<Family Type> parameter can NOT be varied by group instance

[Anonymous]

Revit 2016 Help says <Family Type> parameters can be varied by group instance.

But when I try and do that when adding a Project Parameter Values can vary by group instance is greyed out.

See attached image.

Why???

Is the Help wrong or is there a bug in Revit?

[L.Maas]

Can not test it at the moment but I think the help file is wrong. If you look at THIS page on the knowledge Autodesk website (entry of 8 feb 2016).

[Anonymous]

This is the page from standard Revit help:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-114C68A9-FF2B-4D4C-A2DF-3AE7E1F174C8

[RDAOU]

Hello @Anonymous

The help section you are refering to is for Project Parameters in General (meaning to say all the Parameter Types of the Project (Type & Instance) + Shared). You need to refer to the section right below the one you have open ... Shared Parameters > Create Shared Parameter Files, Groups and Parameters 

Clarification:

That option (Parameter Type = <Family Type>) is accessible in the following 2 cases:

1. For Project Parameter (Instance) Always accessible
2. For Shared Parameters ONLY accessible when you create/add a new Shared Parameter to the Shared Parameter FIle/Group.

You are not currently seeing it because you are using an existing Shared Parameter (ie: its type has been already set); Shared Parameters are unlike Project Parameters, their type is selected when they are added/created and stored in the Project's Shared Parameters file. To add one; you need to:

• Go to Manage Tab > Settings > Shared Parameters
• If you have a file already loaded/mapped
1. Add Group <New> & give it a name
2. Add new parameter and set type <Family Type> in this dialog
3. Select Family Type from the following dialog
4. Click OK as required to exist till you exit
• If you don't have a Shared Parameters file loded/Mapped
1. Click Create
2. Browse to the location you want to save it; give the file a name and click save
3. Add Group <New> & Give it a name
4. Add new parameter and set type <Family Type> in this dialog
5. Select Family Type from the following dialog
6. Click OK as required to exist till you exit

See screencast and image below

IF this is helpful; kindly mark this reply ACCEPT AS SOLUTION

SEE THE FOLLOWING SCREENCAST

[loboarch]

The Help file is wrong on this one. It is correct for the page Louis (Enllnt) pointed to but not for the one AntMc was looking at, they are just slightly different. Looks like one got updated at some point and the other did not. I will fix the page so it is correct.

Thanks, and sorry for the confusion.

[RDAOU]

@loboarch

Kindly refer to your inbox.

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

---

@RDAOU wrote:

Hello @Anonymous

The help section you are refering to is for Project Parameters in General (meaning to say all the Parameter Types of the Project (Type & Instance) + Shared). You need to refer to the section right below the one you have open ... Shared Parameters > Create Shared Parameter Files, Groups and Parameters 

Clarification:

That option (Parameter Type = <Family Type>) is accessible in the following 2 cases:

1. For Project Parameter (Instance) Always accessible
2. For Shared Parameters ONLY accessible when you create/add a new Shared Parameter to the Shared Parameter FIle/Group.

You are not currently seeing it because you are using an existing Shared Parameter (ie: its type has been already set); Shared Parameters are unlike Project Parameters, their type is selected when they are added/created and stored in the Project's Shared Parameters file. To add one; you need to:

• Go to Manage Tab > Settings > Shared Parameters
• If you have a file already loaded/mapped
1. Add Group <New> & give it a name
2. Add new parameter and set type <Family Type> in this dialog
3. Select Family Type from the following dialog
4. Click OK as required to exist till you exit
• If you don't have a Shared Parameters file loded/Mapped
1. Click Create
2. Browse to the location you want to save it; give the file a name and click save
3. Add Group <New> & Give it a name
4. Add new parameter and set type <Family Type> in this dialog
5. Select Family Type from the following dialog
6. Click OK as required to exist till you exit

See screencast and image below

IF this is helpful; kindly mark this reply ACCEPT AS SOLUTION

SEE THE FOLLOWING SCREENCAST

---

I don't think this is the issue the OP was talking about.

It is not the creation of a shared project paramter that is at issue, it is the fact if you create a project parameter (shared or not) that is instance based it can't be variable by group. Some instance parameters can vary by group and others can not. The Help topic incorrectly says if the instance parameter is <Family Type> you can set it to be variable by instance. This is not right. <Family Type> parameters CAN'T be varried by instance.

Unless I have mis-understood the question I believe the Help needs to be corrected. 

[RDAOU]

@loboarch

No one said there is an issue with creating shared parameter. (The issue is that one should know what he is creating before he creates it)

OP states <Family Type> Instance data is greayed out. And the reason it is greyed when selecting Shared parameter is as follows:

• Shared Parameter Data are set/defined in the Shared Parameter File (.txt which user needs to select first or create) AND NOT on the front end Dialog ...The Data entered in the dialog (Parameter Properties) which you attached are project specific (hence made ungreyed for Project Parameters) ...the Shared Parameters Data has to be defined/stored in the SharedParam.txt file so that one can share it in more than one project. Thats the reason why they are greyed out on that dialog. The OP is treating it as Project Parameter hence the confusion.

• The OP states in text "Project Parameter" Yet screenshot attached he is selecting "Shared Parameter"...Hence, he needs to add the Instance data in the .txt file for if he needs it as Shared Parameter. See the screencast

OP States: Revit 2016 Help says <Family Type> parameters can be varied by group instance. NO Help file doesn't say that <FAMILY TYPE IS VARIABLE)

1. Help file lists/states the options available for Instance parameters
2. Help file then states that Instance parameters has 2 Option but does not specify if those options are for <Family Type> or any other type. Those options are also not available for other Instance groups such as Length/Number/Slope/Angle.....
   • Values are aligned per group type (default):
   • Values can vary by group instance

EXTRACT FROM THE HELP PAGE LINK ANTMC POSTED

You stated the help file is wrong...or incorrect ...I say it is 100% correct... Its a user's misinterpretation not a help file error

When I read the help file/page  http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-114C68A9-FF2B-4D4C-A2DF-3AE7E1F174C8 in line with the help page for Shared parameters which is just below this one...the workflow works and functions exactly as described in the help files.

[Anonymous]

I know how Shared Parameters work but I don't understand what you are saying.

Are you saying if you create a new shared parameter from within the Project parameter dialog it can vary by group instance?

I tried that, as well as using a Project Parameter. Neither work.

I think it is a mistake in Help.

Pity, I need to be able to vary family types between groups.

[Anonymous]

Read the line starting with "7.":

"An option is available if you are creating an instance parameter that is one of the following types:"

• <Family Type>

is one of those listed.

[RDAOU]

No it is not what I am saying create a shared parameter to get <Family Type> to work

• You started your post stating project parameter but the picture you attached was shared parameters

• Then you asked why those fields are grayed out...I would have assumed that if you knew how Shared parameter work (what you selected in the image) you wouldn't ask why they are gray (Otherwise why did you think I pointed you towards the Shared Parameter Help?) Now you add another attachment with project parameter ...So you gotta make up your mind!

• The wording of the help is correct. The option is always there; Default is one option. The wrong wording would have been: "You have the choice" between two options. How you interpret it is up to you. The last I need is to go into the proper usage of words on this forum

.

At this point, and after your last post...I am not really sure if you know what is meant by "Values can Vary by group instance" and what makes an instance variable...but again I don't want to know

I say you got an answer and this post has taken more than it deserves (I'm unsubscribing to this post)