Workset 1

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have a question regarding the workset "Workset 1".

Why is everybody's saying that we must not rename or use this workset?

I know it can't be deteled, but why can't we use it? Seems like a big issue everywhere, but I don't find out why...

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Who says not to use it?  I use it all the time as usually I don't add extra worksets unless it is a very large model with lots of people in it.

[Anonymous]

Just seems like common knowledge around here...

[Anonymous]

I've been hanging out here for years and other forums too....I've never seen anyone suggest not using Workset1.  What are you supposed to use, Shared Levels and Grids?

[Anonymous]

That...and add other worksets.

Some people talk about this workset as it's the same as layer 0 in AutoCad, who's not used either to draw.

A lot of people around here (and I mean Revit high experienced people) are saying to not use/delete/rename this workset. Just wondering where they got this information...is it just some word of mouth thing?

Tricky to ask them as they don't work with me.

[Anonymous]

So the reason it is suggested to not rename it is if someone attempts to delete the workset after it is renamed it won't.  It is the default workset and cannot be deleted.

But if it is your company's policy not to use it and to use other worksets perhaps it is view template related.

[Anonymous]

Yea...that must be it.

Since you can't delete it, if for some reason you want to get rid of this renamed workset, you can't. Makes sense.

[barthbradley]

You can rename Workset1, but you cannot delete it.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/EN...

[Anonymous]

Yea I know, I've seen this.

This is why I'm asking because I've been told something else many times.

Was just wondering if other people heard about that.

[barthbradley]

A few versions back (2011?), Revit did throw a rather ominous warning when messing with Workset1.  That's probably why some are a little skittish.    

[RobDraw]

I always rename it to something used in every project.

[ToanDN]

You can use it. You can rename it. Just keep in mind that Workset 1 and Shared levels and Grids cannot be deleted so if you want to delete the entire workset, you can't.

[Anonymous]

Yea I think it's the main issue.

FYI, you can delete "Shared levels and Grids"

[SteveKStafford]

...echoing some other comments...

Workset 1 is the original workset, the first one Revit creates and it can't be deleted while worksets are enabled. 

Remember though that all worksets can be eliminated if we opt for that using Detach from Central while opening a project with worksets enabled.

I use it (Workset 1) but don't rename it anymore. I don't do it anymore because it I've found it has confused people when they want to delete a workset but can't delete "this one"...because it's the renamed Workset 1. However I have renamed it in the past without any problems. I might be tempted or compelled to rename it in the future and not worried about doing so. That means I don't think there is any truth  (meaning I believe it is an urban legend) to claims that renaming it is ill advised, that it could cause a data problem and/or cause corruption. If the factory will formally contradict that belief I'd love to hear it.

[barthbradley]

Interesting thread.  We don't rename Workset1 either -- primarily because it keeps this "orginal" Workset distinguishable from the other Worksets. And, pretty much everybody knows where Workset1  came from.   

[adrian.esdaile]

There is one interesting (and important) fact about Workset 1 which an earlier post hinted to: it acts like Layer '0' in Autocad.

Take two workset files A.rvt and B.rvt. 

Link B.rvt into A.rvt. Draw some stuff in Workset 1 in file B, make sure Workset 1 is set to Visible by Default.

Back in file A, you should be able to see the objects from file B. All well and good.

Now switch Workset 1 in file A OFF, ie, set it to Not Visible or Closed.

Where did all your things from file B go? 🤔

Yes, Revit fans, if you switch off Workset 1 in your master file, you switch it off in ALL linked files. Also this behavior happens even if you renamed the worksets, so that super-important workset BUILDING_CORE_VERY_IMPORTANT (originally Workset 1) will suddenly and silently vanish if someone switched off the innocuous Workset 1 in the master file. Mayhem ensues...

What could possibly go wrong with a simple, easy-to-understand and totally obvious 🙄 system like that?

Why would anyone expect the contorted logic of Layer 0 to be brought into the modern, truth-centric world of BIM?

In short - friends don't let friends use Workset 1.

Ok, actually I use it all the time. I leave my default workset as Workset 1; but at the end of each day I spend 10 minutes tidying up all my work (and anyone else's work, hey I'm the BIM manager) and putting it on the correct worksets, which are something other than Workset 1.

[Karol_Piroska]

that does not happen if you place the linked model into a new workset as you should.

[SteveKStafford]

That aspect is not limited to Workset 1. Create any User Created workset in the hosting file that is named the same as one in the link and you can control the visibility of that workset with the host file. That technique has been used for many years to turn off another consultants elements. It is however just as unreliable as using a workset for any kind of visibility control.

Also remember each link has a Type and Instance Workset parameter and if they are assigned to different worksets then the way the link is affected by closing or turning off a workset with V/G will vary.

[Anonymous]

Like Karol said, if you put your link under another workset, it sould be fine.

Because when you link B.rvt into A.rvt, then it put it automatically under Workset1...

Maybe I understood your explanation the wrong way though, but that seems simple.

[adrian.esdaile]

We place all of our links into named "LINK_xxx" worksets - primarily so that you can quickly load a file without having to open a whole bunch of linked files. We're using BIM360 so that can take over 30 mins.... that's another story....

The 'Workset1' trick still works even with a linked file on another workset - the 'Workset1' items within the link will vanish if you switch off your Workset1 in the host file.

Steve Stafford has mentioned it works for any worksets named the same; we haven't actually seen that behavior but I'll take his word for it!

What is odd though is that if you rename Workset1 it will still turn itself off in the link when the host workset1 is switched off, even if the names are different. 

What we need is that icon that Prince used to use, so we can call it "The Workset Formerly Known As Workset1".

That would be clearer than the current documentation of these workset quirks! 😁