topic Re: File size in Project data & BIM

File size

Anonymous — Fri, 26 May 2023 13:22:50 GMT

Does anyone know what's the most file size consuming things to look for in a ArchiCad file.

Is it lots of imported PDF/DWG, large number of layers or other attributes, large number of views, massive amount of layout's or loads of modules ( as .mod or .pln)?

I'm asking because I need to reduce file size of a project and would like to know where to attack.

PDF's and DWG's are gone and I'm about to clear the layer list from DWG-layers, anything else I could get rid off or slim down.

The file is a TW2 file @ 1.4 Gb (uncompressed I know) and it's causing a bit of problem for my user (slow loading, occasionally chrashing).

In short, what is the best way to reduce file size?

Re: File size

Nuge — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:52:19 GMT

Move all the layouts to an other file and link using PMK files (generated in publisher)

also check sections etc for fills they seem to take up a large amount of memory

Image files?

Re: File size

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:49:05 GMT

Typically the biggest contributor to file size is the 2D stuff. Either placed drawings on the layouts or placed/linked DWGs (etc.). If you have large image files embedded they can take up a bit of space too.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:55:51 GMT

Thank you Matthew and Nuge!

I'll start checking for 2D stuff as I suspected is file size consuming.

As for using separate files for model and layouts I'll think about it. Our office is more about keeping model and layout's in the same file and separate (if necessary) according to project status.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:34:18 GMT

Are you having performance issues? I find ArchiCAD is generally pretty good about handling large files without a lot of waiting. Of course this is less so with teamwork and depends on the network as well.

Re: File size

Laszlo Nagy — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 02:13:05 GMT

Another thing that can increase file size is the amount of model data in Sections/Elevations/Interior Elevations/3D Documents.
If you have many of these it can add quite a bit of size to the file.
At one time I had such a problem.
What I did was I hid all layers and then generated all Sections. This way all Sections contained no generated 3d model data. Then I saved the Project file and could check how much the file size decreased. It was substantial.
In such a case I had to turn all my dimensions in these Sections into Static, otherwise it would have been lost when no 3d model is shown in the Section.

Then, when the Section is needed it can be generated manually.
This is of course a workaround but at that file size you may need all the workarounds you can use.

Re: File size

Nuge — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:21:02 GMT

I halved my file size by moving the layouts to a separate file (and gained some performance), I use PMK files generated in the "model" file then update them in the "layout file" this is quick and "painless" and simple to update and eliminates the need to update in a separate archicad for any layouts as this take some time with large files.
You just publish to PMK files in a folder structure then place them onto a layout (separate file), set to update automatically re-publish any changes and they will automatically update on the layout

You can also have a revision history of drawings stored as separate pmk files.

Sections/Elevations/Interior Elevations/3D Documents seem to take a large slice of the file size so any thing you can reduce if seperate the better

Re: File size

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:26:22 GMT

Nuge wrote:
I halved my file size by moving the layouts to a separate file (and gained some performance), I use PMK files generated in the "model" file then update them in the "layout file" this is quick and "painless" and simple to update and eliminates the need to update in a separate archicad for any layouts as this take some time with large files.
You just publish to PMK files in a folder structure then place them onto a layout (separate file), set to update automatically re-publish any changes and they will automatically update on the layout

You can also have a revision history of drawings stored as separate pmk files.

Sections/Elevations/Interior Elevations/3D Documents seem to take a large slice of the file size so any thing you can reduce if seperate the better

...and the old becomes new again. The simplicity of using PMKs has always been a great fallback position in a pinch. I'm so glad they brought them back. Automatic functions are great when they work (and if they save more time than they require to set up) but sometimes the old manual approach is best.

Just shows GS is listening to our requests sometimes.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:33:18 GMT

Matthew wrote:
Are you having performance issues? I find ArchiCAD is generally pretty good about handling large files without a lot of waiting. Of course this is less so with teamwork and depends on the network as well.

Yes Matthew, my user is less fortunate and is working on a 32-bit computer which might contribute to the performance issues.

| Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (architecture: x86, 2401 MHz)
with Physical memory | 2,9 GB

Generally crashing occurs when working in two instances of ArchiCad at the same time linking wiew's in between.

