Revit is sometimes referred to as a parametric change engine. Parameters are the very core of what makes Revit MEP 2012 such a powerful design and modeling tool. Parameters hold the computable data that defines the properties of not only model components, but also everything that makes up a Revit project. They are the characteristics of all elements of a Revit project that ultimately determine behavior, appearance, performance, and information.
Parameters and properties are often considered synonymous, but it is the parametersthat determine the properties of a component. Properties may be static, yet parameters allow for change to be propagated throughout the project. For example, you can have an object with a length property, but it is a length parameter that allows you to change the length as needed.
There are three basic kinds of parameters in Revit MEP 2012. Some parameters are hard-coded into the software. The values of these parameters can be edited as needed, but the parameters themselves cannot be removed or modified. In this chapter, these are referred to as coded parameters.
Family parametersare used to build and define graphical structure and engineering data within component families. These parameters can be customized as needed to enhance the capabilities of component objects and to extract and analyze data.
Shared parametersare useful to help maintain consistency within families and to coordinate information within a project. They are the most useful kind of parameter because they can be used in component families, schedules, tags, and annotations to report the same data in whatever format the user chooses.
When you realize the power of parameters in Revit and understand the types of things you can achieve with them, you will have a better understanding of why Revit can improve your workflow processes and the efficiency of your design projects.
In this chapter, you will learn to do the following:
Manipulate the properties of parameters •u
Work with parameters in families •u
Work with shared parameters •u
Use parameters in project files •u
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