New in Revit 2018.2 - Family Types Memory

Here we are with a third set of enhancements for Revit this year - first version 2018, then 2018.1 and now 2018.2

There is nothing amazing - just small things as Autodesk themselves say.  I have tested a couple of things and have some comments on the first of them:

Remember Column width spacing in Type properties dialog

This one is in the Family Editor - in the Family Types dialog box (the one with four blue squares, which I never remember the name of).

When you open that dialog box, the column widths are never arranged how you want them:  The formula width is too small if you want to add formulas; the 'Lock' column is always too wide etc.
In previous versions, after you had rearranged the widths, then closed the dialog box, the next time you opened it, those darned column widths were back to standard.  In addition to this, when you make the dialog box wider, all the column widths expand; if you make the first column wider it often seems to make the 'Lock' column wider too (ridiculous for a checkbox), and then you get a very irritating horizontal slider on the dialog box - pretty soon the left hand columns disappear off screen when the focus goes into a formula . . . .

In Revit 2018.2, they have addressed just one of those problems - but only partially:  Yes, the column widths are remembered when you reopen the dialog box - sounds great but . . . .

Standard column widths

When you adjust the column widths, you have to be careful to make sure that the vertical divider line to the right of the 'Lock' title does not disappear -

Adjusted column widths to make formulas readable

Once the right hand Lock column divider disappears, you get the scroll bar along the bottom of the dialog box.  Once the whole Lock column disappears, and you put the focus in the Formula column, it shifts the Parameter Name column off screen to the left.

 If you adjust the dialog box width, it is possible to make formulas and values readable - but watch that Lock column width

Adjusted dialog box width

In version 2018.2 they have broken something in the controls for adjusting the widths and sliding the scroll bars - it is pretty flaky.  Within 10 minutes of testing I had managed to entirely lose the Lock column, so you couldn't see it even with the slider fully to the right.   I have reported this as a bug, and Autodesk have replicated the problem, so hopefully they are fixing it already.

The Bad News

• The Dialog box column widths are only remembered per session (Actually that may not be so bad after all . . .). 
• The annoying expanding Lock column is still annoying.
• The nasty horizontal slider is still there, doing its worst to hinder you - I would much prefer it if the Lock column was always narrow, fixed to the right side of the dialog, while the other three columns scaled proportionally with the dialog box (at whatever width you set).

The Good News

• The Dialog box column widths are only remembered per session. 

Yes, this really is good news because if you manage to screw up the widths on the dialog box, it all resets when you next start Revit.   Actually it is good news anyway, because it is most likely that you will want different alignments depending on your task, each time you open Revit.

Weird Stuff with Global Parameters in Revit

Following on from my earlier posts about transferring global parameters between Revit projects, and deleting global parameters, here is some quirky stuff that happens when you are working with Global parameters:

Weird Behaviour & Bugs

1.   Duplicate Labelled Dimensions

If you add a dimension to elements that already have a ‘global parameterised’ dimension, the new dimension automatically takes on the same parameter, without you realising.   If you subsequently delete that dimension, you get a message saying ‘A Dimension that is labeled . . .’  Unconstrain to remove constraint

• If you expand the warning, it tells you what the Parameter label is

•  It does not tell you that you are deleting a secondary (redundant) dimension with the same label as another dimension, which still remains in the model

 2.  GP Equals Constraint Conflict – Fixed in v2018 (?)

If a dimension between two elements (say gridlines) has a GP associated to it, then you place a dimension between the grids and an element midway between them, you would expect to be able to change that dimension to ‘Equals’. Illogically, Revit does not allow this – it warns you that it needs to remove the constraint. Unfortunately if you go ahead, it removes the GP constraint but keeps the Equals constraint – which is not very helpful as you now need to guess which other constraint it removed. It does not highlight the other constraint

• I recommend that you cancel, then figure out where the conflict is - do not click on 'Remove Label'
• One solution to this is to create another GP that is a fraction of the original one (half, in this example), and apply that to the secondary dimension, instead of an equals constraint

• Another solution is to put the equality constraints between other elements that are in the same location but not GP dimensioned – eg between two walls that are aligned to the gridlines.
• NB. This problem does not occur if the GP associated dimension is a reporting parameter.
• This bug is reportedly fixed in v2018, but I have not had time to test it yet

3.  Edit Witness Line Bug

If you associate a GP to a dimension, and then subsequently delete the dimension, Revit will ask you if you want to unconstrain (remove the constraint) – this is good behaviour. However, if you edit a witness line instead of deleting the dimension, Revit removes the GP association (as you would expect), but does not ask if you want to remove the constraint – effectively hiding the constraint. This is really bad behaviour by Revit, because it means you can end up with lots of hidden constraints, which catch you out later on. Autodesk refuse to accept that this is an inconsistency in the software that should be changed. I recommend that you never edit a witness line on a GP associated dimension.

4.  Shape-Handles vs Calculation

If you have a family that has grip handles when placed in the model, those handles can be ‘hidden’ when GPs are associated with certain properties in the family. This happens if the property is used in a formula that drives the geometry related to the shape-handle:

• No GPs associated – shape-handles available

 

• GP associated to a property used in width formula

• In this situation, it is better not to associate the GP directly to the property. Instead you need to use a dimension with a reporting GP associated to it. Then the association is far enough removed so the shape-handles are unaffected.

5.  Circular Chain of References

• At some point you are likely to encounter this warning dialog:

 

• I strongly recommend that you do not click on ‘Resolve’ because it will remove a formula, but not necessarily the one you are expecting, nor the one you just added that caused the problem. Instead you should cancel and figure out what is causing the problem – first click on ‘Expand’ to see if you can figure out the conflict; although using the ‘Delete Checked’ option does not seem to resolve anything (the same dialog just as likely pops up again), so you will then have to cancel anyway.

6.  Change Instance to Type

If parameters are changed from instance to type in a family, then reloaded into a project, you may get this message if the parameters had been associated to GPs

• You then have to reassociate the property to the GP – but it is easier to do as it is likely to be only one type property to relink

7. Duplicate Type Loses Associations

If you duplicate a family type that has GP associations to any type properties they lose the associations.