Worksharing - Sync Conflicts

[Anonymous]

Any one know how to do any of this, or has it all just been overlooked by Autodesk?

• Disallow opening of the central model while there is an active sync.
• Disallow simultaneous sync.
• Allow instantaneous sync cancel. (NOT the current elusive cancel button solution)

These would be a very useful asset for anyone that works on a large model with a large team.

///jacob

[Sahay_R]

To the best of my knowledge - no. I am sure that your question stems from actual events when simultaneous syc'ing by multiple users on large projects has caused Revit to lose its mind.

Solutions which have been tossed around - (a) set up a sync'ing schedule for team members and (b) IM the team when you are about to hit the Sync button.

Enjoy!

[RobDraw]

Two words, Worksharing monitor.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/EN...

[Anonymous]

@Sahay_R

We are a large firm, with a lot of users.  We need an application based solution that forces these functions to not overlap.  Revit doesn't freak out, the users freak out because sync times quadruple, and no one can edit the central during the overlap.  And we use IM as well, but these things don't really solve the problem.  Thanks for the suggestions.

@RobDraw

How can I see what is happening to the file in WSM before I've opened the file? (re: bullet point 1)

There are 11-15 team members in the central file at times.  Simultaneous sync'g happens accidentally, regardless of WSM.  I need a solution that is more robust and less user driven.  We even force WSM open at the time of Revit launch.  We use it constantly, but it doesn't do enough.  Don't let my avatar fool you, I am an advanced user and part of a group of advisors.  We need enterprise solutions not workarounds.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

I must admit, I know there isn't a way to do these things. (though, there absolutely should be) 

This is the best way, I have found, to bring these software design shortfalls to Autodesk's and the community's attention at the same time.  I want to publicly hold Autodesk accountable for these kind of functional oversights (ever used stairs before 2018?!).  This is outrageously expensive software, it should be held to the highest standards imaginable.

///jacob

[RobDraw]

This is not an Revit issue, it's a workflow issue.

Re: Bullet #1: It's not good practice to open the central while anyone is in a local.

Whose bright idea was it to let 15 people work on the model at the same time?

Logistically, it doesn't make any sense at all. It's going to create a bottleneck situation. Someone should have seen it coming. Let's bring that number down to 10 people. If those 10 people limit themselves to synching once an hour, that gives them a 6 minute window to start and finish the synch. Someone should have thought of splitting up the model.

I'm sorry but you cannot hold Autodesk accountable for bad management.

[Anonymous]

wow, really @RobDraw?  clearly, not helpful at all.  any other opinions about how i work?

(bullet 1) do you understand that there is no way to know if someone else is sync'ing when you attempt to create a new local?  this is a flaw with Revit as it is designed.  still confused?  i can make a video or diagram what i'm describing to make it more clear.

you don't have a good answer; so you attack my workflow and my ability to manage in the same post? find a more helpful way to communicate, and stop trolling.  this about productivity not your ego.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/EN...

///jacob

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous_cr wrote:

wow, really @RobDraw?  clearly, not helpful at all.  at best, a wildly uninformed opinion about how i work.  yes, i take that very personally.

(bullet 1) again, you really don't understand the fact that there is no way to know if someone else is sync'ing when you attempt to create a new local, period.  this is an unavoidable issue with Revit as it is designed.  still confused?

you don't have a good answer; so you attack my workflow and my ability to manage in the same post? f**k off, find a better way to communicate.

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I wasn't commenting on how YOU work. I thought YOU were a victim of said management. My comments were only to point out how obviously ridiculous it is to have that many people working on the same model at the same time. 

[ToanDN]

When we need a large team working on the same model, I set time windows and assign the each group of 3-4 people and they are only allowed to sync within their window.

[RobDraw]

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@ToanDN wrote:
When we need a large team working on the same model, I set time windows and assign the each group of 3-4 people and they are only allowed to sync within their window.

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There you go, simple management solution.

How often is each team's window?

