Area Plan Calculations - Multiple Levels

[d83ds]

Here's the current scenerio. I've got a multi-story unit. I've created an area plan for each level. When I schedule this 'unit' I can get (in the schedule) a 'grand total' value. Has anyone come up with a clever way to access this area in such a way that I can use the value or parameter in a tag?

[twiceroadsfool]

Cant be done without an external app to somehow acquire the data.

[d83ds]

Cant be done without an external app to somehow acquire the data.

I've managed to pull this 'grand total' value out as a parameter. The question though becomes, is there ANY way to use this value within a tag. Obviously the parameter would have to be a shared parameter.

[twiceroadsfool]

What do you mean youve "pulled the value out?"

Grand totals in schedules are an internal function, meaning theyre the sum of each instances parameter for a particular parameter. They arent a parameter themselves, unless youve manually added a new parameter, at which point it will no longer update with the regular grand total.

You are correct that it would have to be a Shared Parameter to go in to a tag, but you wont get a Shared Parameter to update with the Grand Total entries in a schedule.

[d83ds]

Cant be done without an external app to somehow acquire the data.


What do you mean youve "pulled the value out?"

Grand totals in schedules are an internal function, meaning theyre the sum of each instances parameter for a particular parameter. They arent a parameter themselves, unless youve manually added a new parameter, at which point it will no longer update with the regular grand total.

You are correct that it would have to be a Shared Parameter to go in to a tag, but you wont get a Shared Parameter to update with the Grand Total entries in a schedule.

When I say 'pulled the value out' I mean that I've created a calculated value parameter in which this 'grand total' value is placed. The parameter is 'smart', meaning it does in fact update with the regular 'grand total'. Problem I know though is that a calculated value can not exist as a shared parameter.

...and I know there most likely isn't an answer out there (i.e. beyond revit's current limitations), but thought I'd throw the question out there in hopes someone might spark an idea or has come up with a way to achieve what I'm trying to achieve.

[twiceroadsfool]

Oh, you got it as a Calculated Value... I see. Now youve noticed that you cant get a Shared Parameter to equal a Calculated Value, which is a hankering that drives us all nuts. Heres where we're all stuck:

CV's cant go in tags.
SP's cant equal CV's.

So the current (kludgy) workaround goes like this: You make a schedule that has a SP, and the CV. You manually copy and paste the CV column in to the SP column. Then you add ANOTHER parameter that is an IF statement, basically telling it to compare the CV and the SP, and display a "1" if its different, and a "0" if its not. You can filter a "Check schedule" so that it ONLY shows the objects where that is the case, and itll provide you with a current list of what HASNT been manually updated.

So its not automatic, but thats about as close as it can get, sans any API function which could read the CV and enter the information in to the SP.