Sharing a Parameter Value across several Families

[hpannu]

While creating several Pile Caps (with varying number of piles); I have a need to share the same value for Pile Spacing and Edge Distance Parameters in all Pile Cap families. As these parameters change with Pile Size and Pile capacity, is there a way in REVIT to define a Parameter, use it in all Families and if it changed in one Family, its change is propagated in all the other Families where ever it was used?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Hardip

[Steve_Stafford]

If you are asking for a centrally stored value that would cause distinct families that are loaded into various projects to change at the same time then the answer is no.

For families that use Type Parameters you can change all of the 5 pile - pile cap families with one edit session. If you want to change the same values for both a 4 pile and 5 pile - pile cap then you could do it via a schedule if the parameters they use are created as a shared parameter.

It might help if you could explain how what you are asking for plays out in your workflow. I usually find that the values for various pile cap configurations vary quite a bit, within a typical range. You probably can create families with types that represent your "five" most common conditions. This way you would only need to select the correct type from a list.

[hpannu]

"If you want to change the same values for both a 4 pile and 5 pile - pile cap then you could do it via a schedule if the parameters they use are created as a shared parameter."

We normally have about 8 to 10 different pile caps in any given project. The pile spacing and pile cap edge distance seem to change depending upon the recommendations from Geo Technical engineer (regarding pile spacing and pile capacity) from one project to the next one.
I would like to achieve exactly what you mentioned above for all different pile caps. I was hoping, that I don't have to create a schedule and then change the shared parameter for each pile cap type. I was hoping there is more direct way to achieve this in REVIT.
Hardip

[Steve_Stafford]

Okay, let's say you have 8 families and they each have just one type. When you need to change the offset value(s) and pile diameter you edit the values (properties dialog) in each family once and all the other pile families, of the same type, update according to the change made in one. One edit sequence for each family, 8 times total,1 edit per 8 families.

This is a type parameter's behavior.

A schedule would allow you to display all the important information you want to see if the family is built using shared parameters (special methodolgy for parameters we create, not built into Revit). This schedule would permit you to fine tune the families at will.

It would take less time to change the values than it took me to write this response.

Sorry, the answer is still no to using one master parameter to update all families. I imagine it is possible to program such a change with the API however.

[hpannu]

Thanks. Perhaps this item should be added to the wish list for next version of the REVIT.
Hardip

[Jim Merritt]

I don't know anything about pile caps, so I'm not sure this will apply. I have many window families of various types all of which have some of the same parameter names.

I can select everything on a level, use the "Filter" button to select only windows of various sizes and types, right click, edit properties, and change the header height for all windows. It seems you should be able to do the same in your case if your parameters are the same.

--Jim