again in Project and it worked so far.

Andrius