Make Drawing Scale Available in Formulas

[scbunker]

Occasionally, we need to use the current drawing scale in family formulas.

For example, I have a generic annotation (symbol) embedded into a receptacle family. Occasionally in the drawing, I need to offset that symbol from the wall. I want to control that offset via a shape handle. However, Revit will only display a nested generic annotation at the family reference level. Additionally, if there is an available shape handle in the symbol, it will not appear in the project because the symbol is nested.

To get around this, I've created a reference plane in the receptacle family. This reference plane controls the symbol offset in the nested symbol family. In order for it to work properly, however, I need to know the scale of the particular view that I'm in, since the symbol is scaled according to the drawing scale.

I've worked around this by creating an instance parameter called "Drawing Scale Factor", and this combined with the reference plane/shape handle controls the symbol offset.

It'd be nice if the current drawing scale were available as a value to be used within family formulas.

It'd also be nice if we could control nested generic annotations so they can appear at other than the reference level. I think I'll submit that as another idea.

[scbunker]

See related Ideas below:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/allow-nested-generic-annotations-at-other-than-reference-...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/generic-annotations-to-be-nested-in-families-in-elevation...

[Anonymous]

This is a subset of my more generalised idea of being able to access various parameters anywhere where we can enter text/formulas. See my idea here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/make-substitution-variables-available-everywhere-where-te...

-t

[r.robert.bell]

This one is going to be tough. Think about it. An element exists only once in the database. The views are simply a graphical "report" of the database. The element, in your example a receptacle, is only going to exist once but potentially be visible in multiple views at once. Indeed, it is not uncommon that that element might be shown at multiple scales on the very same sheet!

So just how is the family supposed to react to this?

I would take this idea a step back from where it is. The real wish, if I may interpret, is that we need to be able to offset nested annotation families in both the X and Y planes using project units and not the nested annotation units. We should be able to move the symbol as a single element without resorting to moving the actual elements of the nested annotation family.

Note though, that this revised wish still doesn't really cope with the multiple scales on one sheet issue. The nested annotation symbol is going to scale automatically for the view that is at 1:100, 1:50, and 1:20, which is appropriate. But the offsets applied to the element along the wall will be in project units which means that apparent gap between the symbol and the location will feel greater in the 1:20 view and feel less in the 1:100 view. Whereas the offset off the wall, which currently needs to use annotation units, will (ironically) feel correct in all view scales because the offset scales along with the symbol.

In some ways, I really wish that the symbol offset along the wall were also in annotation units. Which is effectively the opposite idea than what is being discussed here.

[knorrisMPWHV]

@scbunker I know this is an old thread but I've come across this exact same issue and was wondering how exactly you used the "Drawing Scale Factor" parameter? Did you make a formula for it in your annotation symbol imbedded in your receptacle family? I need to be able to get the nested symbol to shift based on what scale I'm using. (Running into the issue brought up from the last commenter above, where "the offsets applied to the element along the wall will be in project units which means that apparent gap between the symbol and the location will feel greater in the 1:20 view and feel less in the 1:100 view.") Thank you!