Annotation Tag - Visibility Instance Parameter

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2012

I'm trying to modify my Electrical Fixture Tag to be able to align the text with either right or left justification. I copied the label and changed the horizontal alignments accordingly. Then I created two Yes/No visibility instance parameters: one "Align Right", the other "Align Left", with a formula in "Align Left" to read =not(Align Right).

Then in the family properties, linked the label "Visible" properties to their respective "Align Right"/"Align Left" parameter.

However, when I load it into the project, the instance parameters do not show up in the properties box at all. Is this just one of the limitations of Revit?

I could just make different family types (like boxed vs. standard), but feel using instance parameters for visibility would be much "cleaner".

CoreyDaun · ‎06-28-2012

You have followed the steps I had originally taken EXACTLY. It's like revisiting the disappointments of the past, when the idea of using Instance Parameters in Tags was shattered. Unfortunately, they cannot be used in Tags and you must create a new Type for each. Maybe one day it will be possible, but I'm not holding my breath.

Corey D.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
⁞|⁞ Please use .Accept as Solution and Give Kudos as appropriate to further enhance these forums. Thank you!

smbrennan · ‎07-24-2013

Did you ever find a solution to this? I am wanting to accomplish the same thing.

Shawn B.

|

To help improve Autodesk Products, please Click Here to Vote for ideas and submit your own.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2014

This is exactly what I spent all afternoon trying to accomplish. GRR. Good to know I wasn't doing something wrong. I would've settled for a 'flip' yes/no instance parameter but that doesn't exist either.

Anonymous · ‎01-25-2017

Fantastic to see how well Autodesk responds to their users' needs!

robert.klempau · ‎01-26-2017

Hello @Anonymous, @Anonymous, @Anonymous, @smbrennan,

Autodesk is responding to their users' needs but they can't satisfy all users.

Look at the list of Ideas.

Revit is comparing to other modeling software very flexible.

So the solution with the types is an acceptable workaround!

If my post answers your question, please click the "Accept as Solution" button. This helps everyone find answers more quickly!

Kind regards,
Robert Klempau
Senior Consultant AEC
Cadac Group AEC BV

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2017

So, how has Autodesk solved the problem?

Where is the list of ideas that you mention in your post?

RobDraw · ‎01-26-2017

@Anonymous wrote:

Fantastic to see how well Autodesk responds to their users' needs!

So, you have one issue and you make a generality like that?

Rob

Drafting is a breeze and Revit doesn't always work the way you think it should.

Anonymous · ‎01-26-2017

No, I've only mentioned the one issue relevant to this thread.

robert.klempau · ‎01-26-2017

Hello to all,

Let us not argue

We as Forum members are here to help you.

@Anonymous,

The Revit Idea Forum is directly on the Revit Forum.

see: Revit Idea Forum

Vote there and please add reply to the Idea to tell Autodesk why you voted and need this Idea so willingly.

And notice that Autodesk can't satisfy al there users.

If my post answers your question, please click the "Accept as Solution" button. This helps everyone find answers more quickly!

Kind regards,
Robert Klempau
Senior Consultant AEC
Cadac Group AEC BV

dhelling · ‎09-22-2017

I have been working with the MEP portion of Revit since 2011. Like many of you, I too have read countless Revit forums/blogs/etc... (Many of them about this same issue)

In my opinion, the ability to use instance parameters within a tag is one of the most sought after features with Revit tags since I started using Revit. But here we are still wishing!

By not having this feature coupled with not having the ability to wrap parameter values for different tag instances, Revit has left all Revit users (not just MEP Revit users) to use plain old text in many situations. This is obviously disappointing because Revit preaches/promotes smart parameter modeling (i.e BIM), yet in the 8 versions of Revit that I am familiar with, the developers have not addressed this to my knowledge.

To conclude this multi year thread thus far, the question is can Revit tags utilize instance parameters within a project. Like everyone else, I also don't know the answer, but like everyone else, I also continuously hope the answer is yes it can. I would say the answer we all want to hear should come from the Autodesk developers, because if it isn't a feature today it would be nice to have this feature sooner than later if possible.

RobDraw · ‎09-22-2017

I've never tried using instance parameters in tags and I never use text to where a tag should be. Although a couple of my tags have a lot of types, they have not become unmanageable. Types are free and they work.

Rob

Drafting is a breeze and Revit doesn't always work the way you think it should.

ToanDN · ‎09-22-2017

Out of the box thought: add the Left/Right instance shared parameter to the host element, not the tag. Then use a formula to control the visibility of Left or Right label based on this parameter.

dhelling · ‎09-22-2017

To help clarify, I believe you are saying to use a label within the modeled/hosted family rather than using a tag family. Then formulate the location and visibility of the label using other parameters.
I like your out of the box thinking, and yes that does work, but you are still limited given the circumstances has to be right. For one example you may want to leader this label out because there may not be enough room for it to be on the left or the right.
Despite that this clever band aid doesn't work for all situations, our firm and other companies that I know of still use this method because we are all looking to be more efficient. So it does not seem to replace tag families entirely. With that in mind, you end up managing more things to get what you want rather than less. With just the electrical Revit categories, I am currently managing 41 tag families in addition to this method. They all serve a different meaningful purposes.
As someone previously posted, "Maybe one day it will be possible, but I'm not holding my breath."

ToanDN · ‎09-22-2017

No. I am saying using the Tag family, place in project views.

Never mind. Tried it. Didn't work.

dhelling · ‎09-22-2017

In my experience the tag could only display the host's parameter values. I never could get the tag family to use the host parameter values. Is this something you know works or is this an idea to try?

Please, more details!

ToanDN · ‎09-22-2017

Some parameters in the host can be used in the tag family to drive label formula. But the use, or lack thereof, is very limited, and I don't think you will find it useful. Below is an example.

dhelling · ‎09-22-2017

I find that very interesting. Can you get the tag oval to adjust width based on the door's parameter?

ToanDN · ‎09-22-2017

@dhelling wrote:

I find that very interesting. Can you get the tag oval to adjust width based on the door's parameter?

That I believe it can do, just a formula to divide the Door Width to a certain factor.

dhelling · ‎09-22-2017

I work for a MEP engineering firm. We rarely create/edit the building walls/doors/etc... Does this concept work with MEP categories?