Import or Link CAD file without increasing the Revit model size

[rafal.lewandowski]

Feature "Link CAD" and "Import CAD" are not really different at the moment. Both of them are increasing the model size almost on the size of imported DWG.

It can be critical, especially when there are a lot of CAD-information need to be linked. Many Offices are using a separated "Container-Model" and then linking by the view. This is in the end make the process more time consuming and requires more resources - two models need to be opened at the same time, sometimes in separated Revit sessions. In Revit 2020 similar issue was fixed for the "Raster Images".

Now - "Import Raster Image" really import the image in the model increasing the size, and "Link Raster Image" really links it. Would it be possible to do the same fixes for "Link CAD" process? Or at least to provide an option not to save "cached" DWG in the model and not to increase the size.

[aleksei.melnikov]

I see the thing as pretty crucial.

Because of BIM-Coordinators should create different workarounds as splitting the model or creating a separated Revit file for CAD-Links. And users, architects must get into this file-structures and somehow live with it.

And I also think that it shouldn't be an Idea, but should be taken into account by development team as a bug. But Autodesk support has decided otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Interessante este poste, não tinha percebido o tamanho do arquivo, e bem que tive enfrentando dificuldades com arquivos, que achava ter muitas vegetações ou outra coisa que estava pesando para modelar. 

[Mohamed-Nassar]

In my Firm i used to make Ghost File, This file i can Link CAD in it and Then Link it in my model to avoid link or import and AutoCAD Files in the main model

[NateBrush]

If Autodesk wants to get serious about AI and generative design, it seems like converting Autocad linework to revit linework would be a great, feasible application that most of their clients would use. Generating room layouts might be useful for a segment of architects, but using AI (or even scripting) to help the link/import process would be useful to a majority of customers.