Shared Instance Parameter inside Pipe Tag

[jason.bowman]

I'm trying to create a pipe tag that we can use on every project, every room no matter what the soffit height is.

Currently we are making new 'types' in one family with a different formula to work out the below soffit height by manually adding the ceiling height into the formula and making that only visible to a type we would name with that ceiling height.

Is there no way to use shared parameters to create an instance parameter so we can add the ceiling height into the properties within the model as an instance and have that be reflected in the formula of the family?  I have created a shared parameter for "Underside of Soffit Level" and applied that to both the family formula and then inside the model but I can't seem to edit the figure within the model as it doesn't recognize it as a instance parameter to change.

Is this because instances can't be used within pipe tags or am I missing something?

[iainsavage]

Your question is a little bit confusing.

What family is it that you are trying to tag? Is it pipes?

Are you saying that you have added the shared parameter to the project and applied it to pipes, given the parameter a value and then you are trying to pick that parameter up in a pipe tag?
Yes, tags can read instance parameters but please provide a bit more info, maybe some screenshots or upload the tag family.

[jason.bowman]

The standard ceiling height tag titled "Anno_Tag_Ceiling_HT" found in the below path:

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\<Revit Version>\Libraries\UK\Annotations\Tags

We have a project with multiple ceiling levels as you'd normally find and we want to be able to add an instance parameter to the family so that the 'Below Slab' text will show the correct below slab level for a length of pipe.

Example:

Soffit level is 3000mm, our pipework is at 2700mm. We can get the level of the floor to show in the tag easily by using the start offset formula. However, we want to be able to have the family so that we can use one type to show the below slab level, in this case 300mm.

So, I have made a shared parameter called "Soffit Level" and added it to the tag family, then in the formula for to show the below slab level where we would typically put "3000 mm - 2700 mm" we have put the "Soffit Level - Start Offset" however when we load that family into the project, the instance doesnt show in the properties when you click on the tag to then enter the ceiling height and have that figure be reflected in the formula despite the shared parameter is also being loaded into the project.

[iainsavage]

Apologies, but I still don't understand what you mean.

The tag you mentioned is a ceiling tag.

The post title refers to a pipe tag.

It seems that you are trying to tag a pipe with its distance below the soffit of a floor slab. Is that correct?

Or is it the ceiling that you are tagging?

Is your shared parameter in the ceiling family or the pipe family?

Which family is the formula in?

A sketch of what you are trying to achieve and screenshots would help.

[jason.bowman]

Apologies, I was in a meeting this morning with my haste reply.

I've attached the family, but yes you're correct I am trying to tag a pipe with the family to show the start offset and also show the under soffit. I don't want to create a different family type for every soffit level if I can get away with using an instance parameter to populate it for me.

Formula in the pipe placeholder family:

Below Soffit: "Underside of Soffit Level"** - Start Offset

Above Floor: Start offset

** denotes custom shared parameter I have created (also attached).

[jason.bowman]

As per the below, the top figure is the one to show the below soffit level.

I have loaded the shared parameter in yet it doesn't show in the properties of the tag to enter to soffit level for the formula inside the family then then show the below soffit figure.

I don't even know if it's possible.

[iainsavage]

This still isn’t making sense to me.

Which family has the “underside of soffit level” parameter in it? The ceiling? The pipe?
How does that parameter get its value?

How have you created a formula in the pipe (placeholder?) family?

Need more information or post a copy of the model with the families and formulas in it.

But more fundamentally, would it not be easier to just cut a section view and put a dimension in it from soffit to centreline?

[ivo.lafeber]

I'm also getting this in a cable tray tag.

I've created a shared parameter, inserted this as an instance in the cable tray tag, but it's not getting visible when the family is loaded in the model. 

Type parameters are no problem in the tags. 

[iainsavage]

How are you assigning the parameter to the tray category - by type or by instance?

[ivo.lafeber]

I've used : Values can vary by group instance. 

[dbutts7]

Good morning - normally I would say you can't do this, since the dimension value from one category cannot read from another, at least not direct from one tag to another. I would have thought you could handle it in a schedule, but since you can't combing ceilings with pipe in the same schedule, I don't think it's possible.

Have you looked into using Dynamo to read the soffitt elevation (if it's a ceiling object) and then associate it with a selected group of pipes?

I honestly don't think it's possible, and from a design point, there's not enough reason for me to want this type of automation. Pipe routing on it's own will have wide varieties of elevations, and there's bound to be a lot of pipe that won't be just running suspended from ceilings.