I was at a seminar presented by Phil Read the other day. He mentioned about using linked revit files to create design options. This seems like a very good idea.
The problems we have had with Design Options is that once we choose an option over other, Revit deletes everything related to the deleted option. Design Options also had its own rules and complicated the main project file with lots of views, objects, etc. Creating new central files out of the project to make 4 or 5 design option seemed to work ok, as long as the main project file is NOT concurrently developed.
Linking a separate RVT file as a design option does not clutter the main project file. It allows the main project file to be developed concurrently. After finalizing the option, we can just convert the linked file into a Group! (The new Revit 2009 feature of the linked RVT file being able to define a room, is a great improvement!) We can keep the other design option, even after we select the favorite one!
May be one day Autodesk will do away with the Design Option?!
4 comments:
I'n not sure what linking options in really solves. If you don't want views being deleted when you accept and option just uncheck the box next to them. You may lose smart tags but you would with linked files anyway.
If you are getting weird joins between parts of an option and the main model try using groups as your options. You can swap group 1 for group 2 using a dropdown menu.
Seems to me linking in files as options doesn't let you have options side by side on a presentation board. And when you want to print 5 options you have to reload each link before you print.
Maybe I misunderstand your point.
Linking rvt files gives another option to create design options. If you use design options, you loose all the secondary options after you select the one you want to keep.
By switching on/off links in the VG you can have the various options side by side on a presentation bds. You dont have to reload and the links.
What do you do when you need to tag information in the different linked files that are representing the design options?
Unfortunately, you cannot tag a linked file. However, if you tagged the elements in the link file, you can make them visible in the host file by selecting the 'by linked view' option in the VG for hte links.
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