Shared Parameters

Some data fields are stored in the model but not readily accessible. This tutorial demonstrates one
method of making data more accessible.
In this tutorial, use the NTM Structural model in Revit to determine the SF of fireproofing needed for the
project. If the Type Properties are examined, the bf (bottom flange width) d (depth of the w flange) are
contained for the object, however, when a schedule is created this data is not available. This tutorial goes
through a process of how to make this data available in a schedule.
For this tutorial, use the NTM-Structural 2014.rvt file found at: J:\groups\cm411\NTM. Copy the file to
your thumb at the location of: F:\CM 411\projects\NTM and then work on it from the thumb drive location.
You will essentially go through this tutorial 2 times. Once to make the parameters available for the beams
and then once to make the parameters available for the columns.
When opening the model, Detach it from the Central model and Discard the Worksets.

Creating the Schedules

Schedules are a means to get a list of materials
Revit model in a tabular/ table format that can be exported
Excel.

contained in the
to programs like

A schedule for Structural Framing and for Structural

Columns need to be created.
Lets start with Structural Framing. On the View Ribbon,
from the Create section select Schedules,
Schedule/Quantity.
On the Filter List dropdown, select Structure.
On the New Schedule window, change the name to
Fireproofing Beams, select Structural Framing (the
through select Structural Columns) and also select New
Phase.
Press OK.
Add the Family and Type and Length fields.
When scrolling up and down the Available fields, it is
impossible to calculate the surface area of the beams and columns that need
to be fireproofed because the bf (base flange width) and d (depth) fields are
missing. Therefore the following steps need to be followed to make these fields accessible.
The schedule will be completed later in the tutorial.
Press OK.

second time
Shell under

Shared Parameters
Selecting an object
Select the 3D view of the project.

Select a wide-flange beam (the second time through the tutorial, select a column).

Select Edit Family.

Within the family editor, select the

of the ribbon (Step 1).

Family Types icon within the Properties panel on the Modify tab

Selecting the Family Parameter

Select the Dimension parameter bf and then select Modify. The Parameter Properties dialogue box will
open and select the radio button Shared parameter.
Press the Select button.

Creating a Share Parameters File

The shared parameter file only needs to be created once. Later on in this tutorial, you will be asked to
repeat the tutorial for the steel columns. You do not need to recreate the file, instead, browse and reuse
the file that was created for the beams.
The window to right will open.
Select YES.

In the Edit Shared Parameters window, select Create. Browse to the folder from where you opened the
model.
Name the file NTM Shared Parameters and keep the file type at .txt

Shared Parameters
Creating the Shared Parameter
Now that a Shared parameter file has been created, we will need to create a new group and add the
parameters of bf and d within the group. (the second
time through the tutorials for the columns you will not
need to create the group)
Therefore, in the Edit Shared Parameters window, select
Groups and name it Structural Steel Parameters.

New under

Now that a group has been created we can create the

individual parameters bf by selecting the New under
Parameters and then fill in the Name field type bf,
Discipline is Common, and Type of Parameter is
Length. (I kept the discipline as Common.) (the second
time through the tutorial you will not need to create bf or
rather you will just need to select them)

d,

Press OK to close windows until you are back at the Family Types window.

Below we will essentially repeat the above steps starting at

Selecting the Family Parameter to create the d parameter.
Except we are not going recreate the shared parameter text file.
Selecting the Family Parameter
Select the Dimension parameter d and then select Modify. The Parameter Properties dialogue box will
open and select the radio button Shared parameter. Select the Select button.
On the Shared Parameters window, select Edit

Creating the Shared Parameter

Select New under Parameters and then Name the parameter d, Discipline is Common, and Type of
Parameter is Length.
Press OK to close windows until you are back at the Family Types window. Press OK to close the Family
Types window.

Select Load into Project button on the ribbon. You will be prompted to Overwrite the existing version
and its parameter values.

Shared Parameters

Depending on the size of your

file, this may take a few minutes.
(On my computer it took about 4
minutes.)
Once completed, you will be able
to access these parameters
when you create a schedule
within Revit.

The steps above made the bf and d fields so they could be included in a schedule by making them share
parameters. Below these fields will be used to calculate the surface area of the wide flange beams.

Shared Parameters
Updating the Schedule
On the Project Browser, select the Fireproofing Beams schedule that was created at the beginning of
the tutorial.
On the Properties palette, select Edit next to the Fields row.
The fields for the schedule are shown in the graphic below.

Add the fields from

right column as
shown in the graphic.

the left column to the

The W is just to
remind me of what
the weight is for the
wide flanged
member, it isnt
needed, I just wanted
to see it.
The Fireproofing
fields are Calculated
Values. To create
the Calculated values
follow the graphics
below.

The Floor Beam FP Perimeter calculates the length around the Beam that is being fireproofed as shown
in yellow in the graphic to the right.

Shared Parameters
In the formula we divided by 1 so you dont get the
error inconsistent units. Essentially dividing by 1
cancels the unit of feet from the equation.
When calculating columns, the formula will be
different because there will an additional side to
fireproof. The change is the 3 become a 4 for
columns
The formula for Floor Beam FP Area is Floor
Beam FP perimeter * Length / 1
A schedule will now generate showing all the fields
in the schedule. The data we are most interested in
is the Floor Beam FP Area.
To make the data easier read, make the following changes:
Sort by Family and Type and do not Itemize every instance.
Formatting
Floor Beam FP Area: calculate totals and change the Field Formatting to Fixed with 2
decimal places.
Length: calculate totals for the field and change the Field Formatting to Decimal Feet
with 2 decimal places.
The entire process above needs to be repeated for the Structural Column members. Therefore, repeat
the process above except for creating the new text file, you can use the txt file that was already created.
The parameters of bf and d do not need to be created, only selected in the steps above for the columns.
Also the formula for the column schedule will need to be adjusted to calculate the flange width of the
column 4 times instead of 3 times as was done for the beams.
After repeating the process above, export both schedules to Excel in Txt file format. Then open Excel and
make each txt file a Sheet in one Excel file so you can upload one file for grading. All rows except for the
Wide Flange members could be deleted to make the report more readable.
As you Exit Revit you will be asked if you want to save the changes to the family files that you modify.
Say Yes and save them to the CM 411 folder. Outside of BYU, you may want to save them over the
original family files.

This handout was created by Todd Baxter @ CW Driver and modified by Kevin R. Miller @ BYU and is
copyrighted.