Breaking Link to Central File

[rrothwel]

Our office does a lot of file sharing. We also have a lot of off site presentations and we use the Revit Model of our project for our presentations. How can you "SAVEAS" or copy a central file so that the link between them is broken. I can see all the reasons to not do this but these files never get back into our system and they pop up warnings and errors regarding the central file during our presentations. Any solutions? Thanks y'all.

Robert

[bcgatti]

When opening the file choose Detach from Central. When you do a Saveas of this Detached file you will then have a stand-alone copy of your model that does not look back to Central. I'd do a "local" Saveas of the detached file to the computer that will be used in the presentation.

[nsinha73]

Hi Robert,
Before you open your CENTRAL....check the box "Detach from Central" and then open it.
This will create another stand-alone central file but will not be link to your CENTRAL file.

[Scott D Davis]

Upon opening the file, choose Detach From Central. This will create a new Central File that is separate from the original. The first time you save this file, it should be in the location you will be using it from, such as a folder on your C:\ if you plan on taking this model to the client.

You will open and close this new Central File, just like a normal file, and should not have any warning dialogs. Be aware that this is still considered a Central File, and if you copy it or do a Saveas, it will create a new local copy.

(Edit: wow I guess I typed slower than the other 2 responses!)

[patricks]

Yes, you definitely DO want to break the "link" in the cases you're talking about. You usually don't want any kind of changes made during a presentation to make their way back into the real model somehow, and possibly make someone else lose their work because you changed something and they changed the same thing. And of course you don't want all those errors.

What you need to do is make the "presentation" file its own central file. When you do a Save As, click on Options and check Make Central File, which will make the file its own with nothing else referencing it.

Another option is to open the central file with Detach From Central checked in the Open box. This will open the file with no file name, and when you Save As, it will automatically make the file its own Central file.

*edit DRAT I was too slow :p

[ajayholland]

The fish are biting today!

~AJH

[rrothwel]

thanks for everyone's input. Detaching as I open will essentially create a new file? It will not make changes to the existing central file? I will create a test on work on it with these suggestions, Thanks again everybody!

Robert

[patricks]

thanks for everyone's input. Detaching as I open will essentially create a new file? It will not make changes to the existing central file? I will create a test on work on it with these suggestions, Thanks again everybody!

Robert

correct, this is what we always do when putting a copy of our file on our FTP server for consultants.

And why did only Scott's post show above mine when I posted, but now it shows 2 other posts above his? Weird.

[zride91]

Sorry all, just want to be sure I understand correctly. nsinha73 specifically said to have the detach from central box checked when Opening the CENTRAL file, this will not change any worksharing status on that CENTRAL file I am trying to open up?

Would it be better practice to make a local copy of the central file, and open the local copy up with the detach from central box checked?

I am just trying to get a copy of a workshared model, that I can play around with and learn on w/o being linked to the central file and pose a possible risk of messing things up.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Andre Carvalho]

Would it be better practice to make a local copy of the central file, and open the local copy up with the detach from central box checked?

No. As long as you open the file with the detatch from central button checked, you can save the file with a new name and that file becomes a new central that has nothing to do it the previous one and therefore is safe to play with.

Andre Carvalho

[patricks]

Sorry all, just want to be sure I understand correctly. nsinha73 specifically said to have the detach from central box checked when Opening the CENTRAL file, this will not change any worksharing status on that CENTRAL file I am trying to open up?

Would it be better practice to make a local copy of the central file, and open the local copy up with the detach from central box checked?

I am just trying to get a copy of a workshared model, that I can play around with and learn on w/o being linked to the central file and pose a possible risk of messing things up.

Thanks for the clarification.

Doesn't matter what file you open if Detach from Central is checked. An entirely new file is created with no file name at first. When you do a Save As to give it a file name, check in Options and you will see that the option to make the file the Central file is automatically checked and grayed out so you can't change it. The file is its own file, with no effect on any other files.

*edit DANGIT too slow again! :p

[zride91]

Thanks for the clarification, I was just getting confused because other than nsinha73's post, everyone including Revit's help just refered to opening the central file as "open the file", and I got a little confused and was very hesitant.

I appreciate it, thanks again!

[Andre Carvalho]

*edit DANGIT too slow again! :p

C'mon Patrick, you have 4000+ posts! Leave a few to us! :p
Cheers!

Andre Carvalho