Opening Revit Files That Have Links

ProjectWise handles opening Revit files that have links basically the same way it handles opening MicroStation and AutoCAD documents that have references — when you open a Revit file that has links, the master file is opened and the linked files are downloaded to your ProjectWise working directory.

Whether or not linked files are automatically downloaded depends on the status of the ProjectWise user setting, User Interface > Show Select Reference Documents dialog:

• If ON, then when you select to open a Revit file with links, a ProjectWise dialog opens first to show you all the files linked to the master Revit file. By default the dialog is set to copy out these linked files, but you can select to check them out if necessary. Also by default, all the linked files are selected to be downloaded, but you can deselect any of the linked files you do not need to download. If the file you are opening is a Revit central file, then the central file’s related DAT files will also display in the dialog; these DAT files are required, and therefore will be automatically downloaded and checked out, regardless of what options you select in the dialog.
• If OFF, then when you open a Revit document with links, all linked files are automatically copied out along with the master Revit file. If the file you are opening is a Revit central file, then the central file’s related DAT files will be automatically downloaded and checked out.

Adding Links to Models

Using integrated Revit, you can add links to models as usual. The only differences are, you will now be adding links to models stored in ProjectWise, and when you save your changes to ProjectWise, ProjectWise creates a new or updates the existing logical set in the database. Likewise, if you remove a link from a file, the link will be removed from the logical set when you save your changes to ProjectWise.

To add a link to a model, in a central file:

1. Create a local copy of the central file stored in ProjectWise that you want to add links to, or if you have already created a local copy of the central file, open the existing local copy.
2. Add links to models as usual.
3. When finished adding links, save the file.
4. Click Synchronize with Central on the Synchronize panel of the Collaborate tab.

   ProjectWise creates or updates the logical set.

To add a link to a model, in a file that is not a central file:

1. Open a Revit file stored in ProjectWise that is not a central file.
2. Add links to models as usual.
3. When finished adding links, save the file.
4. Close and check in the file.

   or

   Leave the file open and click Update Server Copy on the ProjectWise panel of the Bentley ribbon tab.

   ProjectWise creates or updates the logical set.

Link Polling and Reloading Linked Models

Link polling is the method that ProjectWise integration uses to check the ProjectWise server for any updates to the models that are linked to the open Revit document. If ProjectWise detects that one or more models linked to your open Revit document have been updated, you are prompted to reload the linked models. The frequency that ProjectWise checks the server for updates is set by each integrated Revit user.

To reload a linked model, when link polling is on:

1. When ProjectWise detects that one or more models linked to the open document have been updated, ProjectWise's Select Documents to Reload dialog opens.
2. In the Select Documents to Reload dialog, select the file(s) to reload and click Reload.

   A message appears, informing you that you need to reload the link(s) using Revit's Manage Links dialog.

3. Open Revit's Manage Links dialog and reload the link(s).

To reload a linked model, without waiting for a link polling notification:

1. Click the Reload Links button on the ProjectWise panel of the Bentley ribbon tab.
2. In the Select Documents to Reload dialog, select the file(s) to reload and click Reload.

   A message appears, informing you that you need to reload the link(s) using Revit's Manage Links dialog.

3. Open Revit's Manage Links dialog and reload the link(s).

To set the interval that integrated Revit checks for updated links:

1. Click the Options button on the ProjectWise panel of the Bentley ribbon tab.

   The ProjectWise Integration Options dialog opens.

2. Turn on Link Polling.
3. Set the time in minutes for how often you want integrated Revit to check for updated links.
4. Click OK.