Transfer Revit 2017 settings to 2018?

[Anonymous]

Is there a way i can transfer my Revit 2017 settings / file locations / keyboard shortcuts into Revit 2018 easily?

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

Some of that kind of thing is stored in the Revit INI file. You can transfer that over and get most of the things you are looking for probably.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2018/ENU/?guid=GUID-9ECD669E-81D3-43E5-9970-9FA1C38E8507

[Anonymous]

It is unbelievable that Revit does not have the ability to backup user settings and transfer them to a new release or re-install.  Using the Revit.ini file is ridiculous and does not address all user customization.  Get with the program and develop a user settings backup and transfer function.  To see an example of how this is done look at Solidworks.  This has been a basic feature for 10+ years.  I consider it a waste of my time to copy/paste Revit.ini files and export import shortcut xml files.  I would settle for a third party program that accomplishes this, it should be a simple task for any user.  It needs to be published as part of the upgrade process with the release of each annual version.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous, 

I have always been frustrated I can't save my settings for the Quick Access Toolbar configuration I use. But all my options with the Revit.ini are covered on installation and my keyboard shortcuts take 2 seconds to import. 

What settings are you looking to transfer that you can't accomplish with the Revit.ini? 

[Anonymous]

I am tired of hearing this excuse to justify a lack of forethought on Autodesk's part. Autodesk's first response is a work around or band aid, never directly address the issue. The lack of user preference file transfer is annoying. The ability to save a user preference file is a no brainer function that should have been designed into the software. Just the fact that you must dig into a blog to find out what to transfer is s joke. You can say that ... all you need to do is, go there, x-folders deep find this file then install the new version and copy that file there by the way, don't forget to copy your shortcuts before you uninstall the old version. And by the way you still don't have your Quick Access toolbar.

This is a goat rodeo. Make this program better, we upgrade every year, you charge us every year, develop a user settings backup that covers all Revit Settings. Make it a standalone program and include the ability to install the settings in the new version.

If it is so simple to do... Why doesn't one of the whiz-kid programmers at Autodesk create this program? One day of work, maybe?

[Anonymous]

This should not be marked as solved, it is not!

I just installed v2019 of Revit and AutoCAD.  You know what AutoCAD has?

A transfer settings system.

[Anonymous]

I am fairly new to Revit and wanted to explore the possibility of exporting user settings to an installation of Revit on another computer (for a different user), like you can do with Autocad. I had a look into the Revit.ini file but I noticed it stores information about user ID and a list of recently accessed files. I suppose I would remove these lines when copying the file onto another computer. Is there anything else I would need to remove to make sure it will work for a different user (also on a subscription license)?

Is there a way of importing text types between different Revit installs of the same version (2019)? Is there a way of importing them between different releases, say 2018 to 2019?

I'm not sure if anyone from Autodesk is monitoring this thread but I was reluctant to open a new one when this one could easily be revisited. Apologies if that isn't the right thing to do.

[Anonymous]

This issue is ongoing and Revit pays it little attention.  Copying the Revit.ini file blinding may have unintended consequences as certain lines of code are added or deleted with each new version of Revit.  Autodesk recently added the ability to transfer user settings in AutoCAD, only took 30 years...

Look at the critical features that are helpful to transfer between versions:

• file paths ( Revit.ini)
• Shortcuts (export an #.xml file from another Revit version in "Options" and import into the new version)
• Regarding text and linetypes; the only way I know how to do this is by using the "Transfer Project Standards"  in the "Manage" area.  You can then transfer quite a bit from a previous project.
• You can setup your own project template with everything you want and then use it to create new projects.
• Materials (Always save your custom and favorite Materials to a favorites folder in the Material browser.  Yo can locate that file and save it from an earlier version and save it:
  • C:\Users\<userid>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit 20XX
  • In this folder you will find KeyboardShortcuts.xml, Revit.ini, and Material Library.adsklib
  • You also can save your custom material libraries to any place you wish and reference them from the Material Browser

Bottom line is:  This case is not solved!  Autodesk has a habit of marking cases solved because they have a crippled work-around.  Truth is, Revit is 10-years behind comparable 3D modeling software like SolidWorks when it comes to user functionality.  Every year there is an upgrade to Revit and they still have not bothered to create a simple Add-In to transfer user settings.  Ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

Thank you Gary, that is very helpful!