Revit Template Families from Older Versions

[drewHattonSDG]

I've run an analysis on my company's template file to report to get the editable families' file path, which in turn tells me what version of Revit the file was created in.  I've found that the vast majority of the files are from 2016.  So, I ran another script to update the files to the current family files (2020 version in this case).  However, the file size grows by about 45% vs. the un-upgraded file version after updating about 300 family files.  I realize that the family files are slightly larger after they're upgraded to the current version, which is causing the overall template file size to grow.  My question is, is there a risk of the family files referencing the 2016 database, vs. upgrading them to the current file database?  FYI, as families are updated, we load them into the template from the new file location, so the "latest" version is always in the template file.  We just have a lot of families that apparently have not been modified over the years.  

[kristina.youngblut]

Hey Drew, 

Try this to one family first, but I find when creating my templates and files, that with every save the file size will grow a little.

Unnamed reference planes, Default / Analysis Materials not purged, and other small things like this will also cause file size issues.

My suggestion is to check your model to ensure that it is cleaned and nothing that shouldn't be there is in there, and when you go to save do the following:

1. Save As (this is important, do not just ctrl-s)

2. Under Options, select Compact File

3. RENAME the file, even if you add -new to the end of it.

I don't know why, but renaming the file ALWAYS reduces the file size. You can either archive the old models or delete them; whatever your company policy is, and manually or with a tool like Advanced Renamer rename the file within the folder.

I did find that between those versions of Revit, there is a slight file size increase, but there have been some major stability issues resolved in that same time, that those "larger" files do not negatively affect a project like they once did. 

let me know how it goes!

[ToanDN]

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@drewHattonSDG wrote:

I've run an analysis on my company's template file to report to get the editable families' file path, which in turn tells me what version of Revit the file was created in.  I've found that the vast majority of the files are from 2016.  So, I ran another script to update the files to the current family files (2020 version in this case).  However, the file size grows by about 45% vs. the un-upgraded file version after updating about 300 family files.  I realize that the family files are slightly larger after they're upgraded to the current version, which is causing the overall template file size to grow.  My question is, is there a risk of the family files referencing the 2016 database, vs. upgrading them to the current file database?  FYI, as families are updated, we load them into the template from the new file location, so the "latest" version is always in the template file.  We just have a lot of families that apparently have not been modified over the years.  

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No.