Sheet Number Parameter Needs to Not Be Unique

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am using Revit 2017.2 in the UK.

The BIM Level Standards require our sheet names to follow a protocol.

To meet this protocol I used a series of shared parameters within my Title-sheet as follows.

XXX (Project Parameter) - XXX (Originator) - 99 (Level) - XX (File Type) - X (Discipline) - 999 (Classification) - 9999 (Sheet Number)

For example it might read.  DRD - RHT - 01 - DR - A - 200 - 0001.

Each of these separate parameters ( as shown in italics within the brackets), is able to modified separated by the drawing author.

The last parameter - namely  - 9999 (Sheet Number), uses the System Parameter "Sheet Number".

The System Parameter "Sheet Number" must be unique. There cannot be multiple parameters with the same number. But my issue is that the last number at the end of each sheet will need to have multiple numbers that are the same. Because I might have a plan drawing named ....A-200-0001 and I also might have an elevation drawing A-300-0001. The 0001 instance in each case won't work as I can't have two drawings with this "0001" using the system parameter "Sheet Number".

I could use a new shared parameter for this, but the System Parameter "Sheet Number" is hard wire linked to elevation tags, section tags, details tags etc. And I can't create new tags with my own Shared Parameter.

My only thought as to how to fix this it seems is to make the final three parameters i.e. " - A - 200 - 0001" as the System Parameter "Sheet Number".
The downside of this proposal will be that my elevation tags, section tags, details tags will have large amounts of text.

Has anyone had this same problem and considered a work-around?

Thanks in advance.

[Alfredo_Medina]

You have to play the rules of the software. The sheet number is unique. Then, you can still have the long number made of three parts, on your titleblocks, above the sheet number, understood as an id number of the sheet for other purposes, not as the sheet number. Then, below, you show the short unique sheet number. 

Also, the short sheet number works well with the section and elevation symbols. I have seen projects with those very long numbers in the reference symbols, and that is not only ugly, but confusing. A complex task has to be divided into smaller tasks. So the sheet number can still be "A-101" no matter how complex the project is. Then, you handle the complexity with the other long number.

[chrisplyler]

I was going to suggest adding a shared parameter as a project parameter for sheets and views, something like "my sheet number" as an instance parameter, and using it instead of the hard-coded one. Got it working on my sheets. But when attempting to change the label in a Section Mark family or Elevation Mark family, I discovered that we are unable to add any parameters to the hard coded list of those available for labels.

Bummer. I didn't know that.

I'm no parameter expert. I don't understand why Revit can't allow us to add parameters to anything/everything. Is there some logical reason, or was it just a case of nobody ever though we would want to do it?

[ToanDN]

We are working for a government agency in the US that requires a similar drawing ID convention, aka super long and tastes like bureaucrat, just the agency itself. At least, we had them to agree on adding another parameter to present the drawing ID, and keep the normal Sheet number follows the AiA convention.

[ToanDN]

---

@chrisplyler wrote:

I'm no parameter expert. I don't understand why Revit can't allow us to add parameters to anything/everything. Is there some logical reason, or was it just a case of nobody ever though we would want to do it?

---

Have you tried the trick that @barthbradley enlightened us the other day, copy and paste shared parameters that normally unavailable for certain Tag families?

[chrisplyler]

No I haven't. Sounds exciting. Can you link to it, or suggest the name of the thread title so that I may search for it?

[barthbradley]

I believe @ToanDN is referring to this discussion: 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/section-head-change-parameter-that-reads-the...

[chrisplyler]

Ah, thanks! I had even seen it already, but had forgotten.

[Anonymous]

Hi there, 

I am just wondering if you ever found a solution to this problem? it's running me made. 

thanks

k

---

@Anonymouswrote:

Hello,

I am using Revit 2017.2 in the UK.

The BIM Level Standards require our sheet names to follow a protocol.

To meet this protocol I used a series of shared parameters within my Title-sheet as follows.

XXX (Project Parameter) - XXX (Originator) - 99 (Level) - XX (File Type) - X (Discipline) - 999 (Classification) - 9999 (Sheet Number)

For example it might read.  DRD - RHT - 01 - DR - A - 200 - 0001.

Each of these separate parameters ( as shown in italics within the brackets), is able to modified separated by the drawing author.

The last parameter - namely  - 9999 (Sheet Number), uses the System Parameter "Sheet Number".

The System Parameter "Sheet Number" must be unique. There cannot be multiple parameters with the same number. But my issue is that the last number at the end of each sheet will need to have multiple numbers that are the same. Because I might have a plan drawing named ....A-200-0001 and I also might have an elevation drawing A-300-0001. The 0001 instance in each case won't work as I can't have two drawings with this "0001" using the system parameter "Sheet Number".

I could use a new shared parameter for this, but the System Parameter "Sheet Number" is hard wire linked to elevation tags, section tags, details tags etc. And I can't create new tags with my own Shared Parameter.

My only thought as to how to fix this it seems is to make the final three parameters i.e. " - A - 200 - 0001" as the System Parameter "Sheet Number".
The downside of this proposal will be that my elevation tags, section tags, details tags will have large amounts of text.

Has anyone had this same problem and considered a work-around?

Thanks in advance.

---

---

@Anonymouswrote:

Hello,

I am using Revit 2017.2 in the UK.

The BIM Level Standards require our sheet names to follow a protocol.

To meet this protocol I used a series of shared parameters within my Title-sheet as follows.

