Shared Parameters (Instance) default value

[harrisbrett]

I have several Instance parameters in my door families (Frame Profile, Door Material, Hardware). These are setup as Shared parameters set to Instance parameters within the family.

Scheduling reports everything as it should. My problem is that once I set the values for these Instance parameters in the first door that I place any new Door I insert in the project has the same Instance data as the original that I placed. I can change them no problem, but I'd rather they stayed empty.

Any ideas?

[harrisbrett]

Seemed to have fixed itself after I selected one of the doors and deleted all Instance info. Then as I created new doors and their values are now blank. Weird.

[twiceroadsfool]

Are you clicking door from the ribbon, highlighting the old one and hitting create simiar, or copying the door? It matters...

[harrisbrett]

Both methods produced the same result.

[harrisbrett]

So as soon as you use Create Simliar and that Door has its Instance parameters filled in, they become the default values used by creating a new door from the Ribbon (and Create Similar).

Its parameters are always the last values that were used from a Create Simliar method. In the attached file, fill in the Instance parameters for a door (Door Material, Frame Profile, HDW TYPE). Then Create Similar. Now Create a door from the from the Door button, its Instance parameters are the same.

Hope that explains it well. Is this normal?

[harrisbrett]

Anyone have any ideas?

[bregnier]

If this is true across the board, it's an awesome way to correct problems with instance defaults (particularly in getting legend views to show up). Beats opening the family, making a new type, adjusting the defaults, and reloading-- for sure...

[azmz3]

If you are inserting a door, and using Create Similar, that makes sense that the instance parameters would be filled in, but you should be able to change them once that door is placed, without affecting the original door. Personally, I dont use the Create Similar option at all, I just place my doors as needed, and select the ones I need to have the same parameters, and fill it. but that is just me.

[bregnier]

scratch that, it does change the defaults on placement but not those for legend components...sigh... back to having a "legend" phase for doors and windows.

[harrisbrett]

No its not that I can't change the parameters. I can change them just fine, and they act as they should as Instance parameters. Its just that once you Create Similar a door which has its Instance parameters filled in, any new door created from the Ribbon now has the same Instance parameters as that CS door. I just dont want them to be filled in by default, I want them to be blank. I just want to know if this is normal behaviour (which sucks if it is) or if something weird is going on?

[cporter.207875]

It's normal behavior as far as I can tell. It's frustrating because you are getting inaccurate information in your model by default. Although some parameters ought to have default values, like pre-set elevations in some cases, other parameters ought to remain undecided until the designer decides what their values ought to be. This makes it much easier to pick out elements in the project that still need design data. Instead, you pull up a schedule and it looks like you've already made all your decisions. Not the end of the world but frustrating none-the-less.

[harrisbrett]

Agreed with the above points. Its odd that this only happens with Shared parameters. I just tried it with Project Parameters and it doesn't default the values. Even when you use Create Similar, it doesn't copy the Instance parameters at all.