Thank you everyone that attended the webinar, Standardizing Out-of-the-box and Manufacturer Revit Families. There were several questions we were unable to address live in the webinar, so we have addressed them below. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local IMAGINiT representative.
Q: Will the Family Processor swap the new parameters in formulas too?
A: The processor is swapping the parameters themselves. Revit will automatically swap the parameter in the formula to match the replacement parameter.
Q: Can we replace an outdated shared parameter with another shared parameter using the IMAGINiT Family Processor?
A: Yes, if a family has an old Shared Parameter and you are using a new Shared Parameter (file), then you can use the Family Processor to swap parameters.
Q: Am I understanding correctly that this maps the replaced parameters to connectors?
A: If the original parameter was already mapped to the connector, then the replace parameter will automatically be mapped to the connector as well. If the parameter was not mapped to the connector, then the Family Processor will not map it to the connector, that will still need to be done manually.
Q: Revit doesn't seem to be good at managing data if we have to rely on third-party addons like this.
A: Revit provides the function to swap and add parameters as needed manually, add-ins are simplifying the process and allowing batch processes to occur.
Q: How much does the IMAGINiT Add-In cost?
A: If you have your Autodesk subscription through IMAGINiT, you are entitled to the utilities at no cost. If you don’t have your Autodesk subscription through IMAGINiT, the tools are available for purchase.
Subscriber download: https://www.imaginit.com/Support/utilities-request
Free Trial download: http://rww.force.com/software/RWW_Software_Trial_Request
Q: Could you touch on the Concatenator Tool?
A: Videos for all Utilities for Revit, can be found at https://www.imaginit.com/software/imaginit-utilities-other-products/utilities-for-revit
Q: Is IMAGINiT Utilities available for all Revit version?
A: 4 new tools were added to the 2021 release and 10 new tools were added to the 2020 release of IMAGINiT Utilities for Revit, but they work with all versions from 2016-2021 except for Fabrication Parts which is compatible from 2018-2021.
A complete list of the tools can be found here: https://resources.imaginit.com/brochures/imaginit-utilities-for-revit#
Q: Are the IMAGINiT tools included with Productivity Now subscriptions?
A: If you have your Autodesk subscription through IMAGINiT, you are entitled to the utilities at no cost. If you do not have your Autodesk subscription through IMAGINiT but have our Productivity Now subscription, the utilities are available for purchase.
Q: Is there a way to mass add names and family types?
A: At this time there is not an IMAGINiT Utility that will do this. This could however possibly be accomplished through Dynamo.
Q: Does any of this work with Revit LT? Or is it only full Revit?
A: Revit LT does not support Add-ins so unfortunately, the IMAGINiT Utilities is not available. The process of swapping parameters and adding parameters can still be done manually.
Q: Is there a program that we could use in Revit for panel schedules?
A: Panel Schedules are little different as they are built in Revit using Panel Schedule Templates that are embedded into the Revit Project/Project Template.
Q: Is there a way to do this without a 3rd party program?
A: Revit provides the function to swap and add parameters as needed manually one at a time, add-ins are simplifying the process and allowing batch processes to occur.
Q: Can you clear out the other parameters that you do not want in the project or in your schedules?
A: The parameter can be deleted from the project through the Project Parameters dialogue or parameters associated to schedules can be removed from a project through the fields setting within the schedule, they can also be hidden from the schedule through the formatting settings. The Family Processor does not work in projects, only in families.
Q: With this workflow, if one device in the entire project does not have the shared parameters, it will either be filtered out of the schedule, or you will get a blank field, as that equipment will be different than the others, true?
A: Correct, if an element does not have the appropriate parameters in the family, then the line item in the schedule will be blank and the fields will not be editable. A filter can be applied to limit which items display in the schedule.
Q: Can you explain again how to change the parameter from an OTB family to your shared parameter. ie voltage
A: Manually the parameter can be swapped out by selecting it, selecting the pencil and then selecting the new shared parameter, refer to video above. For more information on the Family Processor, https://resources.imaginit.com/revit/utilities-for-revit-family-processor#:~:text=The%20Family%20Processor%20automates%20several%20actions%20across%20one,Complimentary%20for%20IMAGINiT%20customers%2C%20but%20available%20to%20everyone.
Additionally, the recording to the webinar is available for review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rUB_mB7vW0.
Q: Is it possible to do vertical schedules?
A: Revit only allows for schedules to have the categories along the top and the line items down the side.
Q: Are you going to have another seminar on the other IMAGINiT Utilities?
A: Yes, there will be future webinars on other tools. Videos for all Utilities for Revit, can be found at https://www.imaginit.com/software/imaginit-utilities-other-products/utilities-for-revit
Q: Do you have any tricks or tools for cleaning up subcategories within various families?
A: Unfortunately, that is one of the challenges of using subcategories. There might be a possibility in Dynamo to edit those, but that also plays on your view templates.
Q: Can this be used for panelboard schedules?
A: Panel Schedules are little different as they are built in Revit using Panel Schedule Templates that are embedded into the Revit Project/Project Template.
Q: Can I add parameter data to all types in a family at once?
A: If you set the formula value for the parameter, it will populate to all types. Then delete out the formula and it will be editable in the different types as needed.
Q: Can you show folks how to export the Shared Parameters file?
A: A Shared Parameter that is part of a family and not in your current Shared Parameter file, can be exported out of a family or project to the current Shared Parameter file.
Q: Can a formula feature be added to a parameter/shared parameter in the Family Processor as well as carry "Tooltip description"?
A: The Family Processor does have the ability to create new Shared Parameters, but adding a Tooltip is not an available function. If the Shared Parameter is already created with a Tooltip, then it will come with as it is part of the Shared Parameter. Formulas and Default values can be added when adding new Shared Parameters to the family via the Family Processor. If you are replacing parameters, you cannot add default values or formulas.
Q: Can you save these parameter mappings to use on multiple similar families instead of doing the mapping manually multiple times?
A: Yes, the Replace Parameters actions can be saved out and used in other projects as well.
Q: How do we remove duplicate parameters?
A: The only way to remove duplicate parameters from a project is to replace them with a common standard parameter in each of the families.
Q: Are the shared parameters by project? Does this mean these should be placed within our project templates?
A: Creating a project template that has your standard schedules will make the documentation process much easier; alternatively you can create a holding file that has all your schedules in it, then bring them in as you need. The Shared Parameters are centralized in a Shared Parameter .txt file, but it is not linked, but rather parameters are loaded as needed. Preloading common parameters into the project template will help significantly.
Q: How do we make a shared parameters file and share that between users and projects?
A: Storing your shared parameter file in a common secure location is strongly recommended, that way users creating content or schedules can easily access but can't edit it.
Q: Most of our scheduled items end up being custom or not within the family without manually entering each value. (CFM, design temperatures, etc.) How could these tools be used to speed up that process? The time it takes to do this still seems to outweigh the benefits.
A: Depending on where that data is being driven from, it will need to be manually entered or could possibly be pushed in with Dynamo.
The webinar can be found on IMAGINiT’s Resource Center here: https://resources.imaginit.com/revit/standardizing-out-of-the-box-and-manufacturer-revit-families
Thank you for your time and hope these answers help you in your Revit standardizing endeavor.
~Jamie Owens
