title block shared parameters

[mickroot101809]

Hello,

I understand how to create custom shared parameters for a titleblock in a family title block. I successfully loaded a custom title block rfa file into an out of the box "commercial" template and loaded the shared parameters like: Project Description, Drawn By Initials, Checked By Initials, Checked By Date, Drawn By Date. Everything works great. BUT when I loaded the same custom rfa title block into a different project, it didn't work. I checked the shared parameters and all that stuff, but it won't load correctly. It still shows the red question mark...... help!

Thanks,
Michael Root
michaelr@s360a.com

[aaronrumple]

The share parameters have to be added to BOTH the titleblock and the projct. Of course to speed setup for future projects -- add the shared parameters to your template.

A quick search here will fine plenty of detail how-to's.

[mickroot101809]

Thanks for the info, but I'm still having some challenges. The shared parameters are added in my project and they still show up as red question marks.... thoughts??

ps. this project was started before the templates were created...

[sfaust]

you are sure that they are in fact the same shared parameters? They have to be inserted from the same shared parameter file. You also can not delete and re-create parameters with the same name, it will not work. I would suggest re-inserting the parameters into the project from the same place you got them in the family...

[mickroot101809]

Thanks for your help Steve. I figured I'd go ahead and post this for other people too.

Somehow I got it to work... Here's the whole lowdown:

I created some custom shared parameters in my RFA titleblock. (Drawn By Initials, Drawn By Date, Checked By Initials, Checked By Date, Project Description)
Loaded the RFA into a project and got the red question marks... I've seen a lot of posts here and there telling you to load the shared parameters from the FILE/SHARED PARAMETERS pulldown menu. That worked when I loaded it into a fresh drawing from a template, but not in a file that was started by someone else in our Montana office. After trying many things... I added the shared parameter "twice". See below:

In my project.RVT file, I went to the Settings pulldown under Project Parameters.
Clicked ADD
checked Shared Parameter
clicked Select
picked a shared parameter that I'd loaded from the FILE/SHARED PARAMETER
Group parameter under: Other
Selected "Instance"
In the "Categories" section, I picked "Drawing Sheets" instead of "Project Information" which I originally had it under in other files.
hit Ok

My red ? turned to blue, but in the Setting pulldown under Project Information, Drawing Sheets is not listed as a category. Here's my fix:
I went back into the Settings/Project Parameters, selected Checked By Date (my custom parameter) and hit modify.
In the Categories, I deselected "Drawing Sheets" and selected "Project Information"
It prompts me saying data for this parameter will be deleted... ok, whatever.
It worked.

Then I tried this on another Shared Parameter I created. Well, it didn't work..... so here's how I fixed that:
Went to Settings/Project Parameters
The Project Description parameter I had created was already in there, but it wasn't working. I removed it and hit OK at the prompt for losing material. Then hit OK to accept the changes.
Went back to Settings/Project Parameters.
Clicked ADD,
Clicked Shared Parameter,
Selected Project Description (my custom parameter)
Selected Project Information as the category
Group Parameter under OTHER
made sure Instance was selected.
hit OK

it worked!

Now could someone please explain what the hell just happened?