Linked Models/CAD and Worksets

[wwdreamb]

Revit People,

I have seen several companies that will create a workset and add ALL of the Linked CAD/Models to that workset. I have also seen, several companies that add a workset for each linked CAD and model than close what isn't needed.

From what I read, I understand that adding worksets for each linked CAD/Model and closing the worksets that are not needed at that time will increase performance of that model?

Has anyone changed from having all of the linked on one workset to having them all on separate worksets?

-was there a noticeable change?
-I am working on buildings that are 50k+/- sqft.

[Twiceroadsfool]

One link per workset. That way you can demand load and unload individual links.

[Dave Jones]

Revit People,

I have seen several companies that will create a workset and add ALL of the Linked CAD/Models to that workset. I have also seen, several companies that add a workset for each linked CAD and model than close what isn't needed.

From what I read, I understand that adding worksets for each linked CAD/Model and closing the worksets that are not needed at that time will increase performance of that model?

Has anyone changed from having all of the linked on one workset to having them all on separate worksets?

-was there a noticeable change?
-I am working on buildings that are 50k+/- sqft.

I've never had all linked models on a single workset, always each on their own. I've worked on some pretty mega projects with 3+GB of linked models and in my experience the unloading of certain linked files via worksets doesn't effect performance much (this in R2015 and R2016). I use the one link per workset more to be able to just get them out of the way without V/G if they contain something that I don't need at the time that I'm in my model.

[Steve_Stafford]

Echo what Aaron and Dave wrote... Primary motivation for individual workset for each link is that it can be unloaded or loaded on demand individually and most important...when you first open a project by using the Specify option. Once a project is open you can interact with links individually, even if they don't have their own workset, through V/G but it isn't a global on/off switch like closing a link's workset is.

[wwdreamb]

Echo what Aaron and Dave wrote... Primary motivation for individual workset for each link is that it can be unloaded or loaded on demand individually and most important...when you first open a project by using the Specify option. Once a project is open you can interact with links individually, even if they don't have their own workset, through V/G but it isn't a global on/off switch like closing a link's workset is.

Ok so if the links are on their own worksets, then Open/Close is similar to loading/unloading them in the Link Manager?

[Steve_Stafford]

Ok so if the links are on their own worksets, then Open/Close is similar to loading/unloading them in the Link Manager?

Similar...but you don't get the chance to unload/reload a link when you open a project that has linked files. You do get to choose which workset to open or close though via the Specify Option in the Open Dialog, look for the little arrow next to the Options button on that dialog.

Added: I'd prefer people not develop a habit of using Manage Links and unloading/reloading links. Occasionally someone clicks Remove accidentally...they get distracted...and now everything that depends on that link is messed up. The worksets dialog doesn't offer that opportunity.

[wwdreamb]

Ok so when opening the model with certain worksets that are closed (worksets for loaded linked models), will that make the model open and run quicker?

[Steve_Stafford]

Yes, it opens faster and potentially faster while working...assuming you don't need to see that linked model at all to do your work. I usually select just what is relevant for what I want to do in the next 30 minutes. Then I use the Workset dialog to open or close worksets when my focus changes.

[Gordon Price]

Added: I'd prefer people not develop a habit of using Manage Links and unloading/reloading links. Occasionally someone clicks Remove accidentally...they get distracted...and now everything that depends on that link is messed up. The worksets dialog doesn't offer that opportunity.

I have been deep in the coding end of the pool for a while, but if I remember correctly, Unload Link also applies to everyone (at least once they Reload Latest), while the workset dialog only applies to the one user and session, so I can make my session faster without jacking up someone who NEEDS that massive site model. So many reason's why people should stay out of the Manage Links dialog for most things.

[Twiceroadsfool]

Just to clarify: 2017 now has *unload for me* and *unload for everyone.*

But they still dont have a way to demand load on File Open, so its still worksets for me.