Revit 2011 Username Startup Switch

When working with a shared Central File in Revit 2011 (add earlier), Revit uses your username to identify your local file.  This username is stored in the Revit.ini file in the main Revit folder (under C:\Program Files\..)  This location varies depending on your company's installation senario.  The username can be changed in Revit via Application button > Options.

This username variable is saved per computer, not per user.  So if you have multiple people using a shared computer, the username needs to be manually changed each time Revit is used for a central file project. 

However, you can create a desktop shortcut for Revit 2011 and add the startup switch /username.  This will set the username to your username whenever you open Revit 2011 with this shortcut.

1. Make a copy your Revit 2011 desktop shortcut
2. Rename the new shortcut (from your copy) to include your username

3. Right click over the new shorcut and click inside the Target box (see image below)
4. Add to the end of the existing text, the following... /username
5. Type in your user name so it looks like this... /username yourname.  For example mine would look like this... /username smackenzie
6. My entire text line would look like this... "C:\Program Files\adsk_revit_arch_2011\Program\Revit.exe" /username smackenzie
7. The name of your Revit 2011 folder will vary depending on how it was installed

You can create one of these custom shortcuts for each user of a shared workstation.  In my case, I use it on a remote computer in another office that a few of my co-workers also use.

Note: If you do not get the Target box when you right click over your new shortcut, you will need to create a shortcut from scratch.  Open the folder on your computer that contains the Revit.exe file, right click over Revit.exe and select Create Shortcut.  Move the new shortcut to your desktop.