XXX (Project Parameter) - XXX (Originator) - 99 (Level) - XX (File Type) - X (Discipline) - 999 (Classification) - 9999 (Sheet Number)

For example it might read.  DRD - RHT - 01 - DR - A - 200 - 0001.

Each of these separate parameters ( as shown in italics within the brackets), is able to modified separated by the drawing author.

The last parameter - namely  - 9999 (Sheet Number), uses the System Parameter "Sheet Number".

The System Parameter "Sheet Number" must be unique. There cannot be multiple parameters with the same number. But my issue is that the last number at the end of each sheet will need to have multiple numbers that are the same. Because I might have a plan drawing named ....A-200-0001 and I also might have an elevation drawing A-300-0001. The 0001 instance in each case won't work as I can't have two drawings with this "0001" using the system parameter "Sheet Number".

I could use a new shared parameter for this, but the System Parameter "Sheet Number" is hard wire linked to elevation tags, section tags, details tags etc. And I can't create new tags with my own Shared Parameter.

My only thought as to how to fix this it seems is to make the final three parameters i.e. " - A - 200 - 0001" as the System Parameter "Sheet Number".
The downside of this proposal will be that my elevation tags, section tags, details tags will have large amounts of text.

Has anyone had this same problem and considered a work-around?

Thanks in advance.

---

[Anonymous]

Nope. I ended up using "200 - 0001" as the sheet number parameter. The "A" within the "A-200 - 0001" which represents architectural drawings was placed on the sheet family as fixed text.

[ToanDN]

May I suggest using Sheet Name for Sheet Number because they don't need to be unique, then add a Shared parameter for Sheet Name because they are unlikely needed to show anywhere except for titleblocks and sheet schedules?

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Morrow_Brady and ToanDN for your response. Both suggested workarounds are practical in a way but I doubt the rigid school of thought (formed by BIM manager, Coordinators .. etc) would accept them.

I think the solution boils down to somehow read/poke the value of the Drawing/Sheet Number into another parameter. But so far no joy it’s a hard-coded label parameter.  

Thanks again anyway….

[DAI-JML]

A little late to the party, but I wanted to get the information out there.

You can accomplish as described above using a shared parameter (ie Sheet Number 2) applied to Sheets and Views and a dynamo script to connect the two together.

The shared parameter works intuitively for View Titles and Title Blocks but, as mentioned above, you will get hung up on Callout Heads, View References, Section Marks, etc. or other categories that do not let you add a shared parameter.

To accomplish this, you need to do the following:

1. Edit the Section Mark and change its category to Window Tag.
2. Add the label with shared parameter in (Sheet Number 2).
3. Select that label and cut it to clipboard (CTRL+X).
4. Change category back to Section Mark.
5. Paste from clipboard back in. Now you will have the shared parameter locked in.
6. Save As and upload.

Lastly, the dynamo script will automate the process of having to fill in the shared parameter value for every View. All nodes are OOTB and the script does the following: Grab value of Sheet Number 2 from the Sheet and set that value to the parameter Sheet Number 2 to all Views on that Sheet. Some View titles can get "stuck", meaning the script works in writing or re-writing the value, but it won't visually update until the View Title is moved. So, within the same script, grab all Viewports and move it by some vector (1,0,0) and then move it again by another vector (-1,0,0).

[mgilliver]

I’ve only just started researching this as we’re a specialist contractor and revit doesn’t even currently support our trade. But straight away this is a major issue. I really can’t believe that something so basic as drawing numbering, revisions and an ISO isn’t supported yet. For a product that now updates annually this should be embarrassing. You pretty much have the market stitched up into working with “bim” yet aren’t implementing a basic requirement?

[barthbradley]

Did you come to this forum to slam Revit, or seek solutions?  Sounds like the former.  

BTW: "Specialist Contractor" doesn't mean squat to me.  There are "Specialist Contractors" in every industry.   

[mgilliver]

That was a pretty lame and non constructive reply. I’m pointing out the missing parts hoping that someone will say “it’s here, this menu, shared parameter this etc”. 

So back to my post. Is there a direct solution in the works?

[barthbradley]

---

@mgilliver wrote:

That was a pretty lame and non constructive reply. I’m pointing out the missing parts hoping that someone will say “it’s here, this menu, shared parameter this etc”. 

So back to my post. Is there a direct solution in the works?

---

Maybe I missed it. Can you point out in this post where you were asking a question?

"I’ve only just started researching this as we’re a specialist contractor and revit doesn’t even currently support our trade. But straight away this is a major issue. I really can’t believe that something so basic as drawing numbering, revisions and an ISO isn’t supported yet. For a product that now updates annually this should be embarrassing. You pretty much have the market stitched up into working with “bim” yet aren’t implementing a basic requirement?"

...oh, excuse me, sir. I did find a question mark. Problem is, it seems to be attach to a statement.  Kind of a snitty one at that. 

[mgilliver]

Barth

I’m not sure what you’re attacking me for. Do you have a constructive solution to this?

Do you know if there is a solution in the pipeline?

[barthbradley]

---

@mgilliver wrote:

Barth

I’m not sure what you’re attacking me for. Do you have a constructive solution to this?

Do you know if there is a solution in the pipeline?

---

A solution to what?  Give us some specifics.  Maybe tell us what you do and what you are looking for.  This is an international users forum. Lots of trades are represented here.  You might have a doppelganger out there that swears by Revit.  

[RobDraw]

---

@mgilliver wrote:

That was a pretty lame and non constructive reply.

---

Just like your first post.

This is a user help forum. The complaint department is down the hall to the left.