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Learn how parameters define the size, shape, position, material, and other information about an element in the model.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Transcript
00:00
Each element in a Revit model belongs to a family
00:07
with its size, appearance, and other properties determined by various parameters.
00:12
When you work in Revit, you are creating a building information model, BIM,
00:18
which is also often referred to as a parametric model.
00:22
Parametric modeling refers to the relationship between all elements in a project.
00:27
Parameters define, store, and communicate information about all the elements in the Revit model,
00:35
such as their size, shape, position, and material.
00:40
Every element in Revit belongs to a family.
00:45
Family parameters control variable values of the family,
00:50
such as dimensions or materials, and are specific to the family.
00:56
Family parameters such as width and height may be used in the door family to control the dimensions of the different door types.
01:05
Family parameters are built in or hard coded as part of the family.
01:12
Since these parameters are based on the category, they are also referred to as category parameters.
01:20
For example, doors have built in parameters for height and width.
01:27
If you were to use the Revit family editor to create a new door family based on a door family template,
01:34
the category would be preset to doors so that these built in parameters will be available.
01:41
These parameters are also available in the associated tag category.
01:46
So for example, the width and height parameters will be available to include in a tag of the door tags category.
01:55
Similarly, system families also include built in parameters and have category parameters.
02:02
A parameter is either an instance property or a type property
02:09
and will display in the Properties palette or Type Properties dialogue respectively.
02:15
A type property controls all elements of the family type,
02:20
whereas an instance property only controls a single element instance.
02:26
Although the built in category parameters satisfy the most common circumstances,
02:33
you may eventually need to create custom parameters.
02:37
There are four types of parameters in Revit:
02:41
family parameters, project parameters, shared parameters, and global parameters.
02:49
Family parameters are specific to a single family.
02:54
They can only be created in the family editor.
02:58
Information stored in family parameters can be used in the family editor as well as in a project.
03:06
However, family parameters cannot be used in schedules or tags.
03:11
You can use family parameters to control family geometry or to specify an attribute.
03:18
While you can modify family parameter values for a family in a project,
03:24
just remember that you cannot schedule or tag a family parameter.
03:30
Project parameters are specific to a single project file.
03:36
They are added to elements by assigning them to multiple categories of elements, views, or sheets.
03:42
When a project parameter is assigned to a category, then all of the elements in that category will have that parameter.
03:51
Information stored in project parameters cannot be shared with other projects.
03:57
Project parameters can be used for schedules, sorting, and filtering in a project, but cannot be used in tags.
04:06
Creating a project parameter is a great way to add a parameter to both system families and loadable families at once.
04:15
Shared parameters are parameter definitions that can be used in multiple families or projects.
04:23
Shared parameters are stored in external text files that are independent of any family or project file.
04:31
After you add a shared parameter definition to a family or project,
04:36
you can use it as a family or project parameter.
04:41
Then they can be added to a label in a tagged family.
04:46
Because the definition of a shared parameter is stored in a separate file, not in the project or family, it is protected from change.
04:55
For this reason, shared parameters can be tagged and scheduled.
05:00
Shared parameters essentially bridge gaps so that a parameter can be added to a loadable family and or a system family.
05:10
Global parameters are specific to a single project file, but are not assigned to categories.
05:18
Global parameters can be simple values, values derived from equations,
05:24
or values taken from the model using other global parameters.
05:29
They can therefore be used to drive the value of a dimension and can be associated to an element, instance, or type parameter,
05:37
including parameters created as project parameters.
05:41
Global parameters can serve as a link used to tie other parameters and dimensions together.
05:48
Since parameters define, store, and communicate information about all the elements in the Revit model,
05:56
once you understand how they work and how to create and use custom parameters,
06:01
you will be able to use parameters to meet all the needs of your project.
Video transcript
00:00
Each element in a Revit model belongs to a family
00:07
with its size, appearance, and other properties determined by various parameters.
00:12
When you work in Revit, you are creating a building information model, BIM,
00:18
which is also often referred to as a parametric model.
00:22
Parametric modeling refers to the relationship between all elements in a project.
00:27
Parameters define, store, and communicate information about all the elements in the Revit model,
00:35
such as their size, shape, position, and material.
00:40
Every element in Revit belongs to a family.
00:45
Family parameters control variable values of the family,
00:50
such as dimensions or materials, and are specific to the family.
00:56
Family parameters such as width and height may be used in the door family to control the dimensions of the different door types.
01:05
Family parameters are built in or hard coded as part of the family.
01:12
Since these parameters are based on the category, they are also referred to as category parameters.
01:20
For example, doors have built in parameters for height and width.
01:27
If you were to use the Revit family editor to create a new door family based on a door family template,
01:34
the category would be preset to doors so that these built in parameters will be available.
01:41
These parameters are also available in the associated tag category.
01:46
So for example, the width and height parameters will be available to include in a tag of the door tags category.
01:55
Similarly, system families also include built in parameters and have category parameters.
02:02
A parameter is either an instance property or a type property
02:09
and will display in the Properties palette or Type Properties dialogue respectively.
02:15
A type property controls all elements of the family type,
02:20
whereas an instance property only controls a single element instance.
02:26
Although the built in category parameters satisfy the most common circumstances,
02:33
you may eventually need to create custom parameters.
02:37
There are four types of parameters in Revit:
02:41
family parameters, project parameters, shared parameters, and global parameters.
02:49
Family parameters are specific to a single family.
02:54
They can only be created in the family editor.
02:58
Information stored in family parameters can be used in the family editor as well as in a project.
03:06
However, family parameters cannot be used in schedules or tags.
03:11
You can use family parameters to control family geometry or to specify an attribute.
03:18
While you can modify family parameter values for a family in a project,
03:24
just remember that you cannot schedule or tag a family parameter.
03:30
Project parameters are specific to a single project file.
03:36
They are added to elements by assigning them to multiple categories of elements, views, or sheets.
03:42
When a project parameter is assigned to a category, then all of the elements in that category will have that parameter.
03:51
Information stored in project parameters cannot be shared with other projects.
03:57
Project parameters can be used for schedules, sorting, and filtering in a project, but cannot be used in tags.
04:06
Creating a project parameter is a great way to add a parameter to both system families and loadable families at once.
04:15
Shared parameters are parameter definitions that can be used in multiple families or projects.
04:23
Shared parameters are stored in external text files that are independent of any family or project file.
04:31
After you add a shared parameter definition to a family or project,
04:36
you can use it as a family or project parameter.
04:41
Then they can be added to a label in a tagged family.
04:46
Because the definition of a shared parameter is stored in a separate file, not in the project or family, it is protected from change.
04:55
For this reason, shared parameters can be tagged and scheduled.
05:00
Shared parameters essentially bridge gaps so that a parameter can be added to a loadable family and or a system family.
05:10
Global parameters are specific to a single project file, but are not assigned to categories.
05:18
Global parameters can be simple values, values derived from equations,
05:24
or values taken from the model using other global parameters.
05:29
They can therefore be used to drive the value of a dimension and can be associated to an element, instance, or type parameter,
05:37
including parameters created as project parameters.
05:41
Global parameters can serve as a link used to tie other parameters and dimensions together.
05:48
Since parameters define, store, and communicate information about all the elements in the Revit model,
05:56
once you understand how they work and how to create and use custom parameters,
06:01
you will be able to use parameters to meet all the needs of your project.
Parameters define the size, shape, position, material, and other information about an element in the model. Parametric modeling refers to the relationships among all elements in a project that enable the coordination and change management that Revit provides. These relationships are created either automatically by the software or by you as you work. Here are some examples:
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