Revit Journal Folder and Saving Files on Network Drives

Revitform.org member "Cellophane" dropped this reminder/tip recently.

When you save project files that DO NOT use worksets and family files on a network folder Revit stores a copy of the files in your user Journal folder. Since release 2012 Revit has been using this location for the Journal folder and files:

C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit "version"

While chatting with support they gave him this explanation:

"This happens when saving directly to a network location as a data security function, i.e. if the network save fails, the data can be recovered from the local journals folder. If you save locally you will not populate the folder. The reason behind it is saving non-worksharing files to a network introduces a greater possible of failure, so dropping a copy in the journal folder is a way of recovering them."

If you don't keep an eye on this you'll end up with quite a lot of files there. If other people use your computer and Revit then they've probably been "stealing" some disk space from your pc too. As tedious as it might seem to have to clean this out from time to time, the feature came in really handy recently when I managed to kill a few families that I thought I no longer needed. The next day a change came along and I needed them back. No, I didn't archive them for some reason...still not sure why. Regardless, the copies in the Journal folder sure came in handy though! I'm glad I didn't clean them out the day before.

Hide Workset Backup Folders

If you ever work on a project where there quite a few central files it can be bothersome that the _backup folders that Revit uses are presented first in the dialogs that provide access to files. I've found that I can use the "Hidden" file flag to get rid of them assuming I can live with my Folder View settings assigned to hide hidden files and folders.

In the properties of the Workset project's backup folder I check "Hidden".

Then in the settings that govern the display of files and folders in Windows Explorer I use the "Don't show hidden..." option.

Personally I find I need to be able to see hidden files or folders fairly often so it ends up being a bit annoying when I've made the change. I tend to flip back and forth and decide how long I'm going to be working a certain way before committing.

Something to consider...

Backup File Numbering

We are familiar with Revit's standalone backup file process. Each time we save it creates a new backup file, based on either the stock setting of 3 backup files or as many as we've chosen instead.

I've never run into a file that used more than the four digits that appears in the file name of a backup file. The other day someone asked what happens at MyProject.9999.rvt. As it happens Revit keeps on numbering and adds a new digit; MyProject.10000.rvt.