A while back, friend and Revit guru, Nancy McClure Tweeted about the pain of waiting for big links to bind. I replied, something like "I hope they don't have phases"... shortly after, she relied something like "oh no". Then Aaron Maller joined in and we chatted about all the challenges with this task.
I will demonstrate the problem with a version of my Law Office model that has three phases with some demolition.
Level 1 Floor Plan
Phase: Existing
Level 1 Floor Plan; from my Design Integration using Autodesk Revit 2018 textbook
Phase: Phase 1
Level 1 Floor Plan
Phase 1 elements to be demolished
Level 1 Floor Plan; from my Interior Design using Autodesk Revit 2018 textbook
Phase: Phase 2
Next, let's start a new project. The default template has two phases; Existing and New Constriction. The model we will be linking, as just shown above, has Existing, Phase 1, Phase 2 and Future.
When a Revit model is linked, we have access to all the phases in that link.
Revit even lets us select the link, click Edit Type and use Phase Mapping to align phases in the host model with phases in the link.
- BTW, you should always have the same phases in the host model and the links. They don't have to be named exactly the same, but why wouldn't you. But you do need the same number of phases. Otherwise, things get really messed up graphically (think, phase filters).
However, when we bind this same link, the phasing in the linked model is NOT maintained. They are completely ignored and everything in the linked model is moved to whatever the phase setting is of the current view you are in when you selected the Bind command. Very unfortunate.
In the Level 1 floor plan view, which has it's phase set to New Construction, a phase not in the linked model, I select the linked model and click Bind on the Ribbon. If you recall, from the previous two posts on binding links, there is no "Maintain Phases" option.
- Revit Idea: Maintaining Revit phases when binding a linked model sounds like a good Revit Ideas item.... oh, wait, I already did that! So, you should vote for it!!!! Click here to do so: Bind Revit Link - Maintain Phases Option.
The result of binding the link in the host model is a mess as seen in the image below. Everything in the linked model is now on the New Construction phase. Elements that were set to be demolished now all have their Phase Demolished parameter set to None! There are rooms on top of room. Not good!
There are some rather painful steps in which we can transfer a model and keep phasing mostly intact. But that will be saved for another day. If you have thoughts or tips on this please comment below!
On a closing note, I find a lot of college interns don't know much about Phasing and Worksets. Knowledge of these two features can help set a student apart from others in getting an internship. That is why all of my Revit tutorial books has a full chapter on Phasing and Worksets!
