Forums >> Revit Structure >> Tips & Tricks >> Cleaning up Templates and managing shared parameter files.

stefanlarsson

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Joined: Fri, Oct 12, 2012
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Hey, I just started working at a new office. The office recently started working in revit and we are currently working on our 2nd revit project. The templates we use are only somewhat customised for our office and has lots of redundant information and parameters making some information hard to manage or even find. Also some families have been copied from the first project they did here and therefore have confusing/irrelevant names and some shared parameters is not working properly.

For instance our title block have 5 lines with consultant contact info that works fine and one that don't. I'm guessing the original template had 5 lines and than in the first project some one manually added one line and when they started the 2nd project they probably used the same title block family but that manually added shared parameter was not transfered. (might be wrong here)...

However this project have lots of small annoying stuff like this and it's about time to do some cleaning up in the templates before we start the next project.

Does anyone have a good strategy to share on how to go on with the task to clean up templates and stuff?

I also wonder how people manage shared parameters between projects?

Do you always reference to the same txt file or do you have a template txt that you copy in to your projects folderstructure for every new project? Or do you just have the ones you usually use in your project template file and save a new txt for every project?

I'm totally new to this so any advice for best practice is highly appriciated.

/Stefan

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
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Developing a good shared parameter file will take some time and you may live with some things you wish you had done differently.  We have one company wide shared parameter file that is maintained by a limited number of people who manage our Revit library as well.  We have not really changed parameters in that file since we started but we have added items.  This file is kept in our main library.

You can have more than one shared parameter file so we sometimes create special shared parameter files that are dedicated to a specific project and kept in the project folder.  Remember, you can export shared parameters from a project or family to an existing shared parameter file (Read your HELP).  This would be a way to clean up your office's file. <<< I NEED TO DO THIS and our recent move to 2014 is a good time to do this. 

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stefanlarsson

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Thanks for the reply! 

I really have to look inte the exporting of shared parameters, that will probably help a bunch.

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Psychalo42

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So I worked at a small firm doing residential stuff and light commercial and was in charge of managing/updating/cleaning up our template file.  I was just recently hired at new firm that does larger projects and am in the process of establishing our Revit Project Template.

Simple answer to your question is you want to set up a Template file which refers to one text of shared parameters. Then whenever starting a project you will start with the template file.  

You will be constantly updating the template file.  Be cautious of downloading things and throwing it in your template.  It will bring new line weights and materials and other things. 

You will learn as you go and the template file will change, just try to keep it as clean and pure as possible, don't take shortcuts when editing it or else it will cause more work down the road.  Now once a project file is started (from the template)go for it, download, insert families, etc etc.  Template is where each project begins and as you develop your work flow, standards, etc it will evolve to meet your needs.

I started our template from a blank file and only have families that we use, just my personal OCD.  Nailing down naming conventions is big and will help the template file to grow a bit more consitantly.

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kennethjude

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Thank you for sharing the information.

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Shared parameter function missing in some family templates!

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Managing Family Templates

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Cannot Locate SHARED PARAMETER FILE!

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Shared Material Between Families

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Referencing a Shared Parameter in a Family parameter formula.

4