Strategy to update drafting views (details) in project

[HVAC-Novice]

I'm just wondering if there is a better way to keep the standard details (2D details) organized and current. I have a lot of standard details (i.e. a typical control sequence, or typical installation method) that will be apply to all projects where they are needed (meaning, I don't change them specific to one project). but it happens, that I sometimes edit them to incorporate some new idea or improvement. I keep all my standard details in my template. So any new project already has them included (they really don't take much memory)

Here is what I do if a detail already is in a project, but needs editing:

- I only edit them in the template

- I copy (clipboard) it to the project. If the view still has the same name, Revit adds an "1"tot eh name to differentiate them. 

- In the project on the sheet I select the "old" version and in the properties I select the new version (s. screenshot below). This will then show the "new" version on the sheet in the project

- I delete the old version from the browser. It helps that R2023 has the blue highlight for views that are on sheets. 

- I rename the new detail (delete the "1"that Revit added)

So this takes quite a few steps and I wonder if there is a way to skip some steps or improve otherwise? It is a bit cumbersome to do it for multiple views, or if I get multiple ideas to "improve" a detail. I do some new type of project much the time, so there is quite some detail editing. 

Originally I just edited a detail in the project, and at the end of the project, i copied the new version into the template. but then I have to remember that. And if I start a new project based on the template before the other project is completed and details copied, the new project it wouldn't have the newest version of the detail.

[ToanDN]

Create details in model views, not drafting views, in your detail template.  Link it in your project and set the link to By Linked view.  When you need to update just reload the template link.

[HVAC-Novice]

Thanks. I'll try that on a project.

I assume the project file will need to be accessible and stored in the same relative file path from the file that contains the details. That may be a problem since some of my projects are just my own and reside in my designated network folder. and Central files we share in the office elsewhere. 

I also thought if I change the size of a detail in the detail file, then it may mess up sheet layout in a project. That also would happen with my original method, but there updating would be a deliberate process and I would do that for one view at a time and see it. 

since this thread, i also watched myself editing details. Sometimes this is better done in the project where on the sheet i see multiple details at once when they relate to each other. For example, when I change a VAV terminal control sequence, I also also need to see and change the AHU sequence, for example. So maybe editing in the project, and then copying into the template sometimes is better. So this may be something I change from case to case. BTW, I'm the only MEP designer here. So I wouldn't need to coordinate these details with someone else. 

What really would be nice if i could replace the 2-d views witching the browser. So click on a detail in the project browser, then select which view should replace this (like select from clipboard or from another project file). Then I could skip the renaming, and deleting in my original process.

Anyway, thanks for the input. I'll try a bit around and watch myself doing it to see if i can make my life easier. 

[ToanDN]

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@HVAC-Novice wrote:

I assume the project file will need to be accessible and stored in the same relative file path from the file that contains the details. That may be a problem since some of my projects are just my own and reside in my designated network folder. and Central files we share in the office elsewhere. 

The detail file should be a central file in your shared network folder.  Path to this file should be absolute.  

since this thread, i also watched myself editing details. Sometimes this is better done in the project where on the sheet i see multiple details at once when they relate to each other. For example, when I change a VAV terminal control sequence, I also also need to see and change the AHU sequence, for example. So maybe editing in the project, and then copying into the template sometimes is better. So this may be something I change from case to case. BTW, I'm the only MEP designer here. So I wouldn't need to coordinate these details with someone else. 

I would only use the linked detail file for  generic, standard, typical drafting details.  Project specific details should be done within the project.

[yes_and_no]

This topic is great.

Q to Toan:

I understood project related details, where I can tag/ref them, of course.

For the linked details, say I linked sheet AD2 from template, that has detail 25. Can I call-out/tagging/ref this specific detail  (25/AD2) from/to other view ? I meant "live" not "dummy" tagging.