Use named positions to establish where a link, or instances of a link, are placed in the host model.
This video demonstrates the following:
When working with linked models, use named positions between the linked files to establish different positions for a linked file. This ability allows you to explore different possible layouts of a site or to organize a campus of buildings on a site.
In the first example you want to study 2 possible positions of a new building being added to the site. The building has 2 possible locations, close to the existing building, or close to the road. Use named positions to study the possibilities. First link the new building into the site model. On the insert tab, click Link Revit. The 2 models currently do not share coordinates so the building will be linked origin to origin.
Now share coordinates between the 2 models. Move the link into position on the site. In this case we will move the building to the close to road position. On the properties palette, click Shared Site to enable shared coordinates for the models. In the dialog, we are publishing the coordinate position to the New building model. Instead of accepting the default naming of the position click change to give it a more meaningful name. Click rename and give it a name, in this case "Close to Road". Click duplicate to create the other possible position for the building and name it "Close to Existing Building".
Select "Close to Road" and click ok and then click Reconcile. You see the shared coordinates of the link updated to match the host model. Select the link and click shared site on the properties palette to assign the alternate position to the link. In the dialog, select move instance to: and select "Close to Building" in the drop down.
Now reposition the link for the close to building position. Swap the position of the building to either position, with the link selected click shared site on the properties palette. In the dialog, select "Move to:" and chose the position in the drop down.
Named positions can be combined with design options to further study the site.
For a campus for buildings like an apartment complex where the same building is placed multiple times on a site, use a similar technique except create copies of the link in the host file and place them at different named positions.
Use named positions in your projects to help establish the placement of multiple buildings on a larger site.