Show nested family parameters in schedule

[jen_r]

I'm attempting to get information from a nested family to populate the door schedule, rather than the host family dictating it. But when trying to assign a shared parameter/label to a nested door family I keep getting the error message 'Please select a parameter of type 'Family type: doors' even though the parameter I am selecting is a door parameter. 

[jay_colc]

Is the Parent Family where the Door Family is Nested also Categorised as a Door Family?

Please feel free to share.

[jen_r]

yes it is.  The objective here is to have a single door and double door family where we can select the type of door we need (material/finish/rating/size, etc.) which is the host family, then select which (nested) door panel type it is (solid/glazed, etc.).  The host family would populate the bulk of the info to the schedule, but i want the door type to populate from which ever nested family is chosen.

I do not want to use visibility on/off because there's too much room for error when multiple options can be on at once; so I've used a drop-down option.

Right now, all the info i need shows in the door schedule, but it populates the host family and the nested family as two separate doors.

[barthbradley]

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@jen_r wrote:

When trying to assign a shared parameter/label to a nested door family i keep getting the error message 'Please select a parameter of type 'Family type: doors' even though the parameter i am selecting is a door parameter.  It was working just fine before, not sure what has changed.

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Assign or Associate?  If you want to assign the nested family to a new parameter, select the nested family and press

"<Add parameter>" on the Option Bar under "Label". 

[barthbradley]

I'm looking at your file and I don't get what you are doing here.  You need to make the Parameters in the Nested Family INSTANCE Type and then Associate those Instance Parameters to Parameters in the Parent/Host Family.  Otherwise, there's no parametric relationship.  Nested Door sizes aren't driven by anything. 

[jen_r]

Yes i know, this is version 5.0 and i decided i'm not worrying with the other parameters until i know i can make this work. As soon as i can figure out how to get the nested family to populate the door type in the schedule rather than the host, i'll worry about everything else. 

The problem i've run into when associating parameters between the host and the nested families is that the host family is what populates the schedule, not the nested one. I've read something about using a formula to pull the information from the nested family, but that still doesn't solve the issue of the host family and the nested family both showing up in the schedule.

[barthbradley]

You've lost me. Build the family correctly from the get go.  It shouldn't take five iterations to get it "right".  Sharing and Nesting and Associating Nested Family Parameters to Parameters in the Host/Parent Family should have been done in the first iteration.  And regarding the issue with nested and parent families BOTH showing up in the Schedule: that's what Schedule Filters are for. You Filter in/out the relevant data you want the Schedule to report.  If you don't want Nested Shared Families reported, then don't include then in the Schedule.  

[jen_r]

Well, if you're lost you're lost. 

[barthbradley]

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@jen_r wrote:

Well, if you're lost you're lost. 

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Is that sarcasm?  

My reply to you above was not.  I suggested solutions.  Nothing more, nothing less.   

 Help | Filter Data in a Schedule | Autodesk

[jen_r]

You can't help if you're lost.

[barthbradley]

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@jen_r wrote:

You can't help if you're lost.

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Agreed. You are going to have to do better at explaining yourself to the community if you want our help.  The way I understand it now, you are trying to figure out how to NOT Report something in a Schedule. That's where Filtering comes in.  It has nothing to do with the Family construction, which it sounds like you think it is.  I mean, you state that you are on "version 5" of the family because you are trying to figure out how to get the nested family to populate the door type in the schedule rather than the host.  Am I lost?  

[jen_r]

Yes, as this is my first time using this forum I probably do. You, however, by the looks of it have been on here a ton and should probably be much better at asking someone for clarification instead of being condescending. If that's the approach this "community" takes with someone looking for help, I think I'm better off on my own.

[barthbradley]

Condescending? You're misreading me. You are inferring some tone or attitude that doesn't exist. 

Now back to Filtering.  That work?    

