topic Re: Nested link models are not loading.... in Revit MEP Forum

Nested link models are not loading....

jturner — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 06:27:56 GMT

Th above error reads as follows:

'Linked Model (file location & name) is using a path already in use by another linked model'

As you can see on the left the linked model can not load the nested linked models with in.

I have detached and saved as all 3.

purged & run an audit on all 3.

i have changed from 'overlay' to 'attached'.

I have 2 project models both with work sharing.

They both use the same Architectural model with the 2 nested models.

anyone know why this is happening???

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

kadmonkee — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 17:20:17 GMT

Ideally you would want to use the Overlay option.

the location where your models are stored (network location or Revit server)

models to be linked should not really have any linked models in them.

there may be specific needs to use this scenario, but I would avoid it most of the time.

Model 1 is linked into Models 2 & 3 as attachements

Model 2 is linked into Models 1&3 as attachments

Model 3 is Linked into Models 1&2 as attachements.

this is not the best approach. A nested link in multiple models when Attached is used.

each model is a part of the coordinated model

I create my model:

Model 1, I link in Model 2 as an Overlay origin to origin

then Link in Model 3 as an Overlay origin to origin.

now Model 2 can link in as an overlay Model 1 & 3 without errors

Model 3 can link in Models 1 & 2 as an overlay without errors.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

jturner — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 22:40:23 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

As you say there are scenarios where this is necessary to have 'Attached' links as opposed to 'Overlay' and this is one of these situations.
The Architectural model - A1 - relies on the other 2 models A2 & A3 in order to produce certain views of which we use to create our shop drawings. Unfortunately the A2 & A3 models do not have specific views with in theme that the A1 model uses to display exactly what is needed. Typically we would load all 3 models in to our Project Model and set to these specific views under Visibility graphics and as you say use 'Overlay'.
This process over using 'Attached' works well it behaves as expected until I move the project folder to a different drive and then move it back to original drive. We need to do this when we work out of the office, typically when working with other contractors for coordination purposes. Not the ideal practice I know but these terms have been insisted upon by the Lead coordinator.
I have worked out a way to have this 'Attached' process work and this is to open all 3 Arch models - remove work sharing save and close and then link A2 & A3 in to A1 using 'Attach'. The only issue here is that the A1 views we use for creating shop drawings now show elements that previously were not visible due to particular work sets no longer hiding these elements. Thankfully its not a big deal and we can use this as a work around.
The issue for here is that this a function of Revit that should work and I'm wanting to know why it doesn't, it has been developed with the ability to 'Attached' linked models to a host model for the purpose of them being linked into any other model that its host is liked to...
You mentioned that this approach is not the best approach and to that point I want to understand precisely why it is not?? What is happening in Revit to make this a bad choice??

Model 1 is linked into Models 2 & 3 as attachements

Model 2 is linked into Models 1&3 as attachments

Model 3 is Linked into Models 1&2 as attachements.

this is not the best approach. A nested link in multiple models when Attached is used.

Just to clarify this part - Models 2 & 3 are linked into Model 1 as 'Attached' - there is no other linking going between the 3 models...

Again appreciate you taking the time to answer, so far where I'm at is that the process I'm using seems to work if I remove 'Work Sharing' *(worksets) from all models....

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

kadmonkee — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 11:16:41 GMT

when you relocate a Revit model it becomes a NEW Model in its New Location (a copy not associated with the previous)

each time you relocate the model Revit looks at the new location as a new address (UNC)

Definition of: UNC. UNC. (Universal Naming Convention) A standard for identifying servers, printers and other resources in a network, which originated in the Unix community. A UNC path uses double slashes or backslashes to precede the name of the computer.

each model is relocated and rebuilt on the other location.

if you open each model and detach from central an preserve worksets (maintain your view graphic overrides) do a save as in the new location with the same name (as a Central file)

rebuild in its new location the round trip should be smoother.

basically you are managing 2 sets of the same model (s) in 2 locations.

if your workflow works in 1 location it should work in another, no need to break it down.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

jturner — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 22:57:06 GMT

Thanks for that.

I have tried that exact process with out luck. There are several other linked files that are work shared which i do not need to detach they work as expected. it is only the nested files with in one of the linked files that cannot be loaded.

when i open my working models i detach once i have relocated them - save as - close - then open a new local file, all Linked models load with out the need to detach any of them, the only linked models that dont are the nested link models.

