Work Collaborative in LAN with Revit and Vault

[Anonymous]

Does anybody know how to work in collaborative in LAN with Revit and using Vault? All the videos and tutorials I have found are with Revit Server.

Anybody knows about a tutorial or somewhere to learn it?

[Jason.Courtemanche]

Hi @Anonymous,

I don't know of any videos on just using Revit and Vault. The Vault help page on the Vault add-in for Revit does list all the features and how to use them.

Sounds like you're interested in Using Vault with non-shared project files - "The project file can be downloaded using the Open from Vault command. This will automatically check out the file for editing. Once you are done editing the file, check the file back into the vault by using the Save to Vault command."

A good place to start is to install Vault and Revit. Open up the default Revit sample file and check it into the Vault Server. Then you can see the data through the Vault Client. I would also look at how to work with family from Vault as this could be helpful. Also look at linking files from vault too as this will come in handy if your working with other data types. Or if other departments are checking AutoCAD files into the vault and you want to reference them in Revit. 

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Jason

[Anonymous]

Hi @Jason.Courtemanche,

Sorry I didn't explain it properly.

I am looking to work with a share files in vault.

When the seller told us what we could do with Vault, I understood that Vault would became "our server", and I was looking a similar methodology with Vault as with the Revit Server. My first thought was to save the central file in vault, and then everybody in my office access to this central file through Vault, Open a local copy which will be store in their local machine, and every time we synchronize, the central file store in Vault is updates keeping all the changes, history, revisions and all this things Vault does. But it doesn't work like this, and I can find the way to make it work.

Also, I have tried loading families from Vault and I have issues. First I load a family in Vault using the Autoloader, and when I try to load the family using the vault add in Revit, it doesn't recognizance the rfa as family and doesn't let me load it. I have try to load the family in Vault using the drag and drop, and give me right problems, even though i am administrator in Vault, and If I open the family in revit and save it in vault using the vault adding, then I have the same issue and doesn't recognize the rfa as a family to load.

Thanks,

David Gonzalez

[Jason.Courtemanche]

Hi @Anonymous,

To use Revit with Vault you need to make sure that the option on the Vault add-in table is set to Upload on Synchronize. Then you can go to the Collaboration tab and select Synchronize with Central. This will upload the files and changes to Vault Server.   

To get Revit Families to work with Vault you need to turn on the Enable Revit Indexing this will let Vault read the Family tables.

Make sure that the Vault Server Impersonation account has full rights over the C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ADMS Professional 2017\ as it will need to update C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ADMS Professional 2017\Server\Components\FilterConfig.xml. If it does not have access you will see an error in the AVFS-logs SaveFilterConfigFailed [1116] 

Also if your using Vault 2017 you will see an error in the logs:  "Unable to initialize the Dynamo Helper Service. Make sure the Revit Core Engine integration is installed." You will need to Install the Autodesk Vault 2017.1.1 Update (Server and Client) from the Autodesk Account > Subscription > Product Enhancement.

I would not add Revit Family files to Vault through drag and drop or any CAD file this way. You could open them up in Revit and select Send to Vault or use the Autoloader. Once the Revit index is done running you should be able to use Load Families option in the Vault add-in tab in Revit. 

Regards,

Jason 

[Anonymous]

Hello @Jason.Courtemanche

In your example, you save the central file into your C: drive, does mean that nobody else will have access to these file and work sharing??

Isn't there anyway to save the central file into vault, an each individual local access to this central in vault, and work in their local copies in their machine, and when they synchronize with the central in vault, it is fully update. Something similar to any of the clould services to host our central model there, but instead of cloud base, would be in Vault.

If we keep the central file in our server, work in our local copies, and then save it every time in Vault, we will have 3 time the same file in 3 different places.

I gonna test tomorrow this issues with families and sheets.

Regards,

David

[Jason.Courtemanche]

Hi @Anonymous,

You are correct the Revit central file would be saved in a network share so all users can access the file. I just saved it locally so I could get the collaboration tools active to illustrate that if you set Upload on Synchronize in the vault tab and then select Synchronize with Central it will check in the files into the Vault Server. 

I can understand not wanting to have saved copies of ever changing. In the Vault add-in tab if you select Options you can set how often data is uploaded to the Vault Server like upload on close, upload every hour or always upload on synchronization with central. 

You would use Revit the same way with out vault and a central file shared and then user the Vault options to save a copy to the Vault server if you want the project saved in the vault server also. Another option is to just publish drawings to vault or use vault to load reference files like .dwg files into Revit. There are several different options to collateral and store Revit data, It all depends on the workflow you want to use and what will be most helpful. The best way to figure out what works best is to test them all.  

One thing to check as your testing Revit Families with Vault is that the vault has the Revit Interoperability addon installed as this is needed for the Revit indexing even though you are not using a Revit server. If the Vault Server does not have it installed you can rerun the Vault Server installer and it will give you the option to install it. 

Regards,

Jason

[Anonymous]

Hello @Jason.Courtemanche

And can we saved the Revit central file into the Vault server, and use it as a network share location, from where all the users can access to this central? or it has to be another kind of LAN or WAN or Revit server?

Regards, 

David

[Jason.Courtemanche · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Correct you cannot use Vault as a replacement for a network share as the file in Vault cannot be downloaded on an end users computer and act as a central file. When setting up a Workshare you need to have the files on a network share in a LAN environment. A central file is more than just the Revit file, as you will see a subfolder that is used to make the workshare work. 

If you are looking to link offices together, I would look into a Revit Server. There is a good AU presentation called: Revit Server Round Trip.

Regards,

Jason

[Anonymous]

Hi @Jason.Courtemanche

Thank you so much for all your tips, I will try to resolve this problems with the families in the next couple of days, so I might come back to you if the problems persist.

And thank you for the video about the Revit Server.

Regards,
David