Locking (greying out) the value of a family type parameter

[Kev_D]

I would like to grey out the value of my Family type:doors parameters. They are controlled by yes/no and integer parameters so they have no need to ever change. Any one have any idea of how to achieve this. 

[barthbradley]

I'd love to examine your family. It doesn't make sense to me from what I see.  I'm guessing it's working for you, but I need to see all the parameters to understand how. But, in answer to your main question, I'm pretty certain you can't lock Family Types in the way you would lock others by a formula such as if(1=1, [ValueA], [ValueA]).  But, if they don't change ever, then why the need for the label?   

[Kev_D]

Yes, I had a feeling it would be difficult for some to understand. When you spend so much time on a family, you tend to probably overdo some aspects of it. 

The family has 3 door panels types (A, B, & C). A double door would consist of A1 & A2, B1 & B2, C1 & C2. If a type is duplicated and changed, I did not want people changing the type and some may find it confusing, so I introduced a

numbering system. 

These numbers control the types in the previous image, and the number refers to office standards. So everyone knows what Panel Type A is, and so on, so I thought it would be easier for people to see this and say, 1 is A. Simple!

I want to grey out the type parameter values so they can never be changed. Like the way you would grey a length parameter value by placing the exact length in the formula (like the image below). 

[barthbradley]

I get what you're doing with integers to ID elements for Visibility control, but I do it completely differently  -- probably because I did exactly what you're trying to do a long time ago and crashed and burned miserably! Ha!

That being said, I hate using Family Type Parameters, and avoid them like the Plague.  They are problematic at best, and especially difficult to control/manage when uneducated others have to use the family.  Keep in mind that those drop down boxes will populate with every single shared <Generic Model> in the Project, once they are loaded. Good luck sifting through that mess to find the appropriate family. And, if you pick the wrong one, the family will bust in the Project.   

With regard to "graying out" those parameters; there's no way to do it --  or that I have found. Like I said before, I typically use "if(1=1, [ValueA], [ValueA])" (e.g. Length =if(1=1, 4'-0", 4'-0")) to gray out the field.  But that doesn't work on Family Type Parameters.   

[Kev_D]

Haha. Yes, that is what Revit is all about. We crash and burn many times, but if we didn't we wouldn't learn. Many forums recommend using types, and so far I have had no issues, but I understand exactly what you mean.... Projects & Templates will develop and become more complex.

In saying that, this is exactly why I was hoping I could lock the value. Even if more families are loaded, there should be no need to sift through them, as the are what they are. That is why a parameter is created for each panel type (so they don't have to be changed). I only wanted to lock them so others will not mess with them. When a new panel type comes into play, I will just add type D to the family and give it the next number 4 and change parameters where necessary. 

I would ask you how you do it differently, but I have spent so much time on Doors that I just need to walk away. They work well as is, I just wanted to tie up some loose ends. 

[Anonymous]

(e.g. Length =if(1=1, 4'-0", 4'-0"))

as a curiosity (unless i may be missing something) , why would you need to create an "if condition" that generates one single value to lock the length field? 

length parameter = value

Thanks, 

RP

[barthbradley]

So the Parameter cannot be used in the Project. It'll gray out the Parameter in the Project. Basically, it eliminates confusion. We do it quite a lot.    

[Anonymous]

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@barthbradley wrote:

So the Parameter cannot be used in the Project. It'll gray out the Parameter in the Project. Basically, it eliminates confusion. We do it quite a lot.    

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I got that, i use it too. but why using an "if formula" if you can lock the parameter with just the value?

see my previous screenshot

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that it was my confusion on that 🙂

[Kev_D]

Unfortunately the type family does not work like that. Works great for dimension parameters but not for the parameter in question.

The formula can equal a number, but it can not equal the name of a family type.

[FAIR59]

you can use a non-USERMODIFIABLE Shared parameter to accomplish your goal.

in family-editor: 

in project:

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

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@FAIR59 wrote:

you can use a non-USERMODIFIABLE Shared parameter to accomplish your goal.

in family-editor: 

in project:

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This is a great way, however, if you change something, you need to purge the family from the project and load it again...  it won't update otherwise.

[fitogm81]

Excellent. I have been working with shared parameters for a long time and I didn't knew about this property. Thanks!.

[mark.mountain]

Learnt something new today. Making a shared parameter un-editable like that. 

I have a situation though where I have 3 parameters for example. The all use the same category and same family within the project. as soon as edit the parameter file to make the parameter un-editable as shown above. when I add the shared parameter to the family, it defaults to the same one family type for all of them. 

I want;

parameter 1 to be type A
parameter 2 to be type B
parameter 3 to be type C etc etc

But when making the shared parameter non user editable and I bring the parameters in. All I get is...

parameter 1 to be type A
parameter 2 to be type A
parameter 3 to be type A etc etc

And they're greyed out now due to the non user editable edit so I can change them to what I want. 

[MattMFNXBV]

Hello,

Reviving an old thread here.  Locking a shared parameter by editing the shared text file is useful to prevent user editing, but as @mark.mountain pointed out, once the 'locked' shared parameter is loaded into the family editor, no changes can be made to its value.  I'd suggest a workaround that combines the best of both worlds.

1 - Create a <family types> parameter from the Types dialogue box in the normal manner.  This parameter should not be shared.

2 - Associate the <family types> parameter with the correct nested family.

3 - Set the value for each <family type> using the dropdown menu.  This value can differ from type to type within the parent family.

4 - Create a shared <family types> parameter with the EXACT same name as the family parameter created above.

5 - Select the original, non shared <family types> parameter and click the pencil button to edit.  Change the parameter to be shared.

6 - Select the shared <family types> parameter created in step 4 to replace the parameter being edited.  

7 - Finish editing the parameter.  The parameter is now shared & locked, but Revit will retain all the original type values set in step 3.

[johannes_venterEQLRA]

@MattMFNXBVMaybe I missed something, I have created my shared parameters and attempted to lock them as suggested above but they are still editable. Any advice?