Retrieve data from nested family

[Keith_Wilkinson]

I'm sure the answer to this is 'no', but I'll ask anyway... 

I have a window that is made up of 2 or more nested window families.  Each of these has an area calc in it.  Is there any way at all to access this data in the parent family?

Cheers

K.

[ToanDN]

Assuming you nested the parameters between the parent family and the children families, you can create Area parameters and add formulas to them.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

the area of each window panel is calculated by a formula in the child - I can't link this as it's not directly driven by the parent.

What I want is a formula in the parent that can read the value of the parameters in the child but I don't think this is currently possible - the workaround is rather complex... 

[barthbradley]

Are you saying that you want to have a parameter in the Parent Family report the value of a formula-driven parameter within a nested family? In other words, you want to pull a nested family's parameter value into the parent? It can be done, but the parent's parameter can only be a reporting type. 

[Sahay_R]

Create a parameter in the parent family - for example, Area. When you nest the child, associate the child's Area parameter with the Area parameter of the parent.

[barthbradley]

No, that's not what I'm referring to. What I think the OP want's to do is REPORT the nested family's formula-driven parameter IN THE PARENT FAMILY.  He want to pull data, not push data. 

[Sahay_R]

Can we see the family please?

[barthbradley]

Are you directing that question to me or to @Keith_Wilkinson? 

[Sahay_R]

Whoever has the family in question, @barthbradley!

[barthbradley]

Well, @Sahay_R, you asked me for a family. I thought you may have wanted me to produce a family that does exactly what I think @Keith_Wilkinson is trying to do. I'd be happy to, if it is requested of me.  

EDIT...

Here’s something very rudimentary…

Family8 is nested into Family9 (attached).

Family8 has a parameter called “Formula 1”.

The value for “Formula 1” is formula-driven (e.g. (A*B)/1).  

Family9 has a reporting parameter called “Formula 2”. This parameter reports the value of Family8’s “Formula 1” parameter.

Additionally, Family9 has another parameter called “Formula 3”. It’s parameter value is formula-driven and uses “Formula 2” to compute its value – and, remember, “Formula 2” is the parameter that is reporting Family8’s “Formula 1”.

[ToanDN]

Lol we have a massive power outage in the city today so I cannot test anything except for spitting out BS.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

@ToanDN Was it Samaritan?

Thanks to those who have replied, apologies for the delay in responding, been away from a Revit enabled PC over the weekend.

I've attached a very basic family with one nested component which has within it two formulas to calculate 2 different areas.  I want to pull that data through to the parent family and then calculate totals based on those values - so if I had two panels I'd have an area for panel one and an area for panel two.

[ToanDN]

@Keith_Wilkinson

Would you need more parameters to associate with the nested panels if you have more than one panels in the family?  See attached.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

Thanks Toan, this is the approach I'm using at present but it's getting to complex to manage efficiently which is why I was hoping there might be a way to pull the data in.

[ToanDN]

If the goal is to have the data in a project schedule then you can make the nested panel a shared family so that the information would come through without the need to calculate it in the host family.

[Sahay_R]

@ToanDN Would the data from the shared nested family also be able to participate in area calculations for a tag? Just asking because this thread kind of Segways over to a problem that I am dealing with.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

Yes, that would be another option although again it's complicated to implement as we can't merge rows in a schedule.

Another viable option might be to use a tag for the nested, shared sub families. 

[ToanDN]

@Sahay_R

I would say Yes if the shared parameters of the nested family are associated with shared parameters of the host family.

@Keith_Wilkinson

Certainly.  Until you have upper and lower panels in the same window then the tags can get messy on plans and you may need to clarify them or add tags on elevations.

While you cannot combine row in a schedule, you can group the panels of a window unit per some creative means of identification, and calculate a sub-total for the group.  It would give you the combined Areas for each unit.

[Sahay_R]

@ToanDN. You are making me think many thoughts. And you will be the first to know when they come to naught. Thank you!

[barthbradley]

@Keith_Wilkinson: 

This thread is getting rather confusing to me. Must be time for a mid-day Starbuck’s pick-me-up. Ha!

Anyways, I think I understand your mission as this:

To be able pull data from a couple of nested windows families into a host window family parameter that will be able to use this pulled data to calculate a combined total (e.g. the combined vent areas, and the combined glazing areas of both nested families).

If correct, I think the attached Host family does just that. In the Host Family, categorized under “Other”, are several “Reporting” parameters that are associated to formula-driven parameters in 2 nested families.  Those “Reporting” parameters are used to drive 2 other parameters in the Host (grouped under “Data”) that serve to calculate the combined vent and glazing areas of both nested families.

Mission accomplished. No?

Love to hear your feedback