Shared parameters in Key Schedules

[Anonymous]

Hi,

As I have understood, Revit cannot add shared parameters to Key schedules. However, there is nothing that stops me from making new project parameters and adding them into my key schedule. BUT...is it feasible for a door schedule with many variations?

I was planning on using it for my door schedule to auto populate fields like: Hardware set, door stops, door hinges, seals, etc. But I have 21 different hardware sets, 5 different seals, 3 different hinges....does that mean that I have to create 315 different door options in the key schedule? Or am I overdoing something, because to me key schedules are supposed to help me, not create more work for me. I would be better off to do a manual input in the door schedule through a shared parameter.

How do you guys use Key schedules for doors? Any tips and suggestions?

Cheers!

[ToanDN]

Each row should be a Hardware Group.  If you have 315 groups then you do need 315 rows.  And if you have 315 groups then I imagine you must have way more 315 doors.  So, entering information via a key schedule may still quicker than manually by doors.  Plus, for the long run, it is easier to manage should you change products in the future.

[Anonymous]

Hi @ToanDN, I have 21 hardware sets, making it 21 rows if i would schedule it like that. BUT hardware set 1 might have hinge #3 and seal #2, no door stop but a kickplate and Hardware set 2 might have  hinge #3 and seal #2, door stop and a kickplate, so does that mean that I have to list all the possibilities with the hinges and seals and door stops and kickplates for all the sets and hence creating more rows? I'm not quite across how to keep the rows down. I also have 245 doors in the project. 

Cheers!

[ToanDN]

Oh then you only need 21 rows, then you have columns for seals, kickplates, door stops, etc...

[chrisplyler · Accepted solution]

You need more than one key schedule.

If you were going to group all 21 hardware sets WITH each set having a seal option and a hinge option, then yeah you would need a row for every possible combination.

But what you really want is a door schedule with a key column for hardware set, a key column for hinge option, and a key column for the seal condition. So make three key schedules (hardware = 21 rows, hinge = 5 rows or whatever, seal = 3 rows) and give each one a column in the door schedule.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @chrisplyler.

However I am really struggling to see how this is easier, or less time consuming than giving the families a shared parameter and then manually fill that out. Instead of making 5 different key schedule, one for hinge, hardware set, seal etc. I just gave the family a manual input text parameter field, added that into the main door schedule and went through and changed all the fields as required. I really want to use key schedules for my doors but I'm having a hard time finding them useful. Maybe doors aren't the best application for this, or maybe I need more door families than 10 to find this useful.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Key schedule is about population of data.

For example: Hardware Group HW01 has a ton of information of all the components supposed to be in it, you add them to the Key Schedule the you only need to assign HW01 to 25 doors and ALL the information will populate for these 25 doors.  Later when you swap a doorstop to a different brand, change it once in the key schedule then it changes in all those 25 doors.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @ToanDN for that explanation. 🙂

[koert.vynckier]

I would absolutely love this solution if only I was able to Tag this "Hardware Group" on my plans. Just HW01 on this door HW02 on that one...

Unfortunately you need a Shared Parameter to get it to appear on your plans, and Shared Parameters don't support Key Lists for some reason.

I suppose an application could be written that would get the value of "Hardware Group" for all your doors and copy that value into a Shared Parameter just for the purpose of being able to display it on your plans.

Other workarounds might be sorting on Hardware Group, selecting all HW01 doors and fill in HW01 in the Shared Parameter and repeat for all Hardware Groups, but it's a real shame that the obvious way just isn't possible.

[ToanDN]

Add an unused built-in parameter such as Comments to the key schedule for the hardware group and you can tag the doors with the information.

[koert.vynckier]

You could indeed hijack Comments and e.g. Finish for hardware side 1 and hardware side 2, even if that's not what they're there for.

It may prove to be an acceptable workaround for some cases. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, really interesting post, as someone mentioned I also have trouble using my parameter in the Key Schedule. In my opinion I think it's ridiculous that not even the Shared parameter can't be used in a Key Schedule, is there a reason for that? Am I getting something wrong? Where could I get some more info about the behavior the Parameters?
In this case you created those parameters directly from the Key Shedules Proprierties, right?

More over: in some other post I found out that it is impossible to create a new Group of parameters to list under some new parameters that I've created because it is HardCoding, could someone confirm also that?

Vito

Thank you very much 

[ToanDN]

You are not missing anything. Being able to include shared parameters in key schedules must have been a wishlist item since day one the feature was introduced. This shortcoming has hindered the application of key schedule to a great extent. Such a waste!

To your other question, yes parameter groups are hardcoded. You may look into Revit API if you want to mess with them but it is out of my territory of knowledge.

[p_barnett]

Ironmongers like working in door sets. Its just replicating the way they work.

You have a row per set and select that set for the similar doors. There's normally a lot of repetition and a group of unique doors. Saves time overall, especially as mentions above, you update a model or make.

What I think some are mentioning is wanting a selection of components within each column to pick from. While I don't think there is a way to produce a selection list, what it does naturally is give you a pull down list of what is already in the column. So a way around it is to have a set of dummy rows containing the different components you like, then they will be selectable for the actual rows you want to create as ironmongery sets. I do the same for sanitary accessories. No point modelling every wall fixing bracket or waste outlet.

[Alfredo_Medina]

Just to give an update to this topic, I want to mention that this feature is available in Revit 2022, adding shared parameters to key schedules.