[GaryOrrMBI]

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@jen_r wrote:

Yes i know, this is version 5.0 and i decided i'm not worrying with the other parameters until i know i can make this work. As soon as i can figure out how to get the nested family to populate the door type in the schedule rather than the host, i'll worry about everything else. 

The problem i've run into when associating parameters between the host and the nested families is that the host family is what populates the schedule, not the nested one. I've read something about using a formula to pull the information from the nested family, but that still doesn't solve the issue of the host family and the nested family both showing up in the schedule.

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If I understand you correctly you are wanting to pick a family type using the "Door Panel Type" instance parameter in the parent/host family and have the "Door Type" parameter automatically change, pulling the information from a parameter in the embedded/nested family. To the best of my knowledge there is no way to do that (the information flows the other direction, IE: fill out a parameter in the Host/Parent and link a parameter in the embedded/nested family to that host parameter, such as the door size set in the parent controlling the door size in the nested family).

You mention a formula that does what you're trying to do... I would love to see that.

As to your other item of note: The schedule shows both the parent door and the nested door as separate elements... that is by design and working as it's supposed to, given that your nested door family is set as "Shared". The shared property on a nested component is there to specifically allow this. If this is not what you are wanting then simply uncheck the "Shared" property in the nested family.

-G

[jen_r]

Yes!  Thats exactly what I'm trying to do!  When I have associated other parameters, I did notice the information only flows in one direction as you say, which is the opposite of what I need... and that's where I'm trying to find a work-around.  The formula idea came from a similar thread suggesting an If/Than equation... (Solved: show parameter from nested families in schedules - Autodesk Community - Revit Products)

The door type parameter would have a formula like =if(Door Panel Type = solid, "A") 

... its the right idea but so far, I can't figure out an acceptable equation. I've never done IF equations before so it's all trial and error at this point.

As for both showing up in the schedule, if I can get the IF equation to work in the host family that would drive the door type and schedule, and then I wouldn't need the nested family to be shared at all.

[barthbradley]

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@jen_r wrote:

Yes!  Thats exactly what I'm trying to do!  When I have associated other parameters, I did notice the information only flows in one direction as you say, which is the opposite of what I need... and that's where I'm trying to find a work-around.  The formula idea came from a similar thread suggesting an If/Than equation... (Solved: show parameter from nested families in schedules - Autodesk Community - Revit Products)

The door type parameter would have a formula like =if(Door Panel Type = solid, "A") 

... its the right idea but so far, I can't figure out an acceptable equation. I've never done IF equations before so it's all trial and error at this point.

Yah, there's a way to do that. Want me to show you?   

[barthbradley]

You can use Family Type Parameters in Formulas by comparing a Family Type Parameter Value to another Family Type Parameter Value.

Screenshots shows the gist of the approach: 

Commonly used approach to do something like this (e.g. automatically change the main Family Type Parameter Value to a specific Value based on another condition): 

[ToanDN]

I would just add a new label instead of puzzling with the one giving you the error.

To your other question about mapping a type parameter to a label, while it can be done by adding a bunch of parameters to your family, it is really unnecessary if your label is a type, not instance parameter.  If the label is a type parameter, you simply use Type Mark parameter in the project to show the letter you want, or use Type Comment if you prefer it is readily accessible in the family.  You would enter only one value for each type and that's it.  

[barthbradley]

I think I get the main issue here now.  Tell me if I'm still lost, @jen_r.  

You are trying to limit the number of available Door Panel Types in the Family Types Parameter drop-down list in the Project/Schedule.  Right now, every single Door Family in the Project, whether it belongs in the Family or not, shows in the list; right? 

How'd I do this time?  

[jen_r]

That is annoying, but no.

I'm trying to condense our list of families by creating one door family, with multiple door panel options, without using visibility yes/no, and have whichever panel type is chosen for each instance, populate in the schedule.

The (host) family is created, the individual door panels are nested, it operates perfectly in the model, but I can't figure out how to tell the "Door Type" what to show in the schedule based on which panel is chosen in each instance.