At this point opening the Arch files, which has the nested models, detaching then saving as all 3 models then opening the host model and reloading then saving and closing does not fix the issue.

Removing work sharing from all files associated with nested link files seems to be the only way to facilitate what i need to do.

One thing to note is that after i relocate all models and i open and detach my working models all linked files show up no problem, including the nested links. i then save as - close then open a local file and the nested links are not found.

At this stage the work around of removing all work sharing from the 3 Arch models will do as every new idea or potential solution takes too much time on account of the size of the files and i dont really have a lot of time to spend on this issue due to my work load.

I will at some point put some more time into this at a later point.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

fabiosato — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 02:16:16 GMT

Hello,

What we have done to achieve your purpose is as following:

Open the file, creating a new local on your laptop.

Copy the linked files to the laptop and use reload from to map the linked files to the laptop.

Close the file.

When offline, open the local file and you can work on it, but only save, do not synchronize.

When you come back, open the local file and synchronize, remember to use reload from to map the linked files to the original place.

We only do this when nobody else will work on the model during the outside work.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

jturner — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 03:00:16 GMT

That sounds like a decent work flow.
The way we do it is by locating all working and linked models in 1 folder and simply drag that folder on to the desk and then once done back to our head office server.
This way there is no need to 'Reload from' or anything like that. This is actually a very simple and time saving approach and for the most part works very smoothly apart from this one issue with the nested links for which I have found a work around and funnily enough now cannot seem to replicate the original problem.....its wierd....
I work from my own Tower type PC and only use the laptop when working off site. The design laptop is used by several people and your work flow could be problematic for our particular work flow.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

JasonVisser — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 21:21:50 GMT

1. Open the Linked file where all your nested files are sitting.

2. Select a nested file and click on Type Properties

3. Then change the Reference Type from Overlay to Attachment. > OK

4. Do this for all the other Nested links in the file and Save the file.

5. Reload the linked file and you good to go 🙂

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

Anonymous — Thu, 21 May 2020 18:20:58 GMT

Hi, this solution doesn't work if you have more than one project model which are using the same Arch file , for example if you have 3 project models, and you use this solution for one of them, it will run but the others 2 project won't load the nested links and again you are going to get the warning error that says "linked model... is using a path already in use by another linked model".

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

donovan48Q8K — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:55:23 GMT

The way I solved this was to open each link in the main model. In each child model, I changed its links to overlay then synched the child model. Then in the main model, I reloaded the link. The error went away. Then back in the child model, I changed its links to attached as necessary, then synced, and then reloaded it in the main model. This fixed the issue for us. Our goal was to read the sheets from the child models into our main project model.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

sergiogonzalez_CYO — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 11:42:12 GMT

It works for me too. Thanks!

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

dalmenares — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:04:24 GMT

Do you mean that if i get a model from B360 with a link calling to B360 and i detach it to a local resource, i dont need to "reload from" as it uses the same name according to the UNC system? I have my concerns about this. regards

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

kadmonkee — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:35:13 GMT

BIM 360 (cloud based) is the host to allow for a more live collaboration.

if you download to a local resource you are in fact changing its location (UNC) address.

this method works if the cloud service goes down or is interrupted.

so you would need to rebuild (reload from) all relevant models from their NEW location (local servers)

I would not change the model names .......only the model location (address UNC)

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

kavilaKHAW5 — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 17:53:27 GMT

Thanks, this worked after almost an hour of trying different things!

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

Chad-Smith — Wed, 25 May 2022 02:07:53 GMT

The solution noted in this thread unfortunately did not work for me. But I don't know if it's because I have a Cloud Model for Revit, rather than a Revit Cloud Worksharing model.

In my case I am using a container Revit model for an IFC so that it can be positioned correctly. Interestingly, I have a second container model in the project with an IFC from a different consultant which is set up the exact same way and is working just fine. So this is very strange that I have two files with the same process but with different results.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

fabiosato — Sun, 29 May 2022 23:18:16 GMT

Hello,

The nested IFC is in a folder in which you have permission to access?

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

Chad-Smith — Mon, 30 May 2022 00:26:24 GMT

Yeah, I'm an admin.

The file became good the next day, and then bad the day after that. It's very random.

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

fabiosato — Tue, 31 May 2022 01:03:25 GMT

Hello,

I suggest you to contact Autodesk support

Re: Nested link models are not loading....

bahaa_barakatB39SG — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:15:38 GMT

it's been 6 years, the bug is not fixed and this is the only solution that actually works.