REVIT

PARAMETERS
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 Description of Content
The properties of the model's constituent
elements, such as views and sheets in
conjunction to model and annotation objects,
are known as parameters.

In Revit, each element includes parameters,

often known as characteristics or attributes.

Depending on who created it and in which file

it was saved, parameters can be categorized.
Understanding the differences between the
many sorts of parameters that now exist or
that can be produced is important for their
effective usage and efficient management of
the model's data.

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 Parameter Definition

Name The parameter's name must be descriptive enough for the user to understand what
the parameter is used for. It must adhere to the company's naming standards or the
project's BIM Execution Plan.
 It is possible to change the Project/Family parameters.
 In Shared Parameters, it is not editable.

Discipline It is a drop-down menu that contains a list of disciplines. Different types of

parameters can be found depending on the discipline.

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 Parameter Definition

Type It is a drop-down menu with a pre-defined set of types. The type

of parameter is a critical property that must be carefully chosen
based on the attribute of the object that will be controlled.
 Once chosen, the option cannot be changed.
 The units are determined by the type of parameter.

Group parameter under This is simply a method of categorizing parameters in the

Properties Palette or Type Properties Menu. Parameters will be
displayed in the selected section.

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 Parameter Definition

Type/Instance/Reporting
TYPE: If a parameter is defined as a type parameter, changing its value affects all elements defined by
the same family type. They can be found in the Type Properties Menu when you select an object.

INSTANCE: Changing the value of an instance parameter affects only the selected object. Instance
parameters can differ between families. When you select an object, the Properties Palette appears.

REPORTING: A reporting parameter is a type of parameter whose value is determined by a specific

dimension in the family model. This means that the value is not determined by the user, but rather that
reporting parameters extract a value from a geometric condition and use it to report data to a formula or
as a schedulable parameter.

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 Types of Parameters

In Revit, there are five types of Built-in Parameter

parameters available that we
need to understand, specifically
Project Parameter
the difference between project
and shared parameters.
Family Parameter
How so? The answer is that each
parameter has some constraints.
Shared Parameter
All Parameters can be used with
multiple categories. Global Parameter

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 Built-in Parameters

When you begin modelling an element, either in a project file or a family file, built-in parameters, also
known as OOTB (Out of the box) parameters, are those that are already present in the file.

Since they are the fundamental characteristics that all objects must possess in order for Revit to work
with them, they are always accessible. They can neither be altered nor removed.

These OOTB parameters can be scheduled and tagged because they are native parameters and can be
found in project or family files. Some of them will be included in families right in the family template.

As previously stated, they cannot be amended or removed. however, they can be marked and
scheduled.

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 Built-in Parameters

Cannot be amended or removed

Who creates it? Where is it saved? Can be tagged? Can be scheduled?

Project file
Built-in Parameters Built-in Yes Yes
Family file

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 Project Parameters

They are saved in a project file as custom parameters that can be added to or created. Every item of the
chosen categories will have the project parameter added when it is created.

Project parameters can be introduced to objects in the following categories and are particular to a single
project file:
 Model categories
 Analytical categories
 Views
 Sheets
 Project Information

(Note that annotation category project parameters cannot be added.)

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 Project Parameters
These parameters cannot be labelled but will be utilized in projects to fill in the gaps
in schedules and for filtering. They add information but discover they can't actually
drive any of the model elements' properties.

Who creates it? Where is it saved? Can be tagged? Can be scheduled?

Project Parameters Custom Project file No Yes

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 Family Parameters

They are created in a family file as custom parameters and are added to regulate variable geometry
relationships or other family attributes.

They are not available in other families within the same category, unlike project parameters, which are
available for the family in which they are created individually.

The only way to access these parameters to modify the properties of family types or instances is
through the project file. They cannot be scheduled or tagged.

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 Family Parameters

Who creates it? Where is it saved? Can be tagged? Can be scheduled?

Family Parameters Custom Family file No No

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 Shared Parameters

They are custom parameters that are unique in that they are not saved in the project or family. This type
of parameter is saved in an external file known as the Shared Parameter file (.txt)

When adding a project or family parameter, you can choose to make it a shared parameter to avoid the
limitations that those types of parameters have. That is to say:
 They can be labelled.
 They are schedulable.
 The same parameter can be used in several families.
 Their definition is not subject to change (definition, not values)

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 Shared Parameters

Who creates it? Where is it saved? Can be tagged? Can be scheduled?

Shared Parameters Custom Shared parameters file Yes Yes

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 Global Parameters

This new type of parameter was introduced in Revit 2016 Release 2, but it is not fully functional until
Revit 2017.

They are created in the project environment as custom parameters. They differ from the project
parameters in the following ways:
 They are not added to all elements in a category when they are created, but to specific properties
(instance/type parameters) of specific elements.
 Global parameters are added to control variable geometry relationships or other attributes between
model elements, to drive the value of a dimension or constraint, to be associated with an element
property to drive its value, or to report the value of a dimension so the value can be used in the
equations of other global parameters.

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 Global Parameters

To summarize, it is the functionality of family parameters but in the context of a project model.

When adding a project or family parameter, you can choose to make it a global parameter, which helps
to avoid the limitations of those types of parameters. That is to say:
 They are not tagged.
 They are not schedulable.
 The same parameter can be used in several elements.
 They can be used in formulas to calculate other Global parameters.
 They can be linked to system and custom components. Parameters for instance/type.

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 Global Parameters
Because global parameters can be
linked to project/family parameters,
and project/family parameters can
be created as shared parameters,
we can tag global parameters via
their link to shared project/family
parameters.

Who creates it? Where is it saved? Can be tagged? Can be scheduled?

Global Parameters Custom Project file No No

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 Parameters Summary
Where is it Can be Can be
Who creates it?
saved? tagged? scheduled?

Project file

Built-in Parameters Built-in Yes Yes

Family file

Project Parameters Custom Project file No Yes

Family Parameters Custom Family file No No

Shared
Shared Parameters Custom Yes Yes
parameters file

Global Parameters Custom Project file No No

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 About Us

MaRS BIM Solutions

Mars BIM Solutions is one of the leading
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BIM services to its clients globally. The
company holds a strong positioning in the
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We are a team of skilled professionals who

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