Closing NWC/NWD Files on Load

Ok, show of hands….How many of you work in Navisworks and also work in a “design” application (like Revit, AutoCAD, etc.) at the same time?  A few, that’s what I thought.  Of those that do, how often are you having to close out of your current Navisworks project (NWF) so you can save over the top of your existing/appended NWC (or NWD I suppose) so you can show the changes in Navisworks?  Or you’re (for example) a GC (general contractor) who is gathering NWC or NWD files and when you get a new one, you have to close out of project file in Navisworks so you can save the new version over the top of the previous?  Yeah, that’s what I thought…too many of you!

All kidding aside, this is a very common question I get about working with Navisworks….why do I have to close out of my NWF just so I can overwrite my appended NWC/NWD files?  The reason is one “little” checkbox in the Navisworks options….”Close NWC/NWD files on load”

With this options checked, you no longer have to close out of your current project to re-export your NWC files from the design applications, or when you want to overwrite a previous version when you get a new one from the “designers/engineers”. 

This little checkbox essentially removes the file lock that would get attached to the appended NWC/NWD file.  Without this checked, the file lock is applied and you can’t overwrite the file unless you close out of the NWF file the NWC/NWD is appended to.