No built-in length, height, width parameters on lighting fixtures?

[bruno3UP3U]

I've created a lighting fixture family using revit family templates but I realize there are no built-in parameters concerning length, width and height, which could appear natively in schedules.

I understand I cannot add built-in parameters but I don't want to add a shared parameter to mimic the function of what should be a built-in parameter.

I am using Revit 2024. Is this by design? Is there any lighting fixture template that has those built-in parameters?

Thanks.

[RDAOU]

Yes. not all family templates have built in parameters and for that purpose shared parameters exist.

im not sure what you have against shared parameters and why you do not wish to use them! Customize the existing template by adding the necessary shared parameters and it is as good as the built in ones.

[bruno3UP3U]

Hi. Nothing against shared parameters, but creating a "width" shared parameter seems unecessary and add complexity when we already have a built-in "width" parameter.

I've checked some other lighting fixtures families I have and they have those built-in parameters so I will use them as base templates. IMHO width, height and length sould be built-in parameters for all geometric families - everything has 3 dimensions, right?

[RSomppi]

I see light fixtures as static elements (for the most part). The geometric size is (usually) not flexible for each instance. Different size would be a different model and as such do not need to be annotated or scheduled as it is dictated by the model. If you are just using them for building the family, they do not need to be shared parameters, just add them to the family.

[bruno3UP3U]

Yes, I understand that scenario, and makes sense. In this particular case I'm creating led strips where I'd like to control the length and schedule using the standard built-in parameter. So, the dimension is not fixed by a model, but will be directly specified by me. Thing is - this is completely doable and I am sure, in the past, I did a similar thing - the problem is that recent family templates removed those built-in parameters.

Revit is great but has a tendency of forcing the users to work the way it wants and not in the most flexible way.

But thanks both for the suggestions, they do make sense if we understand lights as "fixed" things. I think this question is unsolvable by Revit design.

[RSomppi]

---

@bruno3UP3U wrote:

Revit is great but has a tendency of forcing the users to work the way it wants and not in the most flexible way.

---

Revit is a database and databases require some things to be done in a very specific way. That's why it is often said that one should learn and understand "what Revit wants".

---

@bruno3UP3U wrote:

I think this question is unsolvable by Revit design.

---

It is solvable but the solutions are not very elegant. Some lighting manufacturers have content for these types of fixtures. Might be worth having a look at them to see how they are done. You should have specified this is what you wanted it for as it is not a general lighting thing. You might have gotten more direct answers. This has also been discussed in the forums a number of times. Unlike your comments about built-in parameters being "missing" from the templates.

[bruno3UP3U · Accepted solution]

Revit is hegemonic so it can live with "what Revit wants". It is a great tool in terms of what it can to but terrible in UI/UX. Just plain terrible. Being a database does not excuse that. It should be better. But it is the best we have for now.

As for the solution to this question it is simple indeed: use a lighting fixture template that has those built-in parameters, don't use a lighting fixture template that does not have those built-in parameters. Why there are two types? Because of poor UX/UI and because ... Revit wants.

[RSomppi]

---

@bruno3UP3U wrote:

Why there are two types? Because of poor UX/UI and because ... Revit wants.

---

You certainly are entitled to your opinion but I disagree as it doesn't make sense. It seems more like a deliberate decision even if you don't see the logic.