File size increaseed 10x!!! Why?

[Anonymous]

So I've been updating my standard archicad file, I'd call it a template but it's a .pln file and not a project template. I start every job with this file, do a "save as" and continue working. It's got a number of objects in it, surface materials, composite walls and floors, layouts, etc that I use in every job. Then when finished I delete everything I don't need. Over the last 5 years my standard file has grown from 5000-9000 kB in size, and my finished residential models usually end up between 15000-35000kB in size, with some fully modeled homes up around 50 000-65 000kB if they have landscaping, furniture, all surface materials custom modeled, etc

Anyway, I've been cleaning out my standard file, removing objects, layers, surface materials, composites, etc that I no longer use. I've also been adding some things, creating new objects using morphs, importing sketchup objects and modifying them for my needs and saving them as new objects, adding new surface materials imported from cinema4D, creating new composite walls and floors, etc. Somewhere along the line in the past few months my standard file size has gone from 9000kB to 320 000kB. I have no idea what I added to cause such an increase in file size, but it is slowing my work considerably. Copying takes 15-20 seconds, same with pasting, saving can take 30 seconds or more.

I copied a piece of text from this standard file and pasted it into an older job that was 35 650kB. After saving it the file size jumped to 313 401kB. All I added was one piece of text!!!

Any idea what could be causing this?

[Karl Ottenstein]

Until your last comment about simply copying some text and pasting it, I would have said that the problem was cached drawings and was going to point out how to clear those. But the text copy thing doesn't really make any sense - the file size of the paste target shouldn't have changed in any meaningful way.

Sounds like a job for tech support, who will likely want your files to reproduce the issue in-house... Give 'em a call.

[Barry Kelly]

I am with Karl in not understanding why a simple copy of text would increase the file size.

But I literally just minutes ago was shown a file that has increased to over 250 000 KB from out template (we too just use a PLN and not TMP - there is no difference really) that is 15 000 KB.

I deleted everything (model, views, layouts, etc.) with little change to file size.
It turned out it was the objects saved in the embedded library.
They weren't being used so I deleted them.
File size with full model of residence back down to 25 000 KB.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

It's not just copying text that increases the file size. I can copy one piece of text, a dozen items, a hundred items, or the entire model, and the increase is about the same.

I'll go through my library and try deleting one at a time the new objects and surface materials I've added. Hopefully I can find what it is, I'd hate to have to go back to a template from a couple years ago and update it to my current needs. I'm not even sure I can rmember all the changes I've made since then.

[Barry Kelly]

JPOHLIC wrote:
It's not just copying text that increases the file size. I can copy one piece of text, a dozen items, a hundred items, or the entire model, and the increase is about the same.

That is why we are confused.
Copying just text should increase the file size by only a few KB.
Something else is happening but what it is is hard to say.

If you open the Library Manger and look at your embedded library, you will be able to see if any of the objects are being used or not.
It will be safe to delete the ones that are not.
But maybe you will want to export them out first so you still have them and can import them back into other jobs if need be.

Here is an example of the file I was looking at this morning.

Barry.

[Ralph Wessel]

Copy/paste can also transfer attributes from one project to another. I suggest looking for any attribute changes in the project the test was pasted into (although I can't think why an attribute would carry so much data – possibly corrupt?).