I've been careful not to open the project on my 64-bit computer.

One other thing I'm wondering is the size of the Project data base file on BIM Server. It doesn't seem to decrease although I "cleaned" the file.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:52:31 GMT

Nuge wrote:
. . . , I use PMK files generated in the "model" file then update them in the "layout file". . .

This is getting more and more interesting. But why do you use PMK instead of linked view's?
Is it quicker to publish PMK then updating view's?

Re: File size

Nuge — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:52:12 GMT

Lasse,
Publishing take very little time compared to linked views

Once you have "published' your pmk files and linked them all thru there is no "update" time as the layout book looks directly at a particular PMK file if you update it the layout book automatically updates in seconds.

I find that "updating in seperate archicad" take so long when using large files (my model file takes approx 12mins to open) so all of the waiting time is eliminated.

You could have a person updating PMK files in the model and another user using the layout book file any changes made and re-published are automatically available.

This may be considered an "old method" but is the best system i have come across when using large files.

And like i said you can archive old PMK files so you have a full revision history if required.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:04:13 GMT

Lasse wrote:
I've been careful not to open the project on my 64-bit computer.

There should be no problem opening the file on a 64bit machine. The files are not changed and are fully compatible across Mac and Windows in both 32 and 64 bit versions.

The warning GS provides is just to remind you that by working in 64bit you can make the file too large and unmanageable to revert to using it on a 32bit machine.

Since you are tuning the file for performance on 32bit you naturally have to test it on that machine, but if it is quicker to make the changes on the better machine that should work just fine.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:47:33 GMT

All,

Can I ask how you deal with your "marker references" when using pmk files?

We have a huge amount of Sections and Elevations that are referenced using "The first placed drawing of the viewpoint" in the selection settings. By publishing pmk files for use in separate file don't you lose the automation built in to the markers?

Thanks,

Re: File size

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:05:47 GMT

They should appear correct in the layout. You will not beable to tell what drawing ID and Layout the markers are in your model file. We are using this method on a troublesome project currently.

Re: File size

Porter Fuqua — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:58:02 GMT

Lasse wrote:
Does anyone know what's the most file size consuming things to look for in a ArchiCad file.

Is it lots of imported PDF/DWG, large number of layers or other attributes, large number of views, massive amount of layout's or loads of modules ( as .mod or .pln)?

I'm asking because I need to reduce file size of a project and would like to know where to attack.

PDF's and DWG's are gone and I'm about to clear the layer list from DWG-layers, anything else I could get rid off or slim down.

The file is a TW2 file @ 1.4 Gb (uncompressed I know) and it's causing a bit of problem for my user (slow loading, occasionally chrashing).

In short, what is the best way to reduce file size?

Same situation, but mostly our problems come when we need to load the file on another computer before a client meeting and it takes forever.

There is one TW project that we have now weighing in at a hefty 4545 MB.

I am about to start experimenting with the effects of the "store drawing in project file" option. See this post: http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=170029#170029

Does anyone know more about what this option does? Where do the drawings go if they are not stored in the project file? How is this effected by teamwork?

UPDATE: The same project 4545MB TW Project is only 770MB when saved as a PLN. Can someone explain the difference?

Thanks,

Re: File size

Laszlo Nagy — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:03:53 GMT

Are you using File compression?
In the Save Dialog, click the Options button to check it.
This 770 MB PLN sounds enormous to me.
If no compression is used and you check it it should go well below 200 MB.

Re: File size

Laszlo Nagy — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:07:01 GMT

The Store Drawings in Project File option means the contents of the Drawing is stored in the file, increasing file size.
Otherwise it is read from the location given in its path.
If you don't move the Drawings then this is no problem.
But if you want to view the file on another computer that should also have access to the Drawing at the store file path. In a LAN this can be done by storing those drawings on a server.
If viewed in another office... that's a different story.

Re: File size

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 19:15:36 GMT

Hello,

Linked files/drawings work in WAN too, if only have access to the server.

Regards, Juha