Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
receive large files via email. Using an FTP site is the most common practice
for file sharing. Also, certain third-party applications are designed
specifically for project collaboration.
It is usually the primary design team that establishes the file sharing means
and gives all teams access to upload and download files. Each consultant
shouldhaveatleastonedesignatedpersontomanagethetransferoffilesfor
their team. This person should be responsible for making sure that the most
current files have been shared. The frequency of updated files being posted
to the site should be determined early on during a project kickoff meeting
(you
are
having those, right?) and can be changed depending on the needs
of the project. At a minimum, you should prepare to post your files once a
week during active development. This will keep your consultants up to date
with the progress of your design.
If you have enabled worksharing on your project, it is important that you
send your
central file
to your consultants, not a local file. This ensures
that they are receiving a file with updated information from all your team
members. Consider a workflow that includes having all team members
synchronizewiththecentralfileandthencreatinganewprojectfilebyusing
the Detach From Central option.
YoualsohavetheoptioninRevitMEPtoremoveworksets.Yourconsultants
will, of course, be able to do this for themselves. But remember, if you have
used worksets to control object visibility, the settings will be destroyed if
worksets are removed. Of course, you gave the consultants
that
information
at the project kickoff meeting, didn't you?
Working with Linked Revit Files
RevitMEPnotonlygivesyouthepowertomodelanddocumentyourdesign
but also enables you to coordinate with the designs of your consultants
directly in your project file. This concept is not new to the world of digital
documentation. It is the same workflow that occurs in 2D CAD: you receive
a file from your consultant, overlay it into your file, and watch as it updates
during the changes to the design.
The difference with Revit is in how much more you are able to coordinate
by receiving a model that is not only a graphical representation but also a
database with computable information. Some of the terminology is different
when working with Revit. Instead of external references (
X
-
refs
), we call
