Master Revit Handbook

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that Make This a Central File After Save is checked and the number of backups specified. The default is 20, which might not make your IT department too happy. Some large projects’ backup folders can get quite large. You should discuss with your IT staff what your needs are and then agree on a setting.

We all Need File-Naming Standards

You should come up with a folder and file-naming convention for your central and local files that best suits your company. Try to avoid using special characters in your naming conventions. These characters can sometimes cause other applications to misbehave. If special characters are desired, you should check with your IT department to make sure your choice is acceptable to them.

On our server, we create a Revit folder inside our normal Project folder. This Revit folder holds all of our Revit–specific information for the project and keeps it apart from any AutoCAD files we may have during our transition to Revit Structure.

Figure 13.9 File save options

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452 | Chapter 13 Worksharing

On each user’s hard drive, we create a Revit_Local folder on the root of the C: \drive. Inside this we create individual project folders, where we save our local files and any other information about the project that does not need to be backed up on the network. Once again, we put the local file in its own folder to separate it from other project file information.

We use a file-naming convention that allows us to tie the project number to the filename as well as the version of Revit Structure that it is using. We specify whether it is a single-user, local, or central file. If it is a local file, the user will also include his or her initials.

After you create the central file, you will see that a couple of folders have been automatically created where the central file is saved (see Figure 13.10). You will only see these on a workshared project. One of the folders is named the same as the central file, with .backup appended to it. This backup folder is where Revit Structure keeps track of all of your backups pertaining to the central file. It contains a lot of .rws and .dat files that it writes so Revit Structure can monitor permissions and ownership rights of those using local files. To preserve these backups and other critical files, users should not delete or rename these folders or files.

A Revit_Temp folder is also automatically created. This folder provides information for the Worksharing monitor tool that is used to help users communicate with one another while they work together on a project. The files that are automatically created in this folder should only be a couple of kilobytes or less in size, so they will not take up much space; they are automatically

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deleted when users close out of the project. If this folder is deleted, Revit Structure will auto-matically re-create it when any user resumes work.

Creating the Local File

There are two ways that you can make your local file. One way is to use Save As from within the central file, but this is not the preferred method for a good reason.

Opening the central file prevents other users from accessing it, which can prevent them from saving their changes back to the central file. You may only have it open for a minute or so, but it can be too easy to be interrupted or distracted by a phone call and continue working while still in the central file by mistake. With several team members working on a project and with this as your standard method, it is possible for more than one person to accidentally work in the central file. Users’ normal interaction with the central file should be limited to working through the local file.

The preferred method is to copy the central file from the network to the user’s workstation by using Window Explorer and rename it to your company’s standard naming convention. When you do this, Revit Structure will automatically assume that the copy is a local file to the central file. You will see a dialog box when opening the file for the first time (Figure 13.11) explaining that the file will be a local copy and if you intended it to be a central file, you’ll have to resave it as a central file.

In some cases, users may already have the central file open—for example, right after you enable worksharing and create your central file for the first time. Even though it is much more convenient to create your local file by using the Save As method at this time, you should still avoid doing so. There is no sense in creating bad user habits.

Let’s step through the copy/paste method by using Windows Explorer:

1. Browse to your network where the central file is saved.

Figure 13.10 Additional folders are created in the same folder as the central file to store backup information.

Figure 13.11 The warning dialog box

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2. Right-click on the central file and click Copy.

3. Browse to the user’s workstation’s hard drive where the local file will be saved.

4. Right-click within the folder and select Paste.

5. Right-click on the pasted file and rename using the proper naming convention for local files.

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6. Launch Revit Structure and open the local file you just created to continue working on the project.

how Can I Speed Up this process?

Many companies have tapped into the API functionality of Revit and have created little programs that will automate the creation of the local file. They have also used batch routines or scripts that copy and rename the files. This allows the user to easily click on a shortcut or use a GUI interface to create the local file on a daily basis. This method enables company standards to be maintained and helps elimi-nate errors during the copy and paste process. A quick search on the Internet regarding scripts, Revit Structure, and local files should yield some examples or even full working applications you can put to use in your environment that have been created by users just like you.

Staying in SyncRevit Structure has several commands to help you stay in sync with other team members while working together. Prior to enabling worksets, these commands will be grayed out. The majority of them can be found by selecting:

File •◆ Save to Central

Save to Central icon•◆

File •◆ Reload Latest

These are the commands that you will use to help the local and central files stay in sync with each other. It is good practice when working with worksets to save locally and save to central often. The more often you perform these saves, the less time it will take to update your model with the central file.

