Annotations and Shared parameters

[dbaldacchino]

I was trying to do somehting that I believed to be easy and possible, but I'm finding it to be the opposite.

I added a Yes/No shared parameter (instance) to a door family, called "SoundSeal". If the door has one, then the user would just check the box (which is unchecked by default). This parameter can also be scheduled....so far so good.

In the "old CAD days", we inserted tags and would hatch a portion of the tag to show on the plan which doors have a sound seal. So I thought to myself...."Oh, piece of cake. I'll make a filled region in the door tag family and toggle it's visibility according to the SoundSeal shared parameter value."

This doesn't seem possible because you can only use family parameters to toggle visibility or in Family Types. The only exception is a label, which can be assigned to a pre-set parameter or to a shared parameter. But with this method, I can only create a tag that displays "Yes" or "No" depending on the value of my Instance Shared Parameter "SoundSeal". Not an elegant solution by any means.

Am I doing something wrong or is there perhaps a work around for this? Or should this be a wish list item? It would be swell to be able to use shared parameters in annotation families.

I would appreciate any feedback/comments on this. Thanks!

[sbrown]

Sounds like an oversight, you maybe able to fake it by creating a detail component for the filled region, load that into your annotation and then set the visibility parameter. Note I haven't tried it, just an idea.

[Steve_Stafford]

...But with this method, I can only create a tag that displays "Yes" or "No" depending on the value of my Instance Shared Parameter "SoundSeal". Not an elegant solution by any means...If you can accept a symbolic representation of your "yes/no", assign the font to one that has symbols available and supply your answer using the keystroke it needs to indicate a "YES" answer and leave it blank for "NO". I used wingdings for the attached image...just a matter of finding a symbol that you like and positioning it. The second image is using Arial but the extended symbol range (see image of Character Map)

[dbaldacchino]

This might actually work. But I don't understand how you're doing it. Did you insert another label and have it's value change according to the value of the other label? (symbol if Yes, none if no). I cannot figure out how to do that since if I assign a shared parameter for a label, I cannot type in a formula using that shared parameter in the family types. I would really appreciate a bit more "hand holding" since I'm quite new to this :) Maybe posting your solution would be enough 'cause I can go through and seeing how it works. Thanks again!

[dbaldacchino]

Thanks sbrown. You can only load annotation families into annotation families, so that solution won't work. I even tried to do a generic annotation nested into the door tag, but it always boils down to the fact that you cannot use a shared parameter and thus, cannot control visibility through the Yes/No parameter.

[Steve_Stafford]

...Maybe posting your solution would be enough 'cause I can go through and seeing how it works. Thanks again!...I edited the door tag family to use a font that has a symbol as part of the character map. The attached door tag is uses Arial and I pasted the "arrow" symbol into the parameter in the project. Take a look at the character map application in Windows, usually found under Program Files>Accessories>System Tools>Character Map. Send me a pm, I can email you the file.

[dbaldacchino]

Ok, I'm attaching the project file containing Steve's door tag and my door. The door uses a shared Yes/No, instance parameter called "SoundSeal". I would like the user to check/uncheck the door instance parameter "SoundSeal" and have a symbol display in the door tag. So far we don't seem to be on the same page :) Hopefully we will soon. Thanks all.

[Steve_Stafford]

Here's your file back...with the change.

[dbaldacchino]

Ok I understand what you're doing. Still, it's not really what I'm after. I don't understand why Revit doesn't give you the option to use shared parameters in annotations. Are there any others with ideas to work around this issue? Or am I just too picky? :)

[Tom Dorner]

I thought I would revive this old thread and see if anyone has had any new thoughts on this subject.

What I am trying to do seems simple enough on the surface, but doesn't seem to be possible in Revit Building 9.1. I would like the door tag symbology to be driven by the state of a yes/no shared parameter in the door category.

If 'Security' is checked then the door tag symbol is the octagon, otherwise it is the circle.

I realize that I can have two different tags and use the correct one for the security door types, but this is done manually and I'm trying to bring the intelligence of Revit to this situation.

Any additional thoughts and input on this is greatly appreciated.

[dbaldacchino]

Ahhhh one of my first posts :) Nope, still the same, no changes. Visibility of tags cannot be controlled by the objects they tag. I've had to get over this myself and it took me a while :)

[Tom Dorner]

I've had to get over this myself and it took me a while :)I reject your reality and substitute my own.:)

It is soooooooooooooooooooo close to being possible. It is a tough limitation to accept.

[Calvn_Swing]

Quite frankly, I have problems using any parameters in annotation families that didn't already exist. I can make 100 of them in the family, but they never show up anywhere in the projects they're loaded into.

Point being, annotation families have most of the tools that regular families have, but don't actually behave like them. It is very unintuitive. I can't do any effective parameter work in them at all.

This is a big problem in my opinion too.

Shoot, you can't even give an annotation symbol a centerline to dimension too - that alone would get me off someone's back for a few months.

Sigh...

Here's hoping that Revit makes family editing a more powerful experience across the board - especially with annotations.

Adios

[dbaldacchino]

Quite frankly, I have problems using any parameters in annotation families that didn't already exist. I can make 100 of them in the family, but they never show up anywhere in the projects they're loaded into.
Not sure I understand, but I'll give it a shot.....You add parameters to your objects, which if you want to be able to display in tags, you're forced to use Shared parameters. This way, you add this Shared parameter to BOTH the object (ex: door family) and the tag (ex: door tag). Once in a project, when you tag a door, Revit realizes that the parameters are the same and will thus display the information.


Shoot, you can't even give an annotation symbol a centerline to dimension too - that alone would get me off someone's back for a few months.
In what case would you dimension to a tag?

[Calvn_Swing]

Grid heads are annotation symbols, and I like to have a centerline mark. Instead I have to create blank families, lock them to a grid, and then dimension to those to get what I want. (Or, place a column or some other component, but in some cases there is no component to dimension too, hence the blank ones.)

I'm talking about "system" annotations really - elevation tags, section tags, grid heads, etc... Even with door tags, the parameters don't quite behave how I want. But, by doing what you mentioned above, they work. However, Revit has some things locked out and I can't seem to add the shared parameter to my "system" annotations so that I can ever see the parameter in any dialogs. Very frustrating. I can add the parameters to the annotation family. I can add the parameters to the project. I still can't see them.

Sorry, this wasn't directly related to your post, more an aside I suppose.

Oops!

[studiodd]

Coming back to the original question, it's been a while since the question was asked:
Is it possible to create a shared parameter in a family, and have that shared parameter in a tag to control visibility of elements?

For instance, I want create a my door families with shared parameter: 'fire rating' 30min, 60min or nothing. And I want to create a door tag with a circle for 30min, square for 60min. and nothing for no fire rating. So the door tag should be able to use the shared parameter 'fire rating' in a visibility parameter.

thanks Ivan

[dbaldacchino]

Things still stand exactly as they did when I originally started this thread. Pretty disappointing if you ask me as it would be very beneficial to have tags be somehow controlled by the object they tag. Currently that's still not possible.

[studiodd]

that's a disappointment indeed, thanks for the answer...