file/model-level access control in C4R (Collaboration for Revit)

[lionel.kai]

Currently, if someone has access to a C4R project, they have WRITE access to ALL files:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Secure-worksets-in-an-A3...
model.html

Yes, we're working on a team, but mistakes can be made. Even within our own office, people are only granted write access to projects that they're working on (in part to reduce folders being accidentally dragged around). In C4R, I trust that our client (or other subs) wouldn't INTENTIONALLY open my Revit model and start modifying stuff without telling me, but what if they're just opening it to look at something (and forget to detach) and accidentally make a change, or there are some warnings that they just dismiss when constraints are updated & windows/doors move? Not to mention all the permission issues that could occur if things AREN'T saved (and therefore also aren't relinquished)?

I'm sure a lot can be avoided by training, but it's training in OTHER firms. I'd just personally have a lot more peace of mind if I knew "this model is ours, that one's theirs". Always having an up-to-date link CAN be great (in most cases, though I've done submittals with intentionally old links when there were large changes close to the deadline) but I don't want to have to keep doing a model compare, or looking at the history, to see if anyone else has touched our model that shouldn't have...

This is somewhat similar to this idea:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/a360-c4r-host-model-with-read-only-revit-links/idi-p/63970...

[alysia.baldwin]

We've experienced many challenges with this as well.  Without proper controls, the liability concerns are too high to use this software on large scale projects.

[Basam.Yousif]

This is an excellent idea. Thank you for posting this. I wonder WHEN they plan to implement this, since they accepted it six months ago 🙂

[twilks1]

The whole idea of Collaboration is dead with this limitation.  Autodesk MUST know that file level security by User is required. To think we should just trust that others cannot make a mistake or worse, do something deliberately destructive, and accept the lack of security to collaborate with our consultants and others in a live fashion is Unrealistic.

[lionel.kai]

I'm not certain (as the project we were using C4R on died), but according to the blog post, BIM 360 Design (or whatever replaced C4R) seems to incorporate this feature now, so this should be marked IMPLEMENTED.

[lionel.kai]

CORRECTION: This is NOT fully implemented yet, because what I would consider to be the most basic feature (read-only access) is not directly available. According to this post:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles...

"View/Download + Upload + Edit" permissions are required [to OPEN the file].

Otherwise, if you want to open (not just link in) a file that you have less permission to (such as View/Download), the workaround is:

1. create a dummy model
2. link in the desired model
3. publish the dummy model

OR if you already have the model you want to open linked into your model:

1. publish your model

THEN

1. download the published model
2. extract (links will be included)
3. open the desired model locally

[lionel.kai]

related:

• A360 C4R host model with read only Revit links [ACCEPTED]
• Customisable folder permissions