Saving to CentralWhenever you want to share your changes with the rest of the team, you will need to do a Save to Central (STC). This can be done in a couple of ways: by accessing the File menu or clicking the icon on the toolbar shown in Figure 13.12. There is a difference between the two.

Clicking the icon will save your most recent changes to the central file since your last save to the central file and reload any changes since your last save back into your local file. Note that it does not automatically save your local file, nor does it return any user-created worksets that you may own.

Figure 13.12 You can perform a quick STC by using the toolbar icon.

Save Local FileSave to Central

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The Save to Central option on the File menu opens a dialog box (Figure 13.13) as well as many more options for you prior to saving. You can choose to relinquish editable worksets, as well as save your local file after a Save to Central. User-created worksets will not be checked by default. You are also given the option to enter comments about your save. These comments can be used at a later time if you are looking at the backup history information. Using this method at the end of the working day ensures that all borrowed elements will be returned for other users to use and that both your local file and the central file are in sync.

Reloading LatestThere may be times that you need to get only the latest information from another team member. After this team member has saved his changes to the central file, you can then choose File Reload Latest and bring in only those changes. This command is nice to use when you want to see another user’s changes but are not ready to publish your changes for others to see.

Working with WorksharingWhile working in the worksharing environment using worksets, you will be presented with several new commands and notifications that help you stay in sync and share the project with other users. The central and local files along with their backup folders bring all this stuff together, which becomes a critical piece of the puzzle for allowing this type of environment to exist.

Making sure everyone knows the proper methods for working in a workshared environ-ment and when to use these methods will help keep things assigned to the proper worksets. Even then, you will still need to move elements from one workset to another. Worksets help keep all team members working in sync while keeping track of who has worked on what with ownership rights. Above and beyond the assignment of ownership to elements you will find an opportunity to improve performance by controlling the display of elements assigned to these worksets.

Moving Elements Between WorksetsOnce worksets are created, you will eventually have to move elements from one workset to another. This is usually done when you are moving elements from the default created Workset1

Figure 13.13 The Save to Central dialog box

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to another workset that you have created or moving additionally added levels in grids back to the Shared Levels and Grids Workset. It is also fairly common for users to place elements in the wrong workset by mistake as they are working. It’s human nature, so you will more than likely have to perform the task of moving elements between worksets on a regular basis.

It is much easier to move elements between worksets when other users do not have elements borrowed or worksets checked out. It is good practice to communicate with other team mem-bers when moving large numbers of elements from one workset to another to avoid ownership conflicts. As Figure 13.14 shows, all elements will have additional Workset and Edited By param-eters added to their properties under Identity Data when worksharing is enabled. The Workset parameter is what you will use to move elements between worksets.

You can move elements to a different workset by selecting one or several elements at a time. If several elements of different categories are selected, the Workset Identity Data may not be available. Elements such as openings that become part of your selection can prevent the Workset Identity Data from being editable. For example, a workset that a wall opening is in is governed by the wall that it is placed in; if you change the wall workset, you’ll see that the opening work-set will automatically updated with it. Therefore, the wall opening would cause the Workset Identity Data from being editable.

A quick method to resolve this is to select several elements and use the Filter option on the Options bar to select only elements of the same category or those categories that will collectively allow for the workset identity to be changed. Figure 13.15 indicates that only floors will be selected.

Figure 13.14 Changing worksets in the Element Properties dialog box

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If the Workset Identity Data is unavailable (grayed out), this may also be from you not having ownership of the element(s). You must take ownership before you can assign the element to a different workset. Elements assigned to the user-created worksets are the only ones that you can take ownership of; elements on default worksets will remained grayed out.

OK…Who Is playing a trick on Me?

Suppose you’re trying to select elements in a worksharing environment and no matter how hard you try you can’t select them—you click but nothing happens. Make sure that the Editable Only box in the Options bar is not checked.

If this box is checked, you will only be allowed to select elements that you have ownership of. This might be why you cannot select the elements.

A quick way to verify which workset an element is assigned to is by hovering over the ele-ment with your cursor until an information box pops up. Not only does this box show you the element’s category, family, and type name, but it will also show you the workset it is assigned to. In Figure 13.16, you can see that the element is part of the Main workset.

Figure 13.15 Selecting objects with a filter

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Taking OwnershipThere may be a time where you will need to know whether you own a particular element. Figure 13.17 shows that if you do not own an element, you will see a puzzle piece–like icon (blue by default) when an element is selected. This is the Make Element Editable icon. If you select an element and you do not see the icon, you have ownership and can move or modify that element however you want. This icon is only available in a worksharing environment.

The idea of borrowing elements versus checking out worksets is how Revit Structure allows you to work simultaneously with other users. Keeping this in mind, is important for all local files to maintain communication between the central file so that users can make editing requests and respond accordingly.

