Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Family size increase with array?

Spirited

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Joined: Tue, Aug 27, 2013
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I have a base model for a plant, using a generic model rather than a planting.  Base model size is approximately 2500kb; it has a sweep with a profile loaded and 2 revolves around an axis.  It is really basic.  I have made a couple of leaf families to nest into it.  The leaf is made from a blended sweep as it is a 'string-like' leaf.  5 types/lengths.  each family is approx 1900kb - this seems really large for what is a blended sweep of approximately 120mm using a different start and end profile.  It gets worse.

so far I have attempted to nest the families and then do circular arrays around the trunk, in stages to vary the density of the leaves.  Example: 15 strands in a 135 degree arc; 12 strands in a 90 degree arc and so on with the families and strands.  This increased the size of the host family to > 20Mb.  So I tried opton 2.

Option 2 was to complete all extrusions and arrays in the one family.  Once again starting with the base model of approximately 2500kb - which to my mind is too big anyway.  I have materials as parameters to change bark on the runk and to have different materials on the leaves.  Once again the model increased to >20Mb.

I have a 'sandbox' walls, floor and pad into whch the model(s) can be loaded.  The sandbox is approxmately 2500kb when 'clean'  once a model plant is loaded it increases in size to >30Mb.  When I attempt to render a camera shot (with settings to fine,realistc colours) an error msg arises indicating not enough space.  I have changed the page swap/virtual memory to begin with 1.5x physical memory and to max at 2x physical memory.

I am running Revit 2014 with 6GB RAM, 65GB HDD space free, windows 7, 32bit OS, 2.4GHz processor.

cannot add a file due to size and wouldn't want to impose such rubbish on people anyway.

My questions:

is the initial starting size reasonable?

would using arrays increase the size so excessively if all is working well?

what is the possibility of a corrupt family file? (have started from scratch a couple of times with similar results so unlikely)

what is the possibility of having to uninstall and reinstall REVIT (really do not want to do this)

is this why there are few 'plantings' families developed in REVIT (suitability of software - not a complaint)

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revitape

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Joined: Tue, Nov 13, 2007
111 Posts

1. No. Should be one less zero in that number!
2. Yes arrays increase your file size. Arrays are multiples of objects so why wouldn't your size increase. The more complex, the larger the file size
3. Corruption is a possibility. Depends if you are using downloaded files or you started from your own clean files.
4. Not sure what this question means but you shouldn't have to do that
5. YesYou are using Revit wrong if you are spending this much time and energy on plants. It is not that kind of program. Do all the architecture and then bring it into another program more suited for the entourage stuff. Lumion is the first that comes to mind for me.  

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