shared yes/no parameter

[gporter]

I have a wall type symbol and I want to add an additional graphic to it that displays if a wall has an "insulation" yes/no parameter checked. I have the parameter set up as shared and it shows in my drawing. When I edit my wall tag family, I can add a Label to the family which uses the insulation shared parameter, but I can't wire the visibility of the graphic to the yes/no insulation parameter. When I try to wire the visibility, the shared parameter radio button is greyed out.

Am I missing anything or is this not possible?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Scott Womack]

I have a wall type symbol and I want to add an additional graphic to it that displays if a wall has an "insulation" yes/no parameter checked. I have the parameter set up as shared and it shows in my drawing. When I edit my wall tag family, I can add a Label to the family which uses the insulation shared parameter, but I can't wire the visibility of the graphic to the yes/no insulation parameter. When I try to wire the visibility, the shared parameter radio button is greyed out. Am I missing anything or is this not possible?

I do not believe that this is possible. The effect of what you are trying to do is get the tag to "calculate" or "check" on something before it displays. Tags at this point are not really able to do that. You have to manually select a tag, and change its orientation don't you? I have also found that Instance parameters for visibility do not really work in Tags. You have to make a "type" of the tag family to get it to work. What you are trying to do does seem "logical", and a fair number of us have tried it at one time or another.

Suggestion to Consider:
We have a number of materials defined, Metal Studs, and Metal Studs w/ Batt insulation. We then define these so that the tonal value is the same, meaning they plot the same, but the batt insulation material is a different color on screen. We then define our wall styles (a significant number based upon our tagging system) with a Type mark in each, set to the nomenclature we use. Then if you want the wall to be insulated, you select the wall, and change its style, it changes visually, and the tag updates accordingly. This does take some thought, and work up front. The side benefit is that via MAterial Take-off Schedules, I can "schedule" how many SF of wall has batt insulation in it, and how much (of each size stud) there is, as well as how much rated wall is in the project.

[gporter]

Thanks Scott. Since shared params was greyed out in the add params dialog, I figured it was a dead end.

[cbaze]

Is it possible to change a wall material with a parameter? It's be nice to have an 'Insulation' checkbox instead of doubling the number of my wall types.

Also, is anyone using a batt insulation cut pattern in their wall types? Insulation should be shown in almost every view, so the current method of using the insulation tool is unacceptable.

[Scott Womack]

Is it possible to change a wall material with a parameter? It's be nice to have an 'Insulation' checkbox instead of doubling the number of my wall types.

I don't believe so, you have to hit the Edit Button under wall properties, then edit Structure. That is two levels deep, and there is no way to add parameters, or connect parameters at that level.


Also, is anyone using a batt insulation cut pattern in their wall types? Insulation should be shown in almost every view, so the current method of using the insulation tool is unacceptable.

Don't know of any. We took another approach.We created materials, Metal Studs, Wood Studs, and then another version of each that are named "... - Batt Insulation" Inthese versions, we changed the fill hatch to another color so that you can tell on-screen which have batt insulation in them. Management did not want to give this info to the contractors (besides the tag does anyway) so the selected colors are set so they plot the same as the normal gray tone in the non-insulated stud walls.

[Mike Sealander]

Wall typing is extremely messy. We've decided to using a three-character wall type: One for framing material (metal studs, etc), one from framing width (3-5/8, etc), and one for sequentially naming all the different versions that could come from this method.
We do have a fourth switch, left as a manual instance parameter, for head type (attached to deck above, etc), but the default is walls are attached to deck above, and only atypical conditions get the switch.

[mthurnauer]

We do use a yes/no parameter to indicate insulation for walls. What we have done is make a wall type schedule that lists the wall type mark, overall width, stud size, sound batt insulation (yes/no), and a comments field. We had a field for a wall head condition type such as: Type A > wall finish stops above ceiling, Type B > one side to deck, Type C > both sides to deck, Type D > fire rated seal at under side of deck/structure, etc. With the schedule, you cannot avoid having a unique wall type for each condition, but you can have a single wall type section, Type 1, and then leave the schedule to describe the variations. So, we will have a drawing of a wall type with 1 layer of gyp. on both sides and then the schedule will say Type 1A is 3-5/8" studs with no sound batt, 1B is 3-5/8" with sound batt, Type 1C may be 6" studs, and so on. This system has worked pretty well so far.

[SCShell]

Hey there,
I also use a yes/no parameter in my walls, just so the Wall Type Schedule shows it.
Pretty useful. (I even have it broken down into "Thermal - Batt or Ridged, and "Acoustic" insulation)
Good Luck
Steve

[mmiles]

just wondering where this Yes/No parameter is being defined? Is this in the wall tag family you guys are using? Or is this a schedule parameter that is being used for each instance of a wall, or each type of wall?

[SCShell]

just wondering where this Yes/No parameter is being defined? Is this in the wall tag family you guys are using? Or is this a schedule parameter that is being used for each instance of a wall, or each type of wall?

Hey there,
Mine are created in the Wall Schedule's parameters, mostly instance based. I don't want to change the wall's type since I typically use the same wall for an interior non-bearing partition, only one has sound insulation, and the other doesn't, or one may go up through the ceiling and another may terminate at the grid. Also, there are times that I do create a new wall type if there are enough of them in a project so that I don't have to modify each one. The example below shows a new type with Sound Insulation, because almost every interior wall needed acoustic insulation.

Hope this helps
Steve