Coordination/ hotlinking / large and slow file

[kb72]

I'm wondering what the best practice is for coordinating with consultants. In two large projects, I'm hotlinking IFC directly. This works fine in many ways, but the architect file has become large and slow, and I suspect that one of the causes is many consultant files. I'm now considering linking in the IFC files one by one in PLN files and then link that into the arch-file again because you then can turn off the "nested" files so not all has to be loaded at the same time. Has anyone tried this or have other better/faster ways of working? Delete the IFC files after use and instead relink when needed?

[kb72]

Guess there are a lot of answers in this link though

ARCHINTENSIVE 2021 - Managing the Virtual Babushka Doll - Hotlinking and Large Projects | Skewed

[Erik Bjornhage]

Hotlinking IFC:s into PLN-files was the way of doing it before. Personally I don't see the need for it anymore since we can now hotlink IFC:s directly.

The trick is how you handle your IFC-libraries. Make sure you don't select [Add to Embedded library] when you get prompted during IFC-linking. This will cripple your file.

Instead, create an LCF-file and add that as a library.

I don't know how big your project is - but we have had no real issues with this workflow.

[kb72]

Well, i thought maybe a benefit of doing it via pln or mod-files, would be that you could turn it of easily by using the "skip nested"-option, so you could a bit more easily link/relink. Guess only way is to try 🙂

But how about the don't embed library option, does it or should it work with teamwork files?

Did try but recall some problems--

[Erik Bjornhage]

There are some different opinions on what is good workflow when it comes to IFC-library management (specially when dealing with Teamwork) - but I'm pretty certain that everyone agrees that you should never add objects from an IFC in your embedded library.

[kb72]

Haha.. no wonder I struggle.. 

However from documentation:

In Teamwork mode, there are no linked libraries - only an Embedded Library and BIMcloud/BIM Server Libraries.

So If this is correct you would have to add to BIMCloud .. ?

[Erik Bjornhage · Accepted solution]

What we do (which some think is bad workflow) is the following:

1. Hotlink the IFC (for examples sake, lets just call the file A-1234.ifc)
2. Create LCF-library file in neutral location - it will inherit the name from the file plus a time stamp (A-1234_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_00)
3. Rename the LCF-file to match the IFC-name (A-1234.lcf) and move it to a specific Project Library folder.
4. The BIMCloud library is then uploaded/updated from the Project Library folder
5. When you get a new IFC you update it as you would normally do, then repeat from 2 in this list. (In point 3 you overwrite the existing lcf in the Project Library folder)

Why do we do it this way?

Because if the LCF-library is linked directly to the TW-file then you can't update it when you update the ICF without everyone leaving the project as it would interfere with their respective Local Data (at least that's our conclusions so far).

Also, by having a Project Library-folder on our file server we can ensure that there is only the latest IFC-libraries being linked (no outdated information) which means no redundant data being linked to the file.

As I said, some think this is a bad workflow and I am completely open to suggestions as to why this is the case. In the meantime, since this workflow works for us and I have not seen a good explanation as to why it is bad - we will simply keep doing it this way.