Local File Username Change Loop

Here’s a good scenario to avoid should you change your Revit username.  As a best practice always create a new local file versus continuing to work in the existing local or you will run into the following scenario:

1.  You have a local file, created and last saved with User1.

2.  The user then opens Options > Username, and changes the username to User2 while still in the original local file.

3.  They continue to work in the local file making a number of changes or adding new content.

4.  When they attempt to save they receive the following error message:

 

5.  Opening Collaborate > Worksets dialog brings up the next message:

6.  Then in attempting to set your username back to User1, you navigate to Options > Username, and change the username back to User1.

7.  Because changes were made to the project since the last save with a different username you will be unable to save.  You will receive the following message instead:

You can’t save because modifications were done with a different username and you can’t change your username because modifications were done with a different username that haven't been saved.

As a best practice you should not find yourself in this scenario but if you do there are a few options:

1.  If no one else has worked in the central file since this happened, you could potentially save this local file as the new central file.  R > Save As > Project > Options > check Make this a Central File after save, and resave the local as a new central file.  Afterward new local files can be created to include the latest changes.

2.  If the work was contained to a specific view or area, you may be able to cut the modified geometry to the clipboard [use CTRL + X].  Next use Undo all the way back to the last save.  Options > Username, and set it back to User1.  Synchronize with Central.  Then Modify > Paste Aligned > Same Place.  This will put the geometry changes you cut back into the project under the current username and you can synchronize with central again.

3.  Discard the changes to the file and create a new local file with the correct username.

Comments

[Dave Plumb]

Agreed that this is user error, but wouldn't it be fairly easy to avoid this problem by having Revit check for open files when you change your user name?
Better yet, don't allow any changes to the user name unless there are no open files.

I've always wondered about a similar error when you open a Local file that is no longer compatible with the Central. Here's the scenario:
- User 1 makes a Local file, works on it & saves it on Monday.

- User 2 does a SaveAs & creates a new Central File with the same name on Tuesday.
- User 1 opens his (old and now out of date) Local file on Wednesday and happilly works away for a few hours.

[Dave Plumb]

Sorry about that. Somehow that got posted just before I was about to hit the exciting conclusion!
- After User 1 has been unknowingly working happily away, he goes to SWC. User 1 is no longer happy because he has just gotten the message "You file is no longer compatible with the Central File because it has been replaced."
Again, I see that this is user error - they really should have gotten a new Local Copy, but the problem is that they don't know it until AFTER they go to SWC, at which time they have probably lost a significant amount of work.

It would be nice if Revit would tell you AS SOON AS YOU OPEN YOUR LOCAL that it is not compatible. Telling me after I've worked for a couple hours makes me unhappy.

[Ryan Duell]

Thank you for the feedback Dave; I think your first 2 points regarding Revit checking for open files \ user name change & notifying the user could avoid a number of these or similar scenarios. While my post was meant to show a scenario which has come up a few times of late, and some approaches to hopefully retain work to the file, it would be helpful if Revit notified you before you continued working. I've forwarded your comments to the development team as feedback, thank you again for the information.