topic Re: ArchiCAD plp file size in Modeling

ArchiCAD plp file size

rgarand — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:31:52 GMT

Hi All,

I am not sure if I posted this to the correct forum...but anyway.

My team and I have been working together on a teamwork file for some months now. When we changed over from a pln to a plp file the project file size was around 40 mb. (Project was built about 95% in 3D) A few weeks after, the size jumped up to 60 mb in one day. Then a few weeks later, again it jump up to 70 mb in one day. Now right after I filled in the Interior Finish Schedule the file size is now 90 mb, after about a week. I understand that with more people working on the project and adding info that the file size will increase. I always thought that text was the simplest information for the program to process. I only have 200 zones/rooms being scheduled...doesn't seem like much when I hear that ArchiCAD is being used to design large sky scrappers around the world.

Why does my file size seem to increase so much after scheduling and listing operations?

TIA

Re: ArchiCAD plp file size

Karl Ottenstein — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:34:55 GMT

Hi Rob,

I'm surprised that text/schedules might be the cause of such file bloat, but who knows?! Out of curiousity, for your placed drawings settings, do you have the checkbox "Store Drawing in the Project File" checked? You might try unchecking that for all drawings. (Not sure, but imagine you need to be TL with exclusive access to change this?)

Cheers,
Karl

Re: ArchiCAD plp file size

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:51:48 GMT

If you've moduled in other files try turning on the "skip nested modules" check box in the Hotlink Manager.
If that doesn't help then you may have a real problem. I've had the same problem a while ago about file size blowing way out of proportion. We seperated the working file from the layout book. It reducced file size but the working file was still growing at an exponential rate.
We ended up stripping the file level by level, element by element and found a load of corrupt walls, slabs and misc bits. one wall was in itself 20Mb in size, and it wasn't anything special. We deleted and redrew the corrupt parts. But that was in an old version of archiCAD, your problem may be something entirely different.
Fills and even sometimes moduled consultant drawings take up alot of disc space and RAM to generate and regenerate when you constantly zoom in and out.
I've read somewhere that the recommended maximum size for any ArchiCAD file is 45Mb, anything above that the file becomes unstable.
Anyway, I'm curious about your delema so keep us posted on how it goes.
Cheers

Re: ArchiCAD plp file size

fuzzytnth3 — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:21:04 GMT

We do the following to keep the PLP size under control

Keep our layouts separate from your PLP files

Either use zero depth Sections which are "Auto Rebuild" not "Drawing" or Use Section lines that are "unlinked marker" and have a separate file that links to Published modules from the Project PLP and create Sections in it thus avoiding a lot of data in the PLP

Don't bring Consultants files into your Project PLp instead always bring the Project to your Consultants file for checking. Again use a module Published from the Project PLP to make the comparision.

If you can't avoid bringing in the Consultants file make a module file of his file strip it down to just what you need.

As mentioned above skip nested modules.

If data you are adding to a Project is only going to be used once don't put it in the Project but make a separate file that once again links to Modules published from the Project PLP. For example on a Hotel job I'm working on we have separate files for Toilets, Kitchen, Handrails, Signage, Escape Equipment, Entrance Door and Feature Stair

Hope some of the above helps

Re: ArchiCAD plp file size

David Shorter — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:01:49 GMT

2D data bloats ArchiCAD, every section, elevation, worksheet, detail creates a new data set inside the file with the consequential increase in file size. Schedules placed on Layout have a load of 2d data and with 200 rooms I would expect some file increase.
The only real way of finding out whats causing it is to save rename delete, save rename delete, save rename delete each time naming the file with whats being deleted.... when you get down to a 1mb file with nothing in it you'll have a record of what affect file size. Very boring really !!!!
With a file size of 90mb and over 95% complete I wouldn't worry unless its really slowing down .... even if its getting slow it doesn't matter as its doing all the coordination for you..... Size itself doesn't matter