topic Re: Central File renaming itself in Revit Architecture Forum

Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:05:31 GMT

The central file renames itself while working on a local. A number or letter will be added to the central file breaking the link between the local and central file. When this happens the folder where the central file is located becomes populated with .rws files and .dat files. I have no idea how this is happening or how to fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm using Revit 2018.3 for small commercial buildings.

Re: Central File renaming itself

RobDraw — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:11:22 GMT

How are you creating the local file?

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:15:33 GMT

I go to file open in Revit. then locate the central then open the central with "Create New Local" checked. It then creates a new local on my personal network drive.

Re: Central File renaming itself

RobDraw — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:41:49 GMT

IME, the year number at the end of a file name indicates the version of Revit that the project is supposed to using. It looks like the project has two versions, 2017 and 2018.

Is there any chance that you are upgrading the project or do any of the links need to be upgraded?

Do those files go away after closing the model?

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:47:43 GMT

I understand the 2017 and 2018 at the end of the file name structure. That is apart of our standard file structure. Both revit files are v 2018. The 2018 file is being renamed while working in the local to the 2017. Neither file needs to be upgraded. The .rws and .dat files remain in the folder after closing, opening, or creating a new local.

Re: Central File renaming itself

ToanDN — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:52:41 GMT

The rws and dat files should be in a backup folder created automatically when the central file was created. I would suggest you create a new central file from the most recent local file.

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:25:11 GMT

Thanks for the suggestion. I have done that multiple times in this situation. Additional challenge comes with multiple persons working on the revit file and compiling the work and deciding which local to recreate.

Re: Central File renaming itself

Anonymous — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:37:46 GMT

Why save a local file on the network when the central file is on the network? Network server goes down....all files lost.

All the dat and aws files is stuff behind the scenes that should be ignored.

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:44:05 GMT

The local is saved to the local computer drive. Only the central is on the network.Thanks.

Re: Central File renaming itself

ToanDN — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:45:20 GMT

@matt.crowleyH64E3 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion. I have done that multiple times in this situation. Additional challenge comes with multiple persons working on the revit file and compiling the work and deciding which local to recreate.

What do you mean? After you recreate a new central file just get rid of the old ones.

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:47:57 GMT

I archive the old centrals. I'm no longer using that file as a central. There's a new central with a new local created from it.

Re: Central File renaming itself

ToanDN — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:49:50 GMT

@matt.crowleyH64E3 wrote:

I archive the old centrals. I'm no longer using that file as a central. There's a new central with a new local created from it.

Okay if there is only one central then why users need to pick which one to open?

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Thu, 02 May 2019 18:57:21 GMT

The problem is the file renaming itself. I think you're missing the point. They don't need to pick. There are multiple users working on their local to the central. Only one central. The central errors and renames itself creating extra files. Those users with multiple locals in which one is used to recreate into a central.

Re: Central File renaming itself

Anonymous — Thu, 02 May 2019 19:59:13 GMT

@matt.crowleyH64E3 wrote:

The central file renames itself while working on a local. A number or letter will be added to the central file breaking the link between the local and central file. When this happens the folder where the central file is located becomes populated with .rws files and .dat files. I have no idea how this is happening or how to fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm using Revit 2018.3 for small commercial buildings.

Backup Revit files should not be kept in the Backup folder... The Backup folder is created by Revit and that is where the history of all saves are kept, which is all the rws and dat files....this can be deleted time to time to clear out room as needed but most people ignore it. There shouldn't be any RVT files kept in there. So you probably have more RVT project files a level up.

The only reason I can see why a central file would rename itself is because a file is being created in the same directory with the same name and Windows is adding a number to it to keep both versions.

So while you did say you save your locals on your computer you did say it was kept on your personal network path prior. Which is why I thought you were saving it the same place as your central file.

Re: Central File renaming itself

SteveKStafford — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:01:51 GMT

As others have mentioned you shouldn't have a Revit central file inside the _backup folder which is where all those other files are stored. That folder is not for user interaction, think "No User Serviceable Parts Inside" or "Warranty Void if Seal is Broken".

The central file should be in a shared folder on your office server and it should be accompanied by a _backup Folder, like this (on your server:

OurBigProject.rvt (central file, you open this file and create a new local)

OurBigProject_backup (folder, you never go in here)

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:04:58 GMT

I don't have the central file saved in a backup folder. It's saved in the project folder on our server.

Re: Central File renaming itself

matt.crowleyH64E3 — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:20:35 GMT

Screen shot shows what files populate the folder when it renames itself and link with central and local is broken.

Re: Central File renaming itself

SteveKStafford — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:22:05 GMT

Something is broken, none of those files should be where they are...they all should be in a _backup folder.