BorroWing eLementS

By borrowing elements, you are only taking certain elements that are part of a workset. This will be your most common method of working, which allows you to only take ownership of the elements that you are working with. For instance, if a user has ownership of the East Wing workset and you need to make a framing connection and rotate one of the columns that is a part of that workset, you can make a request to only borrow that column. If the user who owns that workset grants you permission, you are allowed to borrow it. Once you are done making your change, you relinquish your changes.

Figure 13.16 Hovering over an element to see its workset name

Figure 13.17 The icon indicates that you do not have ownership. Select it to take ownership.

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Revit Structure will automate the process of borrowing elements for you as you modify them. You can also right-click an element and select Make Elements Editable from the context menu or select the little puzzle piece icon itself, as shown in Figure 13.18. This will allow you to borrow an element even though you might not be modifying it.

When you are at a point where you are ready to give up all of your ownership rights, you can do so by selecting File Relinquish All Mine. This will give up all ownership rights that you currently have without saving your changes back to the central file.

checking out WorkSetS

Checking out worksets is something you shouldn’t have to do that often unless you are working with worksets that have entire portions of the building assigned to them. This is a bit different than borrowing elements because you take ownership of every element. Misuse of checking out worksets can prevent other users from being able to work efficiently.

You can check out worksets by opening the Worksets dialog box shown in Figure 13.19. Click on the workset name at the left and then click the Editable button at the lower right. A Yes indi-cates that it is editable by you and a No means it is not. You will also see whether you are the owner of the workset. If your username shows up under the Borrowers column, it means that you have elements borrowed from the workset.

Figure 13.18 Methods of making elements editable

Figure 13.19 Checking out a workset in the Worksets dialog box

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Figure 13.20 shows that you can also right-click on a selected element to select Make Worksets Editable. This will check out the workset that the selected element is on.

requeSting PermiSSion

If you want to edit an element that another user owns, you can request permission to borrow it. At the same time, other users can request to borrow elements that you may own. If you come across an element that someone owns and try to modify it, you will be presented with the dialog box shown in Figure 13.21. This will only occur if you are working in a project where worksharing is enabled. This dialog box indicates that another user has ownership of the object. You can click the Expand button to get a more in-depth list of the errors and warnings.

At this point, you have the option to cancel out and move on to something else or place a request for ownership of the element. Clicking the Place Request button opens the dialog box shown in Figure 13.22, where you can continue checking to see if your request has been granted. Clicking the Check Now button will keep looping back to the same dialog box until the other user has taken action. If you do not want to wait, you can click Continue then Cancel out of the remainder dialog box. This will not cancel your request but will allow you to continue working on another area until your request has been granted.

Figure 13.20 Checking out a workset through element selection

Figure 13.21 This warning dia-log box tells you that that another user has ownership of the object.

Figure 13.22 The Check Editability Grants dialog box

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Once you place the request, you have to wait until the current owner grants you permission. Other users will not automatically receive any indication that you have made a request for an element that they own. You need to physically make contact with the user by calling, emailing, tapping on the shoulder, or by using the Worksharing Monitor. (The Worksharing Monitor tool is discussed later in this chapter.)

granting PermiSSionS

Once you have the user’s attention, they will need to go to their editing request window located in File Editing Requests, or as Figure 13.23 shows, click the Editing Requests icon located in the Worksets toolbar.

The Editing Requests dialog box will show you any request that have been made to you as well as any pending request(s) that you may have. Figures 13.24 and 13.25 show two different Editing Requests dialog boxes. Three options are available to address the request:

Grant This option gives permission to the user making the request.

Deny/Retract This option denies permission to the user making the request or allows you to retract your request to another user.

Show This option shows you the exact element(s) that have been requested.

Figure 13.23 Accessing the Editing Requests command

Figure 13.24 Others’ pending requests

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In the case where a (*) is shown, as in Figure 13.24, you will need to Save to Central before granting the request. Granting without doing this will present you the dialog box shown in Figure 13.26. This occurs because the central file does not have the current information that your local file has. You will need to exit the dialog box and Save to Central before granting the request.

After the request has been granted, the user who is making the request will see one of the two dialog boxes shown in Figure 13.27. The ownership has been transferred over, but the local file is out of date, so a Reload Latest or a Save to Central will have to be performed before editing of the element can occur.

Figure 13.25 Your pending requests

Figure 13.26 You’ll see a warn-ing when your local file is not in sync with the central file.

Figure 13.27 Warning dialogs stating that your Local File is out of date

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Documents

Master Revit Handbook