Revit software offers four distinct types of parameters:
1. Family Parameters: These parameters apply to all element types within a family. By adding or modifying family parameters, you can control the instances that contain them, enhancing the flexibility of family types within the model. Typically, family parameters are used at the LOD 300 or LOD 400 levels. In the Family Editor, the Family Types tool allows you to create parameters specific to a family, define the parameter type, and assign the appropriate unit. Type parameters apply to the entire family category, while instance parameters affect only individual family instances without impacting others. After the geometric model is created, parameters correspond one-to-one with object features. These parameter values can be numerical, textual, or defined by formulas linked to the shape properties. When family parameters are used in project files, different instances of the same family remain independent, with their parameters expressed separately.
2. Project Parameters: Project parameters serve as containers for information within project files. Once defined, these parameters can be added across multiple element categories, drawings, or views within the project, and are applicable from LOD 100 through LOD 400. Unlike family parameters, project parameters do not exist within family files; they can only be created and modified within the project file itself. These parameters can be utilized in schedules for quantity takeoffs and analysis. Each project can have its own set of project parameters, but these cannot be shared across different projects. Their primary use is to organize, sort, and filter schedules specific to the project.
3. Shared Parameters: Shared parameters are definitions that can be used in both family and project files. These parameters are stored externally in a .txt file, independent of Revit files, allowing them to be placed on a shared network for use across multiple projects and families. However, using a shared parameter in one file does not automatically update others that use the same parameter. Shared parameters are especially useful for creating multi-category schedules. By adding shared parameters to the desired family categories, you can generate detailed schedules that span multiple categories.
4. Global Parameters: Global parameters behave similarly to project parameters and exist only within a single project. Unlike project parameters, global parameters are not assigned to specific categories. They can represent simple values, formulas, or values derived from other global parameters within the model. Global parameters enable you to assign consistent values to multiple object dimensions or establish relative positions between elements based on the size of one element, enhancing model control and coordination.
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