Only "Key Name" available for Scheduled Fields

[Anonymous]

I am trying to create a new General Notes Schedule in Revit 2019. 

1. Created a new "Schedules/Quantities" schedule 

2. Used "Generic Models" as category and "Schedule keys" as the type.
3. When I get to the "Schedule Properties" pop-up the only field available is "Key Name," and the usual "Comments" field is not available.

I made one General Notes schedule for the same project and it had that field available but not for the second type of General Notes I need for the project.

I have attached screenshots of options I selected in case my description was unclear.

Thanks in advance!

[barthbradley]

Well, that's bizarre; you cannot use Comments twice. I just tested.  Hmm?  I got to gnaw on this one awhile to understand the logic.  But, it's not your fault.  

[Anonymous]

I knew it was odd, and it was reinforced by not being able to find anything through Google.

I appreciate you pondering it.  🙂 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Key schedules basically assign parameters to a bunch of fields at once using a single key parameter. If you already assigned the "Generic Model" Comment parameter using one key schedule, the Comment parameter is attached to that Schedule Key  - and it can't be also attached to another Schedule Key. That would get confusing. What if one Key Schedule tells the parameter to be one thing, but the other Key Schedule tells the parameter to be something else? Remember, parameters in schedules are per element, not per schedule.

Anyway, sounds like you're just trying to use a Key Schedule for a manageable list - not linked to any "objects" per se. In that case, just use another category besides Generic Models, or create another text parameter that would function like Comments. For this type of thing, I typically use a category I'd never use, like Air Terminals.

[barthbradley]

So then the solution is to create  a "Comments2" Project Parameter and assign it to the Generic Models Category.  

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the answer. So, the firm I worked at before had a particular standard set of general notes for plans, one for exterior elevations, one for reflected ceiling etc.  So, are you saying I would use a different category for the template that we wouldn't be using - i.e. cable trays for RCP, analytical surfaces for interior elevations, etc.?

Or would it be as barthbradley I believe is asking, which is create a "Comments2" Project Parameter?  Or is it one and the same?

I apologize, this is uncharted territory for me. 

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

You can use either approach. Pretty much six of one, half dozen of another.  

...but instead of naming it "Comments2", what about "Key Comments" or "Key" something?   

[Anonymous]

Either way works. However, if you add a bunch of project parameters 'Comments2', 'Comments3', 'Comments4', etc. for your Generic Model category (1 for each Key Schedule you want - Plan, RCP, Elevation, etc), then you'll see those added parameters for each of the Generic Model families you have in your project. May not be a big deal for you, but we use Generic Models as a catch-all for a lot of families, and to me it'd be messy to see those parameters all the time.

If I use Key Schedule model categories like Air Terminals, Cable Trays, etc., then I will never see the impact of these schedules that I'm really using for notes.