Performance Optimization in Revit

[Scott D Davis]

Now THAT is a good idea! I think I could do it with AppleScript... but of course we don't use OSX for this... still, shouldn't be too difficult. I'll run this idea past our IT staff and see what they can come up with.

To me, Revit should take care of this for us......Revit knows our user name. Why can't a user just "open" the central file, which makes a copy <behind-the-scenes> to c:\temp (or something like that). Throughout the day, you hit the Save button, which does a Save to Central, and resaves the Temp Local file. Make one more File option, which is Save and Close, which saves Central, saves Local, then closes Revit. To start again, "open" the Central file.....

I'd really like the whole Central/Local thing become completely transparent to the users.

[dbaldacchino]

I cannot agree more. It tends to be confusing to users and it's time consuming to spend your time explaining how it all works. Not everyone "gets it" quickly, if ever at all.

One more thing I would like is the "discard changes" option, where all borrowed elements are returned to central without saving any changes. At the moment, we have to go to central with the username of the person making the undesired changes and do a save to central and relinquish all. Even though you make locals and ask people to check the "detach from central" option if they just want to get in to fiddle around or print something, they don't always do it and someone's gotta fix the mess created. And guess who that is?

[Steve_Stafford]

...Maybe I need to learn how ro create a batch file that copies and renames the central by attaching the username system variable to the filename...then I'd just distribute these to users and that would make me feel much safer...

I recommend this wherever I go but I only know two offices that actually did it. They just used a batch file.

If I could find the time I'd brush up my VB skills and create a little app to take care of it.

I'd really like the whole Central/Local thing become completely transparent to the users.

hmmm...where have I heard this before?

[DaveP]

I'd really like the whole Central/Local thing become completely transparent to the users.

I'll third that motion.
This would also eliminate the problem where the Central file had to be moved to a different folder & everyone needs to make a new local file.
And the problem (especially with PMs) where someone forgot to do a Reload Latest before printing.

Has anyone had the joy of upgrading their servers yet? Guess what happens when your main file server gets replaced and gets a new name? Luckily we did this before we had very many projects going, but we're probably due again in a year or so.

[Wes Macaulay]

First time I've ever heard STC called "insanely fast". Haven't heard that one in these parts.

The STC times on their project are faster than ours with a file a third of the size, and only three users. We're gigabit, too...

[dbaldacchino]

I recommend this wherever I go but I only know two offices that actually did it. They just used a batch file.

If I could find the time I'd brush up my VB skills and create a little app to take care of it.

hmmm...where have I heard this before?

Are they doing it using simple dos-type batch scripts or did they actually write a VB program? All I know is VBA and could handle that easily through that language, but it would require launching the program through an Office app or Autocad.

[Steve_Stafford]

All it does it automatic the copy/paste part each morning, they open the file normally in Revit. The VB app I have in mind would do the same, then possiblly open it...but not necessarily a requirement.

[cstanley]

our office made the switch from microstation, and therefore we still have an in-house written front end to manage all of this. it has also been adapted for the ACAD user environment, and we are contemplating using it for revit. currently, our installs and file/opens do recognize the user name, so it is transparent.

[truevis]

...Start with generic types (walls, floors, etc.) and get more specific as necessary ...

However, I'd say make the wall thicknesses correct early on.

I recently had trouble on a house when I tried to thicken a wall type by just 1/4". Made a roof go away and did some other nasty things.

[hand471037]

I recently had trouble on a house when I tried to thicken a wall type by just 1/4". Made a roof go away and did some other nasty things.

Actually that's more the fault of your roof sketch than your wall size change.

I always just sketch roofs and floors, I never use the Pick Wall tool, espcially in early design, for I don't want to so closely tie together my sketch and walls. I've found it just makes problems later on, like you did.