Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> File size issues: Linking multiple Buildings into a Master Site File

ollienz

active

Joined: Wed, Nov 25, 2009
41 Posts
No Rating

Hi,

We are about to embark on a project that will contain around 20 new buildings, of substantial size, on a single site. Lets say we are modelling an entire university, all at once. Each building will need its own detailed revit file for documentation, and they will all become large files due to the size and complexity of each building.

Each detailed building file will then need to be linked (or represented) into a Master Site File containing topography for positioning etc.

We have been debating options as to how to link that many large revit files into a Master file without utterly crippling it? We know from past experience that our relatively fast computers simply wont cope with 20 sizable files all linked at once. So the linked files HAVE to get smaller in size.

The options as we see them:

- Creating small, simple 'placeholder' files to link into the Master Site, containing the external building envelope only. We would have to manually update these 'placeholder' files with any changes. There would be no direct link between the individual detailed building files and our Master site.

- Somehow linking only the external envelope of each detailed building file into the Master Site, ie the minimum information necessary to keep file size down. We havent figured out how to do this (yet!). Is there a way to link only a portion of another file?

Has anyone come across a similar scenario to this before, or is there a forum that discusses this anyone could direct me to? I have had a good look but nothing Ive found thus far quite covers our predicament.

Thanks for your time in advance.

Ollie

This user is offline

lunchtrayrider

active

Joined: Sun, Jun 24, 2007
592 Posts

-----------------------------------
I like scooters. and motorcycles.

This user is offline

tomsheridan

active

Joined: Tue, Oct 14, 2008
21 Posts
No Rating

This user is offline

WWHub

site moderator|||

Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

Worsets will be your answer in multiple ways. 

First, these buildings should each be linked into the master on their own unique workset.  Then you can use reduced worksets to work in the master file turning on only the building(s) you need.

Second, each building file should have the site linked into it in a unique workset.  The documents will be produced from the building files.

Third,  the building file should have the shell on a seperate workset. In 2011, we can now control linked file worksetsand this will allow you to control these files in your master file. 

BTW -(I don't know if this works or not) I would try saving my building file for linking into the master with all worksets off except for the shell.  This may helpto reduce memory usage.

This user is offline

ollienz

active

Joined: Wed, Nov 25, 2009
41 Posts
No Rating

Thanks very much everyone, the feedback is appreciated.

Youre all pointing in the same direction, linking in worksets and managing file size that way.  It sounds like this is the best way to link only a small "portion" of a file whilst maintaining a live link, and thats ultimately what we want to do.

Doing some testing, will post anything of interest if & when it happens.

This user is offline

lunchtrayrider

active

Joined: Sun, Jun 24, 2007
592 Posts

-----------------------------------
I like scooters. and motorcycles.

This user is offline

Site plans and Linking with Master files

4

Linking a linked file...

0

Linking buildings to a site

4

looking for a keynote master file workaround

6

One site, many buildings

1