[Anonymous]

thanks, but that's not what i'm looking for here on a software forum @ToanDN.  i want the software to manage itself.  it seems that worksharing doesn't scale very well.  and doesn't offer much control over activity.  a couple software features would be a much better solution, for everyone.

i've now had multiple suggestions to set up a schedule for my team to abide by when sync'ing.  okay, anything else?  python script?  add-in?

///jacob

[ToanDN]

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@Anonymous wrote:

i want the software to manage itself.  it seems that worksharing doesn't scale very well.  and doesn't offer much control over activity.  a couple software features would be a much better solution, for everyone.

i've now had multiple suggestions to set up a schedule for my team to abide by when sync'ing.  okay, anything else?  python script?  add-in? 

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Fair point.  You can ask over Revit API and DynamoBIM forums see if they offer any solutions.

From my point of view, there is nothing wrong with some level of human management to overcome software shortcoming.  It, in fact, would be upping your stock if you are a BIM Manager.

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous_cr wrote:

wow, really @RobDraw?  clearly, not helpful at all.  any other opinions about how i work?

(bullet 1) do you understand that there is no way to know if someone else is sync'ing when you attempt to create a new local?  this is a flaw with Revit as it is designed.  still confused?

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Actually, there is a way. Open the local file directly without creating a new one. The user would then have access to WSM before synching to update the local.

[kadmonkee]

that is the worst suggestion i have heard 

it is always been a best practice approach to open from the central and create a new local file.

open your local file it is already out of sync, you still need to sync to see changes.

avoiding steps to save time creates more problems than it solves

[RobDraw]

You're not seeing the big picture here. The OP cannot create a new local or access WSM because someone else is synching. Opening the local enables access to WSM so one can see when no one is synching.

[kadmonkee]

the big picture you speak of varies

we use a Revit Server which does not support Work Share monitoring

I am familiar with how WSM works, it is a nice feature.

the amount of time is minimal to sync and provide access for another user to open a new local file.

so if users exercise patience this is not really an issue.

[RobDraw]

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@kadmonkee wrote:

the big picture you speak of varies

we use a Revit Server which does not support Work Share monitoring

I am familiar with how WSM works, it is a nice feature.

the amount of time is minimal to sync and provide access for another user to open a new local file.

so if users exercise patience this is not really an issue.

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Stay on track here. The OP is not on the cloud and has 15 users. Clearly a bottle neck situation that is creating unnecessary issues.

[kadmonkee]

apparently you only see words you want 

I did not mention the cloud

Revit Server is not A360

it is a user issue not an infrastructure issue.

impatience and the blame game is the issue.

[Anonymous]

this thread was initiated to discuss improvements to a worksharing in Revit.  so i don't know what you're talking about rob, besides workarounds or ways to compensate for feature deficiencies.  i definitely did not come here to discuss file or resource management techniques.  so again, try to be more objective in your statements, and supportive to the process, or just move on. also, please re-read the whole conversation and my statements.  this is about isolated conditions that occur occasionally.  and it's really about trying to improve the Revit experience for everyone.

it would be great if you could point me to the Autodesk documentation where 10 is the magic number of concurrent authors in a central file, and 11-15 is complete and total meltdown as you have indicated over and over again.  otherwise, this is simply your opinion, and is only serving to misdirect this conversation.

this is a terrible forum experience.  this thread went off topic immediately and became combative.  not exactly what i expected on an Autodesk forum.  and super annoying.  here i was expecting a professional conversation.  smh...

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous_cr wrote:

so i don't know what you're talking about rob

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That's obvious.

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@Anonymous_cr wrote:

it would be great if you could point me to the Autodesk documentation where 10 is the magic number of concurrent authors in a central file,

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I picked that number for discussion purposes because it was less than the number of people that you mentioned. Limiting people to one synch per hour, which is humorous, and giving them a specific six minute window to it in without any time management is a coordination nightmare waiting to happen. Someone should have seen that coming.

You don't need any documentation to know that

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous. I'm with you completely. Revit is deficient in this area. We are typically 1-3 people in our file, but the week before deadline we are up to 7-10, and the worksharing monitor is simply not sufficient for workflow management. We still step on each other's toes with syncronizing.

Did you ever discover a solution or additional support from API, Dynamo or an add-in?

Thank you.