Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Recover or Acquire a Shared Parameter

I wrote THIS POST in January of 2012 but the interface has changed quite a bit since then. I happened to see a reference to the older post and realized how dated it is. I thought about replacing the screen captures to just update it then decided to echo the post with current pictures instead.

When you don't have access to the original Shared Parameter's file there are two ways to get to it, via a family or in a schedule. Either way you need to be able to touch the parameter so you can use the Export option for shared parameters. Revit will add the parameter to the current shared parameter file you are using.

In a family you need to open Family Types, select the parameter, choose the Edit Parameter button.


In a project schedule take a look at the View Properties for the schedule, Click the Edit... button next to Fields, pick the parameter, then click the Edit Parameter button (note the Export button in the next image is not active/enabled).


Click the Export button when it is enabled and Revit will pop open this confirmation. It also tells us where to look for it in the Shared Parameter file.


If the Export button (like in the previous image) is not active that happens because Revit is not associated with a shared parameter file yet or, less likely, the Shared Parameter is already in the Shared Parameter file this session of Revit is aware of. You’ll need to choose a different file or create a new file first. You can do this via the Manage Ribbon > Settings panel > Shared Parameters button, browse to find it or create one from scratch.

It is worth noting that a titleblock family does not conform to this scenario. Shared parameters that are used in titleblocks must be connected to a project too, by adding the shared parameter to the project as a project parameter and choosing the Sheets category. It might help to consider a titleblock is very much like a Tag except the element it tags is a sheet view, not a door or wall for example.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Insert From File and a Worksharing File

I bumped into a subtle conflict this evening. I created a new file from a stock template. I then used Insert from File > Insert Views from File to acquire a few drafting views. When I closed this new project and decided to open the file the harvested drafting views are stored in this message appeared.


Keep in mind that no files were actually open at the moment. I was looking at the Recent Files list yet when I attempted to create a new local file for the project I just used Insert From File on the message popped up. This means that the file is technically still open in RAM as far as Revit is concerned, it's just not open for me to interact with.

I had to exit Revit so it could relinquish its hold on the file before I could start Revit up again to get back to work.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Revit 2018 - Insert Ribbon Search Field is Removed

When Autodesk Seek gave up on their mission and handed it over to BIM Object Revit 2017 started to redirect us to that site instead whenever we did a search. Prior to that it would take us to Autodesk Seek.


Notice anything missing from the 2018 Insert Ribbon image above? Well the post title gave it away but the search field has been stripped off. Remember this following image from way back when?


I realize it didn't make sense to leave references to Autodesk Seek in play. Now it's even less helpful to find external content. I guess it's more incentive to install BIM Object's Revit app? Probably what they intended.

No you're not imagining things, it's gone gone gone...

-- EDITED 5/2/2017 --

I installed the BIM Object Revit app.


Holy smokes that's a heck of a ribbon for the primary button I really want, Browse on the far left. Note if you launch any of the tools you can't do any work back in Revit until you finish interacting with their app. If you find that frustrating you could just open a separate browser.

It would be nice if there were some user settings to reduce the number of buttons to just those you're likely to use. I added the browse button to the QAT to get around accessing the ribbon tab each time.