Updating shared parameters in families located in linked models

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

Hi there,

I have run into this issue just now as I've been setting up some shared parameters in my project.
Hopefully someone knows if there is a better way to do this.

Right now, the project is split over multiple revit models.
We have a a number of models for different studio types (it's an residential project) as well as facade and core models.
All of these link in to a main sheet model that we use to generate all our sheets and schedules.

In the studio models we have set up some families with some shared parameters (basic stuff like dimensions and names of brands etc.) This information is carried through and can be scheduled no issue.

The problem is when we need to make any changes to the parameters. say we need to rename a type of furniture or something. In order to get that update to show up i have to do the following:

-open family

-make the change to the parameter

-save the family

-open each studio model that contains the family

-reload it in every model

-sync every model

-reload the link in the main sheet model

Is there a more streamlined way of doing this? right now i am just doing a trial with 3 studio types, but ultimatly we will have hundreds of shared parameters over 30-ish models, so to have to go through them 1 by 1 could be tedious.

Thanks

[barthbradley]

Why do you need to do this at all?  For Scheduling?   

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

Yep, so we schedule out information on each item of furniture needed per studio type.

[ToanDN]

Why can't you change the parameters value via the schedule in the linked projects?

[barthbradley]

You can crunch the data differently in the Project Schedule.  No need to modify every family.  That would be insane.  

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

When i click on each of the values in the schedule, I am unable to edit them.

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

How do you mean? i cant seem to edit the data straight from the schedule

[barthbradley]

Edit data? Schedules REPORT data.  I guess I'm not following you.   It happens. 😉 

[ToanDN]

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@ross.blairSVU9Q wrote:
When i click on each of the values in the schedule, I am unable to edit them.

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Are you editing schedules in the linked models?

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

I can edit the schedules in each of the linked models, yes.

The issue there is that it will only update the infor for that 1 model, so when i go back to the main model and re link everything, only that 1 thing has changed. So id have to go through each of my linked models, renaming all of the families over and over just to get it to show? 

[barthbradley]

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@ross.blairSVU9Q wrote:

 So id have to go through each of my linked models, renaming all of the families over and over just to get it to show? 

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"Renaming all of the families over and over"?  Huh?  I don't understand the method to your madness.  What does this reconcile downstream exactly?  

[ToanDN]

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@ross.blairSVU9Q wrote:

I can edit the schedules in each of the linked models, yes.

The issue there is that it will only update the infor for that 1 model, so when i go back to the main model and re link everything, only that 1 thing has changed. So id have to go through each of my linked models, renaming all of the families over and over just to get it to show? 

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So between do it for multiple linked models, or do it for multiple families, which one is less work?

[ross.blairSVU9Q]

So it's technically faster to change in the linked models.
But I'm now seeing that if I open the family that I just edited the data of in one of the linked files, they no longer match.

The ideal solution would be for me to open the family, make the change, and just have that change show in my main sheet file without having to reload and resync every linked model

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

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@ross.blairSVU9Q wrote:

So it's technically faster to change in the linked models.
But I'm now seeing that if I open the family that I just edited the data of in one of the linked files, they no longer match.

Values of parameters changed in the project will not automatically translate to existing families until you save the families from the project browser.

The ideal solution would be for me to open the family, make the change, and just have that change show in my main sheet file without having to reload and resync every linked model

You may want to create an Excel file with parameters values and use Dynamo to write them to multiple models, sync and reload to the host model.  Check out DynamoBIM forum. 

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