Way to know who last moved an element?

[dtiemeyer]

I have a model in a standard worksharing environment (no Revit Server, nor C4R, nor anything else similar), and I'd like to know who was the last person to move an object in the Revit model.

Is there any way to find that information?

[RobDraw]

I'm away from Revit ATM, but I believe you will find what you are looking for in worksharing display.

[dtiemeyer]

I was thinking for 'after the fact'. Like on Monday we realize that something got messed up on Friday, and want to see the history of element ownership prior to when the model was most recently opened.

[ToanDN]

Just exclaim loudly in the breakroom so that everyone can hear: "Wow, I wonder who [did this] and [did that]?  SO SO BRILLIANT!!!"  I guarantee someone will poke out to take the credit.

[RobDraw]

Yeah, it works "after the fact". It tells you who created the element and who last edited it.

Worksharing display/owners. Hover over an entity and wait for the tool tip.

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @dtiemeyer

You can parse a journal file to extract this information since it captures the actions taken by the software during a session of Revit. You might consider collecting files from users for that specific project.

If you find posts have solved your problem, please click on 'Accept as solution' to help others with similar questions.

Thank you.

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

In case you didn't believe me:

 

[Sahay_R]

@RobDraw - if it was possible, I would have given you double, triple, quadruple kudos for this!

[dtiemeyer]

@RobDraw    I have to admit I was skeptical when I read it, but I tried it yesterday and it does show the last editor of an item! Sweet, thank you sir!

[dtiemeyer]

@Viveka_CD    I was able to open the Journal file and search it for the element id, and there it showed the user name of the person who edited the item last, but the rest of the information in the journal file is very cryptic and difficult to understand. Is there any key to deciphering these things? To know what happened to that item?  

Like: "the connected elbow moved so this pipe was re positioned" ?

Thank you for your response as well.

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @dtiemeyer

You are most welcome! 

Yes, it's a bit hard to parse it, but HERE is a PDF with information on how to do a search in a journal file.

If you find posts have solved your problem, please click on 'Accept as solution' to help others with similar questions.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

For those who is having issue seeing the tracking information,  you can setup or turn on this feature by going to...

R or File >> Option >> User Interface >> Tool Tips >> Set it as "Normal".

Once click on OK, the information will appear when you go to the checkout status / owner display.

PS. the tracking info is always saved in the file, just the matter to turn it on or off.

[Julian.Gherda]

Hi all,

I have recently got confused with this feature of showing owner/last editor/last updated in central user of a Revit element. It seems, at least in the project I'm working on and RVT2018, that the info is wrong. For example, when I've started working in the current model, the structure was already advanced in terms of modelling and views set up, drawings were already issued to the client for different design phases but hovering over grid lines I am the one who appears to have created them. So not sure where the actual information comes from but I do know it's not accurate.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Yes, it's not completely reliable.  Julian, in your case I am not sure, but I have noticed that it's enough to just select it and drag a pinned element (not moving it) without actually changing anything and still you will end up as the user that last edited it.

[Julian.Gherda]

Hi josy,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I have definitely touched/extended grid lines (who doesn't :D) but that shouldn't fall under "Created by" category when looking for which user has created some element in a RVT model. 

But it's good to know that RVT "sees" things this way 😉

[RobDraw]

Is that model in the same location it was when it was finished or was it detached from central and is now in a different location?

[Julian.Gherda]

It's in the same location, it's actually the same file since we've started this job which was more than a year now.

[RobDraw]

Maybe you took ownership of the workset(s).

[Julian.Gherda]

If that would be the case than it shouldn't show me as the creator after syncing/relinquishing, right? Also, if that's the case than this info on the creator of any RVT object is wrong. In my opinion, the creator of an object is only one user and that shouldn't be "transferred" to any other user. All I got from this "issue" is that I can't trust that info (I've been told that I've been messing things up it the project simply because people look at that creator thing and take it for granted)

[RobDraw]

Oh, you're looking to prove that it isn't reliable to avoid responsibility for issues. If you read all of the posts, there are other ways to check ownership of changes. Might be prudent to dig in deeper before proclaiming that the tool doesn't work.

Also remember that when properties change, a new element is created. Making the person who made the change the creator.

Good luck!