How Do You BIM - DeMystifying Shared Parameters

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In my last Blog, I showed you how to create a Shared Parameter file, add parameters, and sort them into groups. Shared Parameters are commonly used in Families and Projects to hold information, drive formulas, or adjust geometric constraints. Oh, and they can also be used in Tags and Scheduled.

Loading a Shared Parameter into a Family:

First, let's look at adding a shared parameter to a Family. There are several ways to do this. Most commonly, parameters can be added through the Type settings or through a dimension as a Constraint.

• From the Family Types window

The New Parameter option allows you to create a parameter in the family. It will show in the properties and can be assigned to a dimensional constraint if needed.

• From the Label Dimension window

         

The Create Parameter option allows you to create a parameter after selecting a Dimensional constraint.

After the Create or New Parameter options are selected, the Parameter Properties window will open. In the Parameter Type area, Select the Shared Parameter option and pick the Select… button. This will allow you to select Shared Parameter to load. If no Shared Parameter file has been selected, a message will display asking if you want to choose one.

From the Edit Shared Parameter window, select Browse… and navigate to the shared parameter file hosting the parameters you want to use. This is not where you load the parameter from, Yet. Important note… selecting a Shared Parameter file Does Not link it to your model. It is only pointing to the preferred file to pull parameters from. When a parameter is loaded there is no link maintained to the Shared Parameter file it came from. After the Parameter file is selected, pick OK.

Back in the Parameter Properties Window, pick the Select… button again. Now that a Shared Parameter file has been selected, it becomes the default file when loading a Shared Parameter.  The specified file should now open with the parameter options to load. Use the Parameter Group dropdown and select the parameter to load. Only one parameter can be selected at a time.

The Shared Parameter will be loaded into the family with the settings assigned to it (Name, Discipline, and Date Type).

When loading a Shared Parameter, the only 2 options that can be set are Type vs Instance & Group Parameter Under. The other options will be grayed out. Type Parameters are locked to the family Type being loaded. If the parameter information is changed, it will change in every family of the same Type in the project. Instance Parameters can be changed regardless of Type. Group Parameters Under will determine where the parameter can be found in the properties window.

Regardless of which option was used to load the Shared Parameter, it can now be used in the family. Once placed in the project, The family parameters can now be edited and referenced in Schedules and Tags in the project.

For some Categories however, the shared parameter may need to be loaded as a Project Parameter as well to allow it to be edited in the project. This is most often seen in Annotation families.

Loading a Shared Parameter into a Project:

Another way to use Shared Parameters is by loading them directly into the Project Model. I have had lots of debates with people on the best use for this method. I find it convenient because I don’t have to edit every family I want the parameter in. I can load the parameter into my Project Model, which then gets assigned to ALL Families of the selected category.

Start by selecting the Project Parameters option from the Manage ribbon in your project model.

This will open the Project Parameters window. Select the New Parameter option from the Project Parameters window on the bottom Left.

In the Parameter Properties window in the Parameter Type section, Select the Shared Parameter option Then pick the Select… button to open the defined Shared Parameter file.

From the Shared Parameters window, select the group and parameter to load and pick OK. If no default Shared Parameter file has been set, pick the Edit… button. This will open the Edit Shared Parameters window and allow you to Browse… to the desired Shared Parameter file to open.

When loading a shared parameter in a family, the parameter data offers options to set instance, type, and group parameters. However, when loading a Shared Parameter into a project, you can choose the Revit category to which it is applied.

On the right hand side of the Parameter Properties window are options to Search, Filter, and select Revit categories the Shared Parameter will be applied. Be careful when selecting categories. In this example, Mechanical Equipment is selected. The Mechanical Equipment category covers many types of content, and that shared parameter may not apply to all of them. I usually start by selecting. Check None and the deliberately pick the categories I need.

Once added, the parameter will appear in the Project Parameter list. If a family of the selected category is selected, the parameter will now show in that family and can be used in Tags and Schedules.

There is a lot more we could discuss about parameters and shared parameters and all the things you can do with them. For now though, I think that’s enough to get you started. I hope these two articles (Demystifying Shared Parameter Files and Demystifying Shared Parameters) helped you understand shared parameter files and how to load shared parameters into families and projects.