RevIt on a network

[thomasf]

My company is finally jumping into RevIt. I was able to convince them to upgrade/cross grade to RevIt from AutoCAD 2000 and we are about to start using it on smaller projects.

As the CAD Manager I'm still looking/exploring sources on how to control the environment. We have an 8 seat stand alone license and we use roaming profiles. When I install RevIt it puts alot of files on the local machine under Program Files & Documents & Settings, it also put things on the server (because of the Roaming profiles) under server name\users\user name\application data.....

In AutoCAD I could move almost all that to a server location and control the plotters, plot styles, menus etc. I know most of that stuff doesn't translate into RevIt since you can't customize it, yet. So how do I control things like line weights, line styles etc? Is that all in the template files now?

Can I move any of the folders from the local machines to the server?

Thanks!

[cphubb]

Thomas,

When you install Revit for the first time you can determine where the content is stored. Yes the default location is under the username thought I think it should default to the All Users folder. If you have install the program all over and want to move the content to the server, copy someones over to a location and modify the files tab in the options dialog. I recommend you have both a firm and stock Revit library as you will get new content with every release and will need to manage both libraries. If you have not installed Revit all over use the installer to create a network install and preset the file locations in that. Then install to the workstations and they will look to the server for content.

[Justin Marchiel]

line weigths, ploting, any variable in acad is controlled in the template. now you can have different templates for different type of projects. just rember that if you change a setting in one template, you will need to change in every other template.

You can localize all templates, families, etc on the server. you just need to point revit to those locations. There is no need to have any lcoal files (other then operating files) on an individual computer.

Justin

[thomasf]

OK, I'm starting to get a grasp on this.

I set all my line weights, line styles etc. in my template file.

I can put the following files/folders on the server:

Imperial Library
Imperial Templates
Rendering

So, what about the:

Data folder that has the .pat file and the materials library
Anything in the Program folder, specifically the file that controls command aliases (we don't want individiual users creating their own short cuts).

I saw somehting in other threads about a simple bacth routine that would push the content out to the local machines. Is that the best way to go when handling content and the command alias file? We only have 8 machines right now, 1 being a laptop, and we will add more in the future.

Finally what about plotters, does RevIt just use the list of System Printers and I don't need to worry about settign those up?

[Justin Marchiel]

revit uses the printers installed on the computer.
once a pat file is loaded into the template, it follows until deleted out of the template.
material library can be put on the server provided that you map revit to that folder.

I am not sure about command alliases. i think they need to be on the local computer. Just out of curiousity, why not have users create there own aliases? I find that if i can make a user better, i should try to work with it. not all users type and like the same commands.

I dont have any experience with the batch file, so i can't add anything to that discussion

Justin

[cphubb]

Keyboard shortcuts are local in the c:\PF\Revit xxx\Program\

The file is KeyboardShortcuts.txt. BTW this file will be replaced by build upgrades and needs to be backed up somewhere else on the system and replaced post build install.

Note you can have many different "Library" locations listed in the files tab of the options. These will appear as shortcuts in the side of the load and open dialogs.

[aaronrumple]

Data folder that has the .pat file and the materials library
Anything in the Program folder, specifically the file that controls command aliases (we don't want individiual users creating their own short cuts).

I saw somehting in other threads about a simple bacth routine that would push the content out to the local machines. Is that the best way to go when handling content and the command alias file? We only have 8 machines right now, 1 being a laptop, and we will add more in the future.

Finally what about plotters, does RevIt just use the list of System Printers and I don't need to worry about settign those up?

KeyboardShortcuts.txt must be in the program directory. This cannot be moved to a server. Not allowing users to customize shortcut keys seems rather draconian. It isn't like they can create havoc like an AutoCAD user can with customization. Should the user make an "oops" in adding a shortcut key - Revit logs the error and keeps right on going with no loss of functionality. (KeyboardShortcuts.log).

I wouldn't push any content out to local machines. Just keep it all on the network. The exception would be the laptop - which I would do a typical install rather than a network install.

Revit uses system printers - so yes - there is no work to be done there....

[thomasf]

The reason I want to control the command aliases is so that anybody can sit down at any machine and be productive. If I have 8 users and all 8 create their own shortcuts then I've got havoc on my hands.