Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Multi-level buildings

shaun_kiwi

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 26, 2004
60 Posts

What is the best way to set up a multi level building in revit? Would I link structure, outer walls and core with one central file and have each individual level layout linked in also. Services and ceiling stuff for each level on these separate drawings linked to the main file from which I only print?

Thanks in advance

Shaun

-----------------------------------
Shaun

This user is offline

WWHub

site moderator|||

Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

The great thing about Revit is that it is not CAD.  You are trying to hard to use CAD principals. 

1. If this is one project, use one project file. 
2. Look at using worksets per floor but this may not be necessary.  I wouldput the exterior shell in one workset.
3. If the structure is being done by a consultant, in Revit, then investigate the copy/monitor process but this is not easy and it sounds like you are just starting.  
4. If you are doing the ceings / services, then they should be in the same file.  Otherwise, you may look into linking these.

This user is offline

shaun_kiwi

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 26, 2004
60 Posts

I am starting out on this project. We have done many multi level buildings commercial, usually 2-3 levels, and one 7-8 level building but this usually gets file size right up there and out of control. We did 3 levels of a moderately large building last year. We were invovled in a high degree of design and produced many renders and much detail to our drawings. This file was very large and unweildy. We had worksets enabled but this did not seem to make much difference.

I recently did a building where I did 7 levels all levels were a different file linked to a central file from which we printed. Was unsual but it meant that managing work on an individual floor was totally good. Took a while to set the central file up as you can imagine but wasn't that hard. Once this was all done it worked well. Will be the way to go sometimes I think.

This time around I will link core, columns and envelope into a central file, make each level a workset and hope for the best. Thanks for the post and any additional help in file management would be appreciated.

Thanks

Shaun

-----------------------------------
Shaun

This user is offline

WWHub

site moderator|||

Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

shaun,

You said the file size got unweildy and that you had worksets but how did you do the worksets and did you load them according to need? 

In a 7-8 floor multistory, I would probably have an exterior skin workset, worksets by floor and an interior workset if this is part of the contract.

The important thing then is to only load what you need.

We have also found it necessary to have a common view we all save to central from.  That view is a simple project legend for staff communication and it is not placed ona sheet.

This user is offline

shaun_kiwi

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 26, 2004
60 Posts

The project was broken up into many worksets for various areas. We may have had too many in fact. The building was three levels but intense detail so I made rooms and areas separate worksets. All walls, furniture etc went onto the workset while we were working on those rooms.

Pain in the aris to be honest and still had to turn all on to print. We must have had 150 A3 drawings in the set. Eventually I gave up turning on and off worksets and left them all on while working on the subfile. The central file was the chunky one while managing the subfile was ok.

We did another building from scratch with much detail and took the building into fitout phase. We enabled worksets solely so that we could work on the drawing similtaneously but basically kept all worksets on. No probs but still large and unweildy central file.

I have just opened the central file on the 3 level building mentioned earlier to update it to our current version of Revit as I need to pull some info off it now and in the future. It has taken 2 hours to open and is currently not letting me save, save a copy or save a copy to C drive and my machine is quite frankly spitting the dummy. Says it is becoming unstable. Crashed this morning trying the same thing. My machine is a late model Dell with teeth.

My concern is that we will get into this new multi level project (fitout only but detailed) and the central file will be too big to do anything with.

Is worksets the only way? Is it that I need to manage them better?

-----------------------------------
Shaun

This user is offline

WWHub

site moderator|||

Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

There are so many possible issues here.  We don't know how well you manage your files. 

• Do you regularly audit your file? 
• Do you regularly review warnings and manage those problems? 
• Have you imported a lot of autocad files and exploded them?

How big is your central file?

Worksets do help if you use them correctly.  I think we have all gone overboard and created too many the first time but that doesn't mean you should abandon the process.  Just learn to use them better.  You do NOT have to turn on all worksets to print.   You also don't need all linked files to be loaded.  Try opening your Central using your old REVIT version and a limited workset, then manage the links and unload them.  

Upgrading a completed project to a newer version of Revit can be a problem.  This really takes a lot of memory and processing speed.  We had to have autodesk do it for one of our projects.  I would suggest that you do not upgrade an existing project.

This user is offline

shaun_kiwi

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 26, 2004
60 Posts

To answer your bullet points in order

?

?

No

Guess I have some research to do.

File is 262M

Thanks for telling me about the printing. I am assuming that are you suggesting management in terms of printing by floor then switching to the next floor and switching off and on worksets or links. I guess I need to think of worksets differently.

Just reread your second bullet point. What do you suggest I do about warnings. I always assumed ignoring then was the best bet. What are the issues involved?

-----------------------------------
Shaun

This user is offline

WWHub

site moderator|||

Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

This user is offline

brettgoodchild

active

Joined: Sat, Feb 4, 2006
425 Posts

You might consider taking a look at the level of modeling that is going on. Is it all necessary?

Also, are there any in-place families that were created and if so, are they getting copied around the project?

Can be easily checked with a multi category schedule. Look for families that are auto listed numerically. I.E. door 1, 2, 3 etc. 

Is there excessive grouping? Groups are great but can be a big impact of file size.

How often are purges being done?

Look for better modeling practices, things like creating excessive wall types when a family might be better.

An example of this is I heard of one of our offices having a lot of performance issues. While exploring the file I found they created a security wall using stacked walls for every thing. I mean the columns and all. There were over 100 wall types in the project that didn't need to be in it. I remade it with a curtain wall using custom mullions and panels and purged out the unused wall types.

What about excessive level creation, can Ref. levels be used instead of creating new levels for everything?

A lot of Revit links will also slow performance. Load them when needed and unload them when not needed.

Also, I think what WW was getting at is don't just turn the visibility of unneeded worksets but actually close them. Revit will maintain relationships with objects on closed worksets...this will help a lot!

Do you have any site work? If so, this should be in its own file and link the Revit project to it.

Also, like WW said, when you save, go to a drafting view and then close all hidden windows. This will save Revit from having to Regen every view that was open upon opening the file. Also a good idea to periodically close hidden windows.

I guess that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

HTH

-----------------------------------

This user is offline

shaun_kiwi

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 26, 2004
60 Posts

Thats a lot and all good advice, thanks. Maybe we have some excessive modeling but few inplace families. We purge regularly.

Will adjust the way we do things. Thanks for all your replies.

-----------------------------------
Shaun

This user is offline

Walk through's on multi levels

9

Multi Level 3d into Single Level 3d

7

Multi-building Schedule

3

Editing Multi-Level Building

4

level heights for different buildings

3