Shared Parameters

[CarrieHoffman02]

Is there a way to add more than one shared parameter at a time to a family? I downloaded manufacturer's equipment and they have a different family for each different size. They way it stands I am going to have to add our parameters (about 10-12 of them) to each family individually and make sure I do the same thing each time. Very time consuming and tedious. I was able to combine the standard units into one family by just chaning one dimension (not sure why they didn't do that) but for the more complex families that didn't work. 

Would it be better to load all my mechanical equipment parameters into the template so that each piece of mechanical equipment would have the same fields for me to fill in? Currently I am loading only the parameters I need into the family that needs it. I didn't want each piece of equipement to have parameters that doesn't pertain to it.

Hope that makes sense,

Thanks in advance

Carrie

[CoreyDaun]

That would be nice, we are constantly adding multiple Shared Parameters as well, and being able to batch-add them is not possible with the standard tools. However, I would suggest making a visit to the Revit API forum, because I think this may be within their abilities.

[CarrieHoffman02]

Are you adding the shared paramenters to the family that needs them?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

There is a free add-in called Parameter Jerk which goes part way to achieving this by batch inserting shared parameters. The problem comes when mapping your shared parameters to the relevant elements in the family. Without an API tool to allow selection of the element and the swapping of the parameter, the way forwards are either:-

1. Manually swap the maufacturer's family parameters to your shared parameters
2. Map your shared parameters to the relevent elements in the family and apply the manufacturer's values.
3. Use the Autodesk Extension Shared Parameter tool to extract the parameters from the families into a project shared parameter file. (This has several drawbacks in that your schedules could have multiple differently named parameters effectively reporting the same type of parameter and hence loads of columns. i.e AHU length and FCU length could be covered by length.)

Either way you're going to need some decent tunes to help alleviate the boredom!!

[CoreyDaun]

Yes. Sometimes (if the needed parameter is not involved in some kind of formula) I will just add it as a Project Parameter and then apply the Shared Parameter to all elements of the chosen category(ies) globally.

[CarrieHoffman02]

I checked out the API disscussion group. That type of programming seems way out of my league. I am doing basically what Juilian said by manually swapping. I would be better if it were just one family but I have about 50. I better get started. I will be looking into the Parameter Jerk

Thanks for the input!

[CarrieHoffman02]

Parameter Jerk works so well for me. I am able to add my 15 parameters to the 11 families I need to put them in all at once. I do have to go into each family to put default values and such, but that sure beats adding each parameter individually!

[Anonymous]

I have created several programs for parameters and we have been using these succesfully for quite some time now at our firm. 

One of them, 'Create parameters on Family', will batch all the shared parameters you choose directly on the family. Totally free but your feedback will be apreciated.

https://sites.google.com/site/revitmepapps/home