Use option B! Set the link properties to use graphic overrides from the linked model and you should be fine.

I was wondering which materials would win out in a linked environment. I guess that answered my question. lol :thumbsup:

I think you can also assign materials to the Object Styles Dialog to override the material for a specific category but I'm not sure of the exact behavior with the linked model

I believe that materials are based on what is in the link, with no easy way to modify in the linking file other than broad stroke overrides of whole categories.

That said, I would do a combination. Link your building into a new project and model your site. Address site materials here. Now link the site model back into the building model, on a workset called Site & Entourage, which is off by default. Set up a view for rendering, turn your Site & Entourage workset on, place whatever entourage you need, and render. All your other views are totally unaffected, as the Site & Entourage workset will still be off in them.

You can just unload that Workset and your building model stays nice and small as you continue to work. Load it and you can render again quickly. Because you are rendering from the building model, material changes are easy to handle, as are revisions to the entourage. Both of which I find happen a LOT, which is why rendering from the site model can be painful. Site changes happen less, so opening that file to tweak is less problematic.

Gordon

while links-on-a-site works for rendering, be careful, for it can be a total pain when it comes to materials.

We're in the middle of a subdivision project, 18 houses / lots on a large site.

It breaks down into about 8 different house plans, each it's own Revit file, linked into the overall site. Works great for the documentation, figuring out the topo, driveways, etc. (it's a hilly and complex site).

However, now when I go to render, if I want to make an edit to the roof material, I've got to remember to do it eight places, for I can't just edit it in the 'master' and have it work.

So I edit in one, get it to be what I know I like, then use Transfer Project Standards to get it into the rest. Total pain.

So if you've got repeated buildings that share materials just be aware that you're adding overhead there, for you can't (as far as I know) edit the materials they share globally.

And it doesn't work setting the materials to the host project in object style? If you need all the models to change accordingly, to my best knowledge this should be possible. Does it work if you tab through th linked model? You can't override the material that way?

Problem is that I'm not managing materials via Object Styles. I've got conditions where I've got roofs that have one material on top and another on the bottom, walls with exterior and interior finishes, floors that are different materials within the project (interior wood floors and exterior decks), etc.

You're right, this doesn't work. Paint tool neither. Nor placing material parameters (wouldn't help you with the system families anyway). Only thing that's left is create a render copy of the site in which you bind all links. Set the render up in there on drafting / medium render to get an idea of the proper materials and TPS after finishing all material revisions.

Okay, now I'm totally confused. So much for an easy question. lol

I'm intrigued by Gordon's response. It may be a few extra steps up front, but it makes sense to link the building to the site (so I can model it correctly), then link the site back to the building for rendering.

I've never used work sets. I searched Revits file, but didn't come up with much. Anyone care to give a quick overview / tutorial on worksets for a one man shop?

Yeah, I just read up on worksets and they scare me. lol I don't want to mess up my project (it's just about complete). That would ****.
I think I'll do the "double linK' like Gordon suggested, but just not use worksets. I'll just take the time to turn off entourage, site, and planting in my views for now. I'll have to take time to learn about worksets later. **** when did s u c k become a bad word?? lol