Remove backup Revit files

[jmvogt1986]

Greetings from South Africa!

I hope you're all well, I am an Autodesk Revit 2023 owner, I want to know how to delete my Revit backup files properly/cleanly.

A simple example is this screen shot 👇

I want to delete all the backup files (i.e file names that end with .0000)

All of my files are local and my computer's disks pace is limited and I don't want or need to have all of these backups saved onto my hard drive.

I also have dynamo and I want to learn how to use it. So could I use dynamo as well to delete all of my old Revit back up files.

Thank you in advance 🤘

[RPTHOMAS108]

You can use batch files for that with wildcards or you can use Dynamo.

Delete backup files using "filesystem.deletefile" node - Packages - Dynamo (dynamobim.com)

Deleting Backup Families in Sub Folders - Revit - Dynamo (dynamobim.com)

[moturi.magati.george]

Hi @jmvogt1986,

You can also follow the example below to delete the files in csharp:

https://bimmatters.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/595/

[jmvogt1986]

I see a lot of these examples are for family files does it also apply to model files?

[sayu94]

Hello. I use this code, where f1.tbx1.Text - path to folder

FileInfo[] ListPathModelsToDelete;
FileInfo[] ListPathFamiliesToDelete;
FileInfo[] ListPathTemplatesToDelete;
if (f1.chbxDeleteCopy.Checked == true)
{
ListPathModelsToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rvt", SearchOption.AllDirectories);
ListPathFamiliesToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rfa", SearchOption.AllDirectories);
ListPathTemplatesToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rte", SearchOption.AllDirectories);
}
else
{
ListPathModelsToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rvt", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
ListPathFamiliesToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rfa", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
ListPathTemplatesToDelete = new DirectoryInfo(f1.tbx1.Text).GetFiles("*.rte", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
}
foreach (FileInfo fi in ListPathModelsToDelete)
{
string nameFile = fi.Name;
int i = 0;
bool delete = false;
while (i < 20)
{
string dop = "0";
if (i > 9)
{
dop = "";
}
if (nameFile.Contains("00" + Convert.ToString(i) + ".rvt"))
{
System.IO.File.Delete(fi.FullName);
delete = true;
}
i++;
}
}
foreach (FileInfo fi in ListPathFamiliesToDelete)
{
string nameFile = fi.Name;
int i = 0;
bool delete = false;
while (i < 20)
{
string dop = "0";
if (i > 9)
{
dop = "";
}
if (nameFile.Contains("00" + Convert.ToString(i) + ".rfa"))
{
System.IO.File.Delete(fi.FullName);
delete = true;
}
i++;
}
}
foreach (FileInfo fi in ListPathTemplatesToDelete)
{
string nameFile = fi.Name;
int i = 0;
bool delete = false;
while (i < 20)
{
string dop = "0";
if (i > 9)
{
dop = "";
}
if (nameFile.Contains("00" + Convert.ToString(i) + ".rte"))
{
System.IO.File.Delete(fi.FullName);
delete = true;
}
i++;
}
}

[jmvogt1986]

Thank you, I'm not sure what this means though... Would you mind explaining how to use it? Thank you 💪

[sayu94]

This code i use in my plugin, that work in families in folder and then it save family after work - it metod deletes reserve copies families files

[TripleM-Dev.net]

Hi @jmvogt1986,

Looks like you don't use central models, so just save-as the model once with less backup files option set then Revit will clean up the older ones itself. I think they are set at 20st. at default, set it to 5st. or so, depending on you're own backup setups (time/location).

See this post: how-to-stop-revit-from-saving-autosave-files-to-the-original 

If you're using Code (dynamo etc) I would first check of a "backup named" file there's also a "regular named" Revit file of it, only delete the oldest backups and maybe keep a couple of them?

- Michel

[floretti · Accepted solution]

I use a much simpler approach. Every once in a while I do a search on File Explorer for *.00??.rvt as this will bring up all the files ended in 00 plus two more numbers before the file extension starts. I then give the list a quick review just to make sure I'm not deleting a project file with a name that happens to match that pattern and simply hit delete.

Just keep in mind that backup files over the number 99 won't be captured in this method but you can easily adjust the search to suit and re-run it.

FileName.0001.rvt  [that will show up]

FileName.0045.rvt  [that will show up]

FileName.0099.rvt  [that will show up]

FileName.0100.rvt  [that will NOT show up]

I like doing that for Revit families as well as we always have the odd backup here and there in our libraries. Just remember to replace .rvt by .rfa and you're done. I hope that helps.