Currently my Fire Alarm Device already has one family annotation in it. I would like to load another annotation family in this family but have it only show up in my view when it's detail level has been changed to "course". I created a new family using two of the standard templates "Detail Component" and "Detail Component Line Based". When I load the annotation family into my fire alarm device family, I select the annotation family and change the visibility options to course by unchecking medium and fine. I then load it into my project and...nothing. Does anyone know how I might be able to fix this problem?
You said that you started with the Detail Component template? If you are intending to create an additional annotation symbol that is correctly sized based on the scale of the drawing, you should start from the Generic Annotation template.
The most probable reason that you cannot see your annotation is because you inserted it into the Ref. Level View, where you saw the original symbol. Detail Components appear in Views parallel to those it was inserted in. If my assumption in correct, then you will see your Detail Item if you cut a section so that you're looking direct at it. You should place the Detail Item in the Front View in order to see it on a Floor Plan in the Project.
Generic Annotations behave much differently, and that changes depending on the Family Category. These can only be inserted into the Ref. Level View. For more info, just ask!
When I try loading the "Generic Annotation Family" into front view of my family, Revit says "Can't create this kind of element in this view in the current mode."
That is correct. You must load the annotation symbol into the "Ref. Level" View. It should display correctly once the family is loaded into a project whether or not it is mounted to a ceiling, wall, or floor.