multiple buildings on one site plan: keynote methods?

[ccabralS4X5J]

Hello, I am working on a semi-large project where I am preparing documents for 5 unique buildings - all different, shapes, sizes, and uses - on one site plan. When I began this project, I searched the forums, and went with the process that seemed most popular and made the most sense:

I created every building in its own project, then created a separate project for the site plan, then linked each building (project) into that site plan. This has allowed each project to be able to use the same sheet numbers (ie: in every project "floor plan" is on sheet A3.0), and have different title blocks, levels, grids, etc... which was all necessary, because they will each have a separate building permit.

Now that I am passed the planning phase, I decided to link the site plan to each individual project so they each have a site plan sheet in their construction documents. The issue I am running into now is each project (including the site plan) has its own keynote file. I have always made an unique keynote file for every project, so I never even thought to do it differently. Now, my site plan keynotes will not show up in the hosted projects for obvious reasons. I am realizing now that I must have had to make one keynote file for all of the projects, this will be very time consuming to change, and I will have to re-do all of the keynotes within every project as well, because numbers will repeat, etc... 

I am wondering if this is how most people would have started it? With one keynote file for all projects on a site plan, even if they are all very different buildings? Or is there a better way that that I should have done this all together? Or am I missing something in this step to link the site plan to each project?  I am sure this is confusing to read, as I have had a difficult time explaining it. Please just let me know if anything needs clarifying. I really appreciate any feedback.

TIA,

Christiana

[ToanDN]

You could set the Site link in a view to show By Linked View so that it will show the keynotes placed in the Site file. The issue is that you can not show the linked keynotes in your local keynote legend and that can be a deal breaker.

Or you can just place user keynotes instead of element keynotes to key the linked elements.

And yes there should be a single keynote database for all of your site and building models.

[ccabralS4X5J]

Hello, and thank you for your reply.

Yes, it is set by linked view, and the keynote tags show, they just don't have numbers in them or notes attached. I tested the Site Plan keynote file as the file location for one of the host projects, and the keynotes on the site plan still do not show up. Does this mean I'll have to individually keynote the site plan in each project, and whenever there is an update, I'll have to do it manually in each project? I won't be able to add a keynote in the site plan file and reload it in all of the projects, like I can for any other kind of update?

Furthermore... If I should have one keynote file for all projects, and I don't filter by sheet, then some projects will have keynotes numbered all over the place. That seems a little odd, doesn't it? if I create a file, and type all the keynotes out, it won't matter how organized I try to start it ie: sub categorized by project and category, for example "Fuel station - structure", and "storage unit - structure".... The numbers will continue to grow as notes are added and one project could have keynotes from 1-10, then 75-90. It seems Revit is too good for the keynote process to be this primitive. 

That being said, now that you have verified it is the correct thing to do, I feel better about starting the process of re-doing all keynotes for every project and creating one keynote file for all, and I shall filter them by sheet to avoid very high numbers. I just hope there is a way around having to update the site plan keynotes individually for each project every time there is a change.

Thanks again,

Christiana

[ToanDN]

Keynotes in a linked model show correctly if i set the link to By Linked view.  Link model and Host model are using different keynote database files.  Not sure what is going on at your end.

[barthbradley]

HUH? 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles...

[ToanDN]

Never said it did.

[ccabralS4X5J · Accepted solution]

really? seems like exactly what you said in the previous post. It was very confusing and I've been trying to figure out how you accomplished it this entire time. So, the answer is: NO, I cannot link the keynotes even with linked views, and even if all projects share the same keynote file. Instead, every time the Site Plan is updated, I'll have to open each project and individually update the keynotes. counterproductive, Autodesk! 

[ToanDN]

---

@ccabralS4X5J wrote:

really? seems like exactly what you said in the previous post. It was very confusing and I've been trying to figure out how you accomplished it this entire time. So, the answer is: NO, I cannot link the keynotes even with linked views, and even if all projects share the same keynote file. Instead, every time the Site Plan is updated, I'll have to open each project and individually update the keynotes. counterproductive, Autodesk! 

---

I said you could set the link to show by linked view to show the keynotes (also show in my screenshot) but you could not include them in a keynote legend.   I know what I said.

[barthbradley]

...if Numbering Method in Link is set to By Keynote

[SteveKStafford]

Wading in... keynotes are file/model centric. Many models can use the same keynote source file but ultimately keynote legends only report those it finds in the local model. As mentioned, using By Linked View, does permit you to show keynotes that have been applied to linked file's elements but the host file's legend won't summarize/include them.

The way I'd tackle the project you describe is to keep all keynotes model and document centered. No keynotes attached or shown for elements that are not part of the native host file. I'd also print site building related views, those you brought the site to the buildings for, in the site model instead. It makes it a little more work to print a full set and collate afterward.

If you use the same master keynote file for all the models then By Linked View can work if you refer people to a master legend view. Each model needs a view that contains one generic element that carries each keynote. This way a legend can/will include all keynotes that are project related. Someone reading the set will see a keynote and if they don't find it among those on that sheet they can refer to the master keynote list sheet for reference. A general note to that effect informs the reader so they know what to do when a keynote is not listed on the sheet (avoid RFI's).

Numbering by sheet across models is not viable...you have to keep the keynoting to the host model only.

[barthbradley]

BTW: I just read you wrong initially. My bad. 

[ToanDN]

If you use one database file for all the models then you can key the linked elements directly in the host model.  The key note will pull the elements' information from the link so if you want to make any changes, you have to open the link to change, which is understandable.  That way you can include the keynotes in the legend.  I did not test but you may be able to copy paste the site keynotes from one building to another.  

The screenshot below shows the parking as an element from a link, but the keynote and the legend are local.

[SteveKStafford]

...Keeping in mind that tagging (and like tags and dimension) links can be volatile, especially with user keynotes...

For some reason I thought the OP wasn't willing to apply keynotes to elements in the links from the host?

[ToanDN]

The risk is real. OP uses different keynote files for different models so Revit doesn't allow keying linked elements. And I believe OP doesn't want to change them to one keynote file, which would be a do-over.

[ToanDN]

---

@barthbradley wrote:

...if Numbering Method in Link is set to By Keynote

---

You are correct.  Filter the linked keynotes By Sheet must be the reason they showing blank in the host even with By Linked View selected.