How to show a dash in empty cells in schedule

[mason]

I'd like to put a dash (the wider em dash) in a cell in a schedule. Whenever I try to add just a dash (even an em dash which is Alt Code 0151), Revit thinks I'm trying to create a formula and won't allow me to enter it. Is there some way around this?

[barthbradley]

Try bracketing. 

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[barthbradley]

wait a minute. You can't use a Text Character in a Length Parameter Field.  

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

You cannot add a dash to any non-text parameter cells.  For those, you could use Conditional Format to add a shade to cells without a value.

Is your hardware group a text or an integer/number parameter?

[mason]

It's an integer. I'll have to run it by the higher-ups to decide to just leave it blank as it is or shade it as you're suggesting.

[mason · Accepted solution]

We decided to shade the empty cells. If anyone else runs into this, to get an empty cell on an integer data type to shade, I had to go about it in a backwards sort of way.

I had to first select the entire column and shade it to the color I want the empty cells to be shaded (light gray).

 

Then select just the header and change it back to white.

Lastly, under conditional formatting select the parameter that corresponds to your column and change "Test" to "Greater Than" and the "Value" to "0." Make the Background color white.

Repeat this for any other columns that need to be formatted.