Just upgraded to Revit 2013 and built a Multi-Category Schedule to show information about equipment in applicable rooms. The schedule is doing a great job of reporting all the information I've asked it to with the exception of the room names and numbers for 4 pieces of equipment as indicated in Diagram-1 below.
The parameters that make up the columns (fields) in the schedule are Revit built-in parameters and Shared Parameters that I created. Reference Diagram-1. The equipment in the rooms are of only two Family Categories; 1) Electrical Equipment and 2) Generic Models. The electrical equipment components were in the Library that came with Revit. I created the generic model component using the Generic Model.rfa that came with Revit. See Diagrams-2 & 3 below.
Following is a list of other things I've considered or done based on my research to try and fix this issue.
I'm enjoying Revit and think it's fantastic CAD software. Have spent several hours searching the Forum and Wiki to find information that would resolve this issue or indicate it can't be done with no success. I would greatly appreciate any help with figuring this out. This schedule really serves our purpose well. It would be a shame to have to deliver the sheet with the information hand written in.
Thanks
This highly detailed post fell through the cracks...
Could you post one of the Family Files that is being uncooperative?
Sure. See attached "Greg- Generic Equipment Model (Floor Mount).rfa. I believe I built it starting with the Generic Model floor based. rft.
Sure. See attached "Greg- Generic Equipment Model (Floor Mount).rfa. I believe I built it starting with the Generic Model floor based. rft.
It appears that if a Family is created using the "Generic Model Floor Based" family template, it is unable to report the Room information - I think it's a bug. I assume that all of the problematic families are floor-based? I would recommend creating the families using the basic "Generic Model" template instead.
If you want to recover the work you put into your Families, you may be able to do so with the following trick:
1. Create a Project with a Floor, and place one instance of each Type of each Family. Save it somewhere.
2. Create another new Project and Link in the previous Project.
3. Use the Copy/Monitor tool to create a copy of those elements in this project - they are now converted and no longer 'Floor Hosted'.
4. Right-click the Family in the Project Browser to save it. You could also open it for editing and save it elsewhere, as well.
**Note that the the non-reporting problem MAY persist. I have not tested that.
Well at least now I know I'm not going completely crazy. I think the bug might extend to using the Copy/Monitor tool as well. I put a lot of time into building the floor mount model so I tried following your directions to try and remove the Floor Host from it. Got all the way to the point of sliding the Copy Tool over it, but it wouldn't highlight/select it so was not able to copy it.
I think the floor based (mount) families are the only problem child. However I'm going to do an inventory asap so that I don't lose time if there are others.
Back to the drawing board I guess. Going to take you up on your suggestion and go with the basic "Generic Model" template for the rest.
Thanks a ton for all your help on this one.
It's not a bug. It's simply that "generic model" is not the proper category for your equipment families. Open the generic families, tand change their category to one that is inckuded in this list, and problem solved:
Alfredo_Medina wrote:"It's not a bug. It's simply that "generic model" is not the proper category for your equipment families. Open the generic families, tand change their category to one that is inckuded in this list, and problem solved:"
I definitely agree that the family should be changed to the correct equipment Category. However, try loading his Family into a Project and then changing the Category - it still doesn't report its location. If you create a Family and start with that specific template ("Generic Model Floor Based"), the Family retains this inability regardless of Category. If you create a Family using the standard Generic Model template, the Room info is reported correctly.
Open Greg's generic model family > Category and parameters > Change the category to "Mechanical equipment" or any other category that reports rooms, then activate "Work plane based" > Load into project. Now it will report the room.
Alright - even without changing the Category, marking it as "Work Plane-Based" will correct this issue. I wouldn't have thought that would have made the difference here. Alfredo's definitely got the answer!
Guys, this is great stuff. However, when I used the Work Plane-Based approach it worked great for equipment I had already placed on a floor as the room name and number showed right up on the schedule, but when I tried dragging it in from the browser onto a floor the equipment didn't show while dragging as usual and when I clicked on the floor to place it I got "A serious error has occurred" message. Any ideas?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what could have caused that error.
I only want to comment this: selecting the proper template is the first important part of the workflow when making families. So important, that sometimes we cannot fix something without starting from scratch with the proper template. If there is no specific reason to use the "floor-based" host, we should simply use the default template that is hosted by the reference level. The same happens with other hosts, such as wall, roof, and ceiling, which, in most cases, could be better replaced by "face-based".
In this case, notice how the choice of "floor-based" did not really give you an advantage, but some trouble instead.
I'm with you and will be changing my approach accordingly. All this information has been a really big help. Thanks a ton to everyone.