Revit 6 ODBC Export of Shared Parameters

[bcox]

In the docs for Revit 6 it indicates that you can now get shared parameters to export correctly through ODBC. We setup our families using shared parameters for all data attributes. We place the families and everything schedules fine within Revit. However when we export to ODBC using MS Access as the data source we do not see our shared parameters or associated data.

The REVIT document I have says the following:

Shared Parameters Export to ODBC

“Shared Parameters added to a project as project parameters will be included in the database tables exported to ODBC. If loaded families also contain the same Shared Parameters, that data will be exported as well.”

What the heck does this mean?

1. We setup shared parameters first for all our families then did an export and we did not see the shared parameters arrive as expected in the database...

2. After Re-reading the docs above, I went back to project settings and added matching Project Parameters based on the same Shared Parameters to the project and tried it again. Still no-go…

What am I doing wrong here? Does anyone know how to get Shared Parameters data from single families out through ODBC with R6?

[Nic M.]

I'm also looking for this new feature but can't seem to find it.
If I export to ODBC I don't get shared parameters

From the "What’s New in Autodesk® Revit® 6.0" document

Export to ODBC
– Now exports Shared Parameters to ODBC sources
– Allows exporting your own custom data out from the Revit model

Can somebody confirm this as a feature and how it should be used
or is this feature removed from the original release?

[David Conant]

You must add the shared parameter as a project parameter assigned to a category for anything to show up in ODBC.

You need to coordinate 2 activities:
1. Add shared parameters to families if you want to assign type values to them before bringing them into a project. (If the shared parameters will only record information that is unique to each project, you can ignore this step since adding as a project parameter alone will suffice)
2. Add the same shared parameter to your project using Settings|Project Parameters. Be sure to assign the shared parameter to the same categories as the families. This will push the shared parameter into every loaded family of the selected categories. Those with the shared parameter added in the family editor will remember the values assigned in the family editor. All other families will get the shared parameter with no values. Values can be assigned in the project as desired.
Once this is done, the shared parater and its values will be present in the ODBC tables for all categories it was assigned to as a project parameter. Instances for which no value was assigned to a shared parameter will show a blank in the corresponding table field.

[Phil Palmer]

Just tried it and it worked fine for me

Created a quick EXT parameter (ironmongery package type)
Applied that to the door catagories
Exported to Access Database
and wam bam
The shared parameter is in the door table within access

Brilliant ! Revit

[Nic M.]

Thanks verry much David,

I diden't find info on it in the help file.

May I add that you need to create a new database to get the parameters.
I made the mistake to export to an existing database and diden't get any parameters.