Performance Considerations when Importing and Linking Files

Use linked or imported files sparingly when you design your model.

Consider the following best practices when linking or importing files into your design:

• Unload links of all types if not used. Temporarily unload links if not needed in the view and reload them as required. This strategy limits the memory resources necessary to open the file.
• Importing a file on a network may improve performance rather than linking to the file.
• Host files containing links to RVT files consume more memory on version upgrade. Upgrade the individual links before upgrading the host file. If necessary, unload all RVT links before upgrading the host file.
• Large projects may benefit from breaking a model into separate project files, assigning them to a workset, and linking them into a single central file. Some potential sections for division include the following:
  • Separate buildings
  • Building core
  • Building shell
  • Interiors
  • Expansion joints
  • Individual towers
  • Parking structures
• When importing DWG files:
  • Minimize the number linked or imported DWG files in your model.
  • Avoid importing unnecessary data like hatching or AutoCAD-specific linework such as construction lines. Delete unnecessary parts and layers of the DWG file in AutoCAD and import a much smaller file.
  • Avoid exploding imported geometry which changes a DWG from a single managed element to hundreds or thousands of additional elements, depending on the number of items in the file. Increasing the numbers of elements affects regeneration, manipulation, and view refresh time.
  • Only link essential DWG files into views. Unlink files that are not necessary.
  • Switch off the visibility of 2D AutoCAD DWGs in perpendicular views. 2D AutoCAD files linked into a plan view show as collinear lines in elevation and lead to performance degradation.
• Raster Images:
  • Remove unneeded raster images and renderings because they represent a performance and file size cost.
  • Save black and white raster images as 1 bit per pixel format instead of JPG or TIF. MS Paint refers to this format as Monochrome Bitmap.
  • Large raster images, such as logos scaled down to fit into title blocks, will still retain the original file size. Consider creating a smaller, simplified image for import into Revit LT.