Forums >> Revit Systems >> Technical Support >> Attn: MEP users, lets have a discussion of how to upgrade to new version . . .

jcrocco

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Joined: Mon, Mar 9, 2009
160 Posts

How do MEP users update to newer versions with minimal problems?

I have 2009, 2010, and now 2011, and each time the update process is very difficult.  Maybe I am just not doing something right, maybe there is a better way to do it?  I have issues with all the preset system configurations and all the customizable content.

It seems to be a pain to copy files from older version to the newer version.  Also, sometimes the newer version may have improved on the families that you have modified.  What do you do then, and how do you know?

I cant seem to have a single folder with all my special content in it because I may need to use that content on multiple versions.  So i have made multiple folders (mep2009, mep2010, etc) to keep the customized content.  The issue is when modifying the newest one, what to do about the previous years family?

 Also, should ALL new or even modified content be taken out of the regular area where Revit keeps its content and put into this special folder?  My issue with this is that now you have 2 places to look for the same type of content, plus will Revit give you the ability to change fittings for items kept in different folders?

I have issues if I make or improve on content in the newest issue, and then need to use it later in an older issue.

All the settings and modifications I made to color code the mechanical supply, exhaust, return, OA, etc needs to be redone, including all the modifications to the fittings to allow the coloring as well as the systems.

AAUUGGGHHHHH!!!

What does everyone else do to alleviate the pain of upgrading, or is there trully a simpler way to do it?

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

You questions apply to all Revit products, not just MEP.  Here is what our office has been doing with our library:

1. We install the latest libray in it's own folders under a product release folder... 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
2. We then re-arrange families in these folders as follows:
3. In some folders, like doors, we have standardized what doors we want our users to use so we first move all the newly installed doors to a sub-folder in this folder called Stock Doors, then second, we copy our doors from the last library into this primary door folder and we (bulk) upgrade our doors to this new release.
4. In some folders, we only replace some of the families.  In this case, we move the replaced familes to a sub-folder called stock xxx <DO NOT USE> and we add our upgraded families.  BTW - All of our familes have a prefix in their name using our office initials.  Only our approved or created families have these 3 initials and these typically will then sort to the top of the family category in the browser.
5. In some categories, we add a new folder called <our office initials> added files, where we place our upgraded added families.

Our intent is that our users only see our approved families first.  If they can't find what they need in the primary folder, they can look in the sub-folders.  We encourage them to not build a family if they need something different.  We prefer that they request one of our family builders to create any new family that is required so that it works and so that we can include it in the library when appropriate.

We do the above process and upgrade our template files before we install the new product on any machines.  Only a limited number of users have write permissions to our library.

Hope this helps. WWHub

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jcrocco

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Joined: Mon, Mar 9, 2009
160 Posts

Thank you, that is exactly what I was looking for.  it is somewhat close to what i was doing, but is very time consuming to do every release.

Though I dont work on the Architectural version, the MEP version has Systems that has a lot of components within them (fittings, valves, dampers, air devices, etc to amke up a system) and these all need to be modified each time it seems.

For pipes and pipe systems, I need to recreate all y pipe systems.  The default has PVC and Standard.  I need to create cw, cw existing, hw, gas, sanitary, venting, hwr, etc.  All these need to be recreated.

On top of that, Each pipes fittings have to have these types created in each fitting used so that when I draw a gas pipe, it use the 90 ell with a gas fitting.  This is edited in the gas type properites to use an ell with the gas label.  This way, I can assign colors to it, and turn it on/off with filters.  AGAIN, all these need to be recreated.

Is there ANY way to copy over info from older version to newer version?

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

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jcrocco

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Joined: Mon, Mar 9, 2009
160 Posts

Thats only for the actual families.

Is there a way to transfer over any filters or pipe types, duct types, etc?

I cant believe they (autodesk) would have to make us remake them every time.

Its bad enough I need to re-edit every new family to add the differetn family types, or so it seems.

I honestly dont think it is as bad for the Architects as it is for the PME users.

ANY PME users who can give their 2 cents worth would be great.

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
13079 Posts

I don't know anything about MEP but can your "...transfer over any filters or pipe types, duct types, etc?" be handled through your template and or transfer project standards?

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jcrocco

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Joined: Mon, Mar 9, 2009
160 Posts

Yes, I did realize that after working on it some more, so I copied over the custom template from 2010, and also made a new template from my last job in 2010 and saved both in 2011.

The filters, pipe types, etc are all there, so that solves that issu, BUT . . .

The families that are in the template that remained get carried over.  The families I am talking about are those having to do with systems, not stand alone or custom families.  Items like elbows, fittings, etc are carried over.

The issue is that when I opened up 2011 using the 2011 default template, I noticed there was an improvement to the elbows used in pipes.  In 2010 is was very crude.  Now in 2011, it looks like an actual elbow.  Thats great except . . . when I open 2011 using my custom template, it uses the older elbow family in the template.

Couple of issues with this:1. Families that were improved upon, but had modifcations to them in previous releases would now also need to be modified again.2. There is no way to really tell what families where improved upon, and which ones where not.3. The new one needs to have the same name as the old one in order for that family to be used correctly when making the pipe, as the system properties dictate the pipe elbow needed per each system OR the system properties needs to be changed to utilize the new family, either way.4. If a family is left in the template and is reused, and that family needs to be modified, and then resaved, it wants to write over the previous family, which is from the previous release.  THIS IS A BIG DEAL, HOW TO AVOID???

Number 4 above I see as being a big issue.  Not sure if I am missing anything, but when I opened up 2011 with my custom template, and modified the older elbow, and went to save it, it asked if I wanted to overwrite it.  It appears to be saving it to the 2010 folder, as I had not yet copied the families over to a 2011 folder yet.  I did a search on my system for that family, and it was only in the 2009, and 2010 folders.  So how is this avoided and what am I missing here?  Is there a system setting to set the paths to the families?  If not, it almost seems that a custom template needs to be totally eradicated of the families and then reloaded into it from the 2011 folder to prevent this.

Basically, every fitting for a pipe needs to be modified, as the new families only have one family type (standard), and I need like 10 family types.  Thats a lot of work.  Not only that, its how to figure out what needs to be done exactly?

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