Manage linked files

00:01

In this video we will cover adjusting the position of linked files and managing linked files.

00:10

When setting up an MEP project.

00:13

One of the first things you will do is link the architectural model.

00:17

You'll then want to match the levels and the host model to the levels in the linked architectural model.

00:25

There are several ways you can do that.

00:26

One of those is with the copy monitor tools and that's what's been done in this project.

00:34

Additionally, you'll likely want to pin the link

00:39

In this case I can't even select the link and that's because the select links.

00:45

Selection option is disabled.

00:48

When I enable it, I can then select the link.

00:51

So if you're wondering why you can't select it, I would recommend checking this option first.

00:58

When I select the link I can then drag it and I may do this on accident.

01:04

Now in this case I get a warning because we're monitoring the levels in the link.

01:09

But if you're not doing that then you wouldn't get this warning.

01:12

Or some people may just disregard this warning all together and that's how links can get moved,

01:18

and that is not what you want to happen with a linked architectural model.

01:23

So to move it back, you can select it right click and then use one of the reposition options.

01:30

You can reposition it to the project base point or to the internal Origin.

01:36

Now for this example when I first linked it,

01:38

I used the Internal Origin to Internal Origin method so I can select the reposition to internal Origin to move it back.

01:48

Once again I get a warning but that's okay because that's what I wanted to do.

01:52

Or if you simply linked it using the incorrect positioning to begin with, you could right click and use one of those reposition options.

02:02

Now, with the links selected, I can click pin in the contextual ribbon and I can pin the link that way it doesn't accidentally get moved.

02:13

Now, one more thing when you pin it you'll have to pay attention to your select pinned elements selection option and when I enable that,

02:21

I can then select it.

02:23

Now I don't have to worry about accidentally moving it.

02:28

Also, one more thing I'll point out here in the project browser,

02:31

there's a Revit links branch and I can expand that branch and see any of my linked Revit models.

02:38

If I right click a link, you can see that there are options that it provides and then I can also access additional options in the manage links dialog.

02:48

So I switched to the manage ribbon and then in the managed project panel I'll click manage links,

02:56

and then here I can see the link and I could see any of the link Revit models that I had.

03:00

In this case we just have one and we can see that the status is set to loaded,

03:07

and sometimes you may want to simply unload it that way it doesn't appear but it's still linked, it's just not loaded.

03:14

And then you can reload it or reload it from another location.

03:18

It's all click reload and will reload the model.

03:21

If you wanted to remove the link altogether, you can select it and then use the remove option,

03:27

and that would just then you wouldn't be able to reload it would just remove the link and you'd have to use the tool.

03:34

Additionally, just one thing to keep in mind.

03:37

If you're in a work shared project, you would have two options for unloading it.

03:42

You could unload it just for you or you could unload it for all users.

03:47

And so this is nice when you're working with a large team and only select members are using lengths and then you could just unload it for yourself.

03:55

Using the unload for me option.

03:59

Additionally, you can click add and link other models using this dialog.

04:05

Okay, continuing on, there is a reference type option and that can be set to overlay or attachment.

04:14

Now, what this does is it will control the link if the host model is linked to another project.

04:23

In other words, the our host model here is the managed links exercise file.

04:29

And so if that is linked to another project, then if it's set to overlay, then the arch link model will not appear if it is set to attachment,

04:39

then the arch link model would appear when the manage links exercise file was linked to another project.

04:48

So that's something you're gonna want to pay attention to when you're working with other consultants.

04:53

And especially if you're working with an architect and they have several other models linked into theirs.

04:58

As long as they're set to overlay, you won't see them.

05:01

If they're set to attachment, then you would see, you would see all of those links.

05:08

So for example, if the architect has a structural model linked and it's set to attachment and then you link the structural model,

05:16

then you'd essentially have two of those in your project.

05:20

Another quick way to see it is it would appear here in the so if the arch link model had links that were attached,

05:28

you would see them appear underneath the arch link listing here.

05:34

And then also here you can control the path type and it can either be relative,

05:39

and then it'll be looking for this file in the same folder as your host project

05:45

or if it's absolute then it's going to be looking for an absolute file path.

05:51

And so that's controlling linked Revit models.

05:53

And as you can see, there are several other tabs for if you have other files linked in where you can control those as well.

06:02

I'll click OK to close the dialog and then lastly, let's touch on shared coordinates.

06:08

And so as I discussed when this model was linked, it was linked using the internal origin to internal origin positioning option.

06:17

And so what that does is it will match up those internal origins but then there are still the issue of shared coordinates.

06:25

And so I can acquire the coordinates so that I am now using the same shared coordinates that the architect is using.

06:34

And so we can do that with the tool on the manage ribbon in the project location panel

06:39

and then expand the coordinates button and select acquire coordinates.

06:45

And with the tool active, you simply select the linked model and then the shared coordinates will be acquired.

06:51

And in this case it says that the acquired coordinates has been successful and so I can click close and so at this point the internal origins match,

07:01

and now the shared coordinates match as well.

07:04

And so that will help with coordination and keeping everything aligned as the project progresses.