template files - best practices

[Pshupe]

It seems that using a template file to start a project may not be the best practice?  Do more people just use a template file that they have turned into a Project file to be able to have workset related items already setup?  Are there other things that are better to be setup in a project file, rather than a template file (rte)?

Obviously this only applies to workshare enabled projects?  Or are there advantages for the non-workshared enabled projects as well?  Thanks. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Regards Peter.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

I have a standard project file with worksets and just use save as when
create new projects.

[Pshupe]

yeah - that is what I am considering.  I'm making up a template file for an Architect and didn't really see any advantage to just making an rte file, especially considering I would want to setup worksets and views for isolation of the worksets.  Do you know of any other advantages to the project file over the template file?  Thanks.

Regards Peter.

[Alfredo_Medina]

I prefer to request that projects start with a clean template, not from a "save as" of a previous project. The advantage is that the template is supposed to have all the elements of the template as originally intended, before things get adjusted to the needs of a particular project. 

In regards to worksets, that is not a reason for not starting projects with a template. I give my consultants an Excel file and a Dynamo file so that they can configure the names of their worksets as per the standards. Then, they can run the Dynamo file, and the worksets are created in a second. And, because they start with a template, as I said, at least all the settings in the template are in their initial state without any modifications. 

Also, models of other disciplines other than architecture, should start with templates designed for those disciplines. I am against about using just one architectural template for everything and then use "transfer project standard" from other templates. That is not the same.

[ToanDN]

I don't save as from AN existing project, but a clean project file, exactly the same as RTE file plus the worksets. It saves the steps to make the central file. But to each their own.

[Pshupe]

I would never just "save as" from a project.  I would keep the "template.rvt" project file in place where it can be used to start all projects.  It should also be updated as new things get added to all of the standard projects.  As good as Dynamo is, it is extra work if you are starting from an rte file.

Is there a downside to started from a rvt file, exactly the same as starting with a rte file?  Thanks.

Regards Peter.

[Alfredo_Medina]

Each case is different. If you are thinking of your own use, for yourself only, maybe it is fine to start a new project with a project file. But in other circumstances, when you need to distribute templates to multiple users, internal or external consultants, it makes sense to give them template files (.rte) and not project files (.rvt), and let them configure those templates (a set of templates) in the Options dialog box > File locations > Project template files of each computer, so that the templates appear on the startup screen when they are about to start a project. I don't how you could do that with .rvt files.

[Anonymous]

So this post could not have come at a better time, so I can just tag on to it... 🙂

I am faced with the situation of being close to the end of our first Revit project, ready to start the next one. Since I have a lot of stuff set up in this first project, such as title block, sheets, levels etc etc, my thought was to start this as a jumping board for our template, by saving this, purging stuff out and saving as an empty template that I can then use to start the new project. From what I've read here, there is some concern about doing this - can you elaborate? Do I really need to start from scratch for all of this? In my situation, what would you recommend as best practice/workflow?

Thx,

Marc

[ToanDN]

No needs to start from scratch. Save your 1st project as a template RTE
file. Clean it out manually and carefully. You can delete all model
elements off the file. Do not use Purge All. Standardize naming
convention for Views, sheets, families and types...

[Anonymous]

Thx Toan. What do you mean by clean it out carefully? I am assuming the purge command will purge everything?

On that same note, if families have been loaded from sites such as Seek, BimObject, CadDetails etc - are these families saved only in the project? If so, is there a way to search/filter the standard Revit families from the external ones so I can save them in our office library? All these organizational thoughts are just now hitting me as I need to start a new project.

Thx,

Marc

[ToanDN]

Do not use Purge command. Open 3d views, plans, elevations, sections and
delete them clean. The file doesn't need to have any physical model
elements, dims, annotations except for general, typical notes. You can
further delete similar views, but keep at least one typical for type such
as plan, rcp, elev, sect, detail, drafting, schedule...

[Anonymous]

Hi Toan;

This project is hosted on BIM360 team. I have saved project locally as a different name and detached from central, but the option to "save as template" is still grayed out. Any idea why that would be?

Marc

[ToanDN]

When detach you must choose discard worksets.