Type Catalog - other##

[rtaube]

I'm trying to get a deeper understanding of the Type Catalog, what does the "other##" refer to? Actually, what is the understanding of how one puts this together for most all parameters? It seems that most parameters just end in other##, but distances, for example end with length##inches## or length##feet#.
Is there a list that I can use to properly create other parameters, such as weight ? and maybe see other parameters?

Cheers

[Alfredo Medina]

The syntax of a parameter's definition in a type catalog is:

columnname##type##unit

For example: Gap##length##inches

Which will create a column named 'Gap' in the type catalog (if you open it in a spreadsheet) for values (in decimals) such as: 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, etc

The last part of the syntax (unit) may be dropped for any parameter whose type does not belong to any of these unit types: length, area, volume, angle, force, and linear force.

Therefore in that case you may use just:

columnname##other##

For example: Model##other##

Which will create a column named 'Model' in the type catalog for values such as: 'Caro',
'Mona', 'Tela'.

[rtaube]

I understand most of the naming convention for the type catalogs, and for the most part, it will be Parameter Name##other##. This changes sometimes when measurable values occur and I think this is where there should be some sort of help on how to format. Units of distance are pretty ease as you gave an example Parameter Name##length##inches, and that works fine.

I'm getting hung up on weight.
My light fixtures have a Shipping Weight parameter. and I can find that information in the cutsheet. Most range between 20lbs and 80lbs. Intuitively, I'd name my type catalog column Shipping Weight##weight##lbs, because I want the units to be shown with the lbs suffix. Revit can't parse this, so I realized it wants the word "force" instead of "weight", which makes sense. I also can't use "lbs", but I can use "pounds". So through trial and error, I settled on
Shipping Weight##force##pounds

So my first point is that they should give a lot more examples rather than
columnname##type##unit
because that's not always intuitive for a beginner especially when there are multiple ways to express the same thing.

However, when this family is loaded into the project. Revit changes the units from pounds to kips (1 kip = 1000 lbs) I'm assuming that this is the default force unit for Revit, and may be useful for other parts of the project, but it looks pretty silly to have a light fixture listed as weighing 0.04 kips.

So if I want it to look right and say
Parameter | Value
Boxed Weight | 20 lbs

It looks like I need to create a different parameter, say.. "Boxed Weight##other##" and in the type catalog, list it as a text "20 lbs" rather than an integer "20"

In this case, i don't think the total weight of light fixtures will ever be scheduled by anyone, but it kinda stretches the "BIM-ness" when you're forced to choose between what is functional and what looks good.

Cheers,

[Alfredo Medina]

I totally agree with you. The term "other" is too ambiguous for all the possibilities. The help documents don't get any further on that, and they should, but anyway... Like the solution we have just learned from the factory, about "embedding" definitions of parameters, to get access to other parameters inside a dialog box. I don't remember seeing that anywhere in the help documents, so how are we mortals supposed to know? It's great that we know now, thanks to Steven, from the Factory.

[Scott Womack]

Like the solution we have just learned from the factory, about "embedding" definitions of parameters, to get access to other parameters inside a dialog box. I don't remember seeing that anywhere in the help documents, .......

I guess I missed this one. Can you point me to it?

Thanks

Scott

[Munkholm]

I guess I missed this one. Can you point me to it?

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=123317 - The #7 post by Campbell