How To Re-Establish a Model Standard

[Milt-Fitz]

To All, Espcially the CAD Managers,

I've recently acquired yet another "Revit / BIM" project.

It seems as if every project I work on is being handled a different way and this is no different in that respect.

Here are the issues at hand:

1.) I am unable to assemble a composite model even after using the Manage Links

2.) Even if I get the Composite Model together, when I go to "Sheets" my entire project Crashes.

I'm sure this is a problem with the files I have, or the procedure that I've been told to use while "recreating" the Model and not the Revit program itself.

I AM NOT Changing any Views, any View Templates, or any Element Properties.

I AM NOT Changing any Scales, Sheet Numbers, or Sheet Names.

I only want to print, or save these files (in AutoCAD) based on my customers existing layouts.

As usual, any information, or input would be appreciated.

Thank-you,

[asommer]

I didn't understand the "Recreating" of the model.....

Are you not starting the project from a template?

What is your procedure you are using?

[Milt-Fitz]

We are only looking to use the existing customers files... this should not be a problem but unfortunately it is.

[Milt-Fitz]

Also... if I'm getting a project (an existing project) shouldn't the customer have an establish template that we should use?

The whole idea here is to work with the standard provided unless.... the customer has no standards

[Anonymous]

There seem to be 2 thoughts/ideas going on here:

1. How to get all the links to load without crashing, and then to open the sheets for printing/saving to AutoCAD without crashing.

2. Issues with templates (or lack of them) when recreating or reusing another company's model.

So, my thoughts on issue 1: how big are these linked models? Is there a specific one that regularly causes issues? is each link on its own workset? Have you been able to do this task on other projects of the same size? Basically, can you determine whether the issue is specific to these files or to the machine?

On my current project, a large warehouse, I have 5 models to link, averaging about 95M each. I can only get 2 (arch and struc) to load without crashing, and even that's an issue when I need to copy/paste from another model. 

For me, the issue is RAM. I only have 3G, and WinXP 32bit.  Luckily, management is working on getting me a better machine. In the meantime, I sometimes have use of a laptop with better credentials. And when I don't, I've managed to open models with only the worksets I need to accomplish the task of the moment. It's not ideal, but it works.

[Milt-Fitz]

@ AnmarieJames8335, and again anyone else that can help,

The files sizes I have been working with range form 50MB to 200MB. This project is in the 200MB range and this is the 1st time I've run into this problem.

With other projects the customer usually supplies us with AutoCAD files, or PDF's  that we in-turn will resubmit with our devices "ADDED" so they can now run a collision check with the other subs, suppliers, or consultants like ourselves to see if there will be a problem.

We also will create a virtual graphics for the customer, again based on "Their Design" files, or drawings just so there is no confusion about any design work. At worst we would move our equipment, or change devices based on information we receive from the coordination meetings.

How can we even begin if right from the minute we get the files there is a problem?

Again, this has never happened before, and we have never seen anything like this.

As far as the machine goes... I'm using a laptop, with 8GB ram, Win.7 - 64bit Again, in the past this has not been a problem.

[Anonymous]

Yep, for sure that's one of the frustrations of working in files created by others.

If other models with links of similar or larger sizes work fine on your machine, then we can probably say it's not the machine.  The only other thing I can think of is to open each of the links and purge unused items. If there are any CAD files linked that don't need to be, removing those will help.  I haven't been using Revit long enough to know what specific entities add bulk to a model, other than CADfiles. Hopefully someone else can shed more light on this, and we'll both learn something.

AJ 

[Chris.Aquino · Accepted solution]

After looking through the Customer Error Reports, it looks like the issue may be the result of faulty wire layouts in one of the linked files.

In this case, there are a couple of workarounds. First, I would unload any files which have wiring views and see if the behavior changes. If it does, then I would load them back in one-by-one to see if you can identify the file causing the issue. Second, the issue looks to be fixed for 2013, so if you can, I would test in 2013.

[Drafter1981]

Chris,

I'm not sure if you have seen all of the error reports that have been sent.

I have contacted the customer(s) and everyone is pointing the fingers to each other.

That being said I still have the problem of not being able to put together a model to work with.

I reposted this from my home account under the following link: (Problems Opening Revit MEP with Linking Files)

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Revit-MEP/Problems-Opening-Revit-MEP-with-Linking-Files/td-p/...

Again, if you or anyone else has any information that can help, it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[Chris.Aquino]

In the last two error reports that were submitted, Revit is crashing on element 647799 in that DUCTWORK FLOOR PLAN - LEVEL 00 - BUILDING 200 - PART A view. It looks like it's one of the linked files. I would remove that linked file to see if the behavior changes.

If it does, I would open that linked file directly, and go to the view corresponding view and see if there is any wiring in it, if there is, I would have the owner of that file delete and redraw any wiring in that view.

You can find the element by going to Manage > Inquiry >Select by Id and enter 647799.

Also, there are a fair number of linked files, how big are they in total?

[Milt-Fitz]

After a review and discussion with several of my peers in Revit it was determined that we did indeed need to

 "Purge-Out" the "Bad" files or un-important information associated with this BIM model in order to create a working model with the right information. Although purging may remove items that the customer need to see, for our purpose, once we have established  a panel location we are basically done.

This is something that really need to be looked at as far as a work flow process, especially since in the old days (which was really only 4 to 5 years ago) you would just mark a blueprint, or PDF file and within a day or two you were done. Now it might take days (or in my case weeks) before you get a decent working model, or file just to locate electrical junction boxes...