By Dennis Collin
The Revit 2023 release has introduced a new Technology Preview, Parameters Service. The new preview function allows users to add and manage parameters on the cloud, without having to manage a local shared parameters text file.
Within Revit the Parameters Service can be launched by navigating to the Manage tab (Parameters Service) in the toolbar. Once initiated parameters can be added manually or added from the current model or existing local shared parameters file. This is all held via the Autodesk Construction Cloud account.
Use the Parameters Service to manage shared parameters on the cloud and import them into a local Revit session.
Parameters can be added to Revit from the Parameters Service wherever conventional shared parameters can be added. Launch the service by looking for the parameter service icon marked in the image within several Revit commands. Parameters can still be added ad-hoc or via a conventional local shared parameters file if necessary.
The Parameter Services environment can also be accessed within Revit’s Family editor environment, under the Family Types dialogue.
In summary the Parameter service can be accessed within the following environments:
- Project Parameters
- Single and Multi-Category Schedules
- Material Take-off Schedules
- Sheet List Schedules
- Note block Schedules
- View list Schedules
- Family Editing (Family Types)
- Tag Family Labels *(not currently available/working)
To manually create a new parameter, select the + button in the preview dialogue. Name, discipline, value type and properties palette group are mandatory. Also at least one category needs to be selected which the parameter will be bound to as a default, and whether the parameter is a type or instance parameter.
Note: Parameter names cannot contain the following symbol(s):
\ : { } [ ] | ; < > ? ` ~ + - * / ^ = ' " $ %
Underscore characters are acceptable.
Once the parameter input is complete, click OK and a notification will appear whether the parameter has been successfully added.
Although this function is just in technology preview, it seems to be a much more effective way of managing parameters and keeping them in a safe consistent space. If required these parameters can be pulled down en masse to a local Revit file. Perhaps in a future version it would be useful to be able to download, or be able to save to a local shared parameter file. One current limitation is there seems to be an inability to obtain a parameter from the service and allocate it to any kind of tag. This is in contradiction to the help file and other documentation. The create custom parameter within Tags only allows the selection from a conventional shared parameter file, but despite this and bearing in mind the nature of technology preview functions I think this is a step forward in how Revit handles user defined parameters and I’ll be watching for any future developments in this area with great interest.