Clean up Central Model/Template

[Anonymous]

We start a project by using a central model we've created for each discipline;  Architectural, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing. It is in affect our respective template for starting a new project.  Everyone discipline has one and we link to the various models together to share data, floor plans etc.,  I am currently taking the electrical model from my latest project and cleaning it up to become the standard for future projects.

In the System Browser for this model I am cleaning up, Electrical, under Power there are a lot of "unnamed" items.  Some of them have drop downs that show receptacles or other devices others do not.  they are  just show a single items "unnamed".  Since I will start from scratch in a new project as far as receptacles, light fixtures, panelboards and other electrical items, can I just delete all of these unnamed items in the System Browser?

[rudi.roux · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous, 

Hope you are well! 

Ok, so you finished with a project, and you now want to use that project with everything already setup (filters, families, panel schedules etc.) as the baseline for future projects? 

My advice and the best way forward would be the following: 

Open your finished electrical project file, then save it as a Revit Template File. (Revit Button Dropdown, top-left >> Save As >> Template)

Save the .rte (Project Template File) with an appropriate name e.g. - ELECTRICAL - Project Template - REV 0, commonly under your Company Standards >> Revit >> Electrical Templates (Something to that effect). 

This template would then form the baseline for all your new electrical projects going forward. 

Now for the "clean-up", go to Manage >> Settings >> Purge Unused. (Example Below)

After you happy that all Families, Groups and Other Styles are removed, you have a "cleaner/smaller template". What you could also do is in your Project Browser, scroll down to your Families, Groups and Links and right-click and delete unrequired elements/instances. 

Because this is a new project template, none of the existing systems in your System Browser matter as it would differ from one project to the next, so you can delete the elements. OR for a quick way and to make sure that you remove everything, go to your default 3D view, go to your Visibility/Graphic Overrides (VV or VG) and make sure that everything is visible. Select everything and delete it. You'll need to go to each plan/ceiling view to delete some of the annotations and also wiring. 

I'll then go to Manage >> Settings >> Purge Unused one last time, then make sure that everything which you do not require is purged. 

Then Save the .rte file. Now, going forward, whenever you start a new project, you go to New >> Browse >> Select the above-mentioned template file >> Open as a Project. Then from there you link the architectural model in etc. 

Whenever you need to change something (like filters etc.) or whenever you need to add additional families to be used on projects. Add them to your Project Template file, then simply transfer project standards. This way, everyone working one electrical projects in your company would work on the same standards and all of the latest standards would be available to anyone. 

I hope this helps! 

[RobDraw]

Personally, I would not use a project as a template file. I would start with a blank template and transfer all the stuff I wanted from the project, instead of trying to get rid of everything that was incorrect or not needed.

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous wrote:

My advice and the best way forward would be the following: 

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I'd be careful about touting "the best way". There are always going to be situations where "the best way" is not going to be all that. There are other schools of thought on this topic that are just as good and probably better for some people.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the detailed response.  One problem I am having is when I try to do Save as for this project file as a template, the option for saving as a template as opposed to a Project is grayed out.  Any idea of why that would be?  There must be a step I must do first.  Maybe I need to unlink all the other models associated with this project file?

[Anonymous]

If you did this would you start  with the default revit template?

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

Yes, start with a blank template. I also would not load it up with families. Keep those in a library separate from the template as there is always the possibility that they will be edited for one reason or another. You don't want to update the project template every time you update families. Also, look forward to upgrades for new versions every year.

Here is a nice post about building a template:

https://www.revitforum.org/tutorials-tips-tricks/1004-building-revit-template.html

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. It is always a plus to get different perspectives.  I can see some positives to both solutions.

[rudi.roux]

@RobDraw, I do agree with your statement regarding "the best way forward", and I should have constructed that sentence of mine to be in context towards the OP's query, which was that he wanted to clean an existing project and then use it as a basis going forward. So, I answered on that basis. I started my post with a blank project template, then transferring project standards etc. etc., but then my post would have revolved around Building a Revit Template opposed to what the original post queried. (I scratched the reply and started over which then resulted in what I posted).

There are so many ways to skin a cat. @Anonymous, I'm glad that you found use out of both posts.