Understanding shared parameters

- A lot of times, we need parameters that are shared not only throughout the entire project but are shared with other trades and other models as well. This brings us to shared parameters. A shared parameter is actually a text file that stores common parameters that are used as project information. This file is generally stored either on a network in a centralized location or in a specific project. So to get started, we need to start up a project. So under Projects, I'm going to click on Structural Template. Now what I'd like to do is actually scroll down on the Project Browser, and I'm going to make a sheet.

So under Sheets (all), I'm going to right click, and I'm going to select New Sheet. I'm going to use the standard title block that's loaded, and I'm going to click OK. I want to edit this sheet, so I'm going to double click on the title block itself. And I'm going to physically add a parameter down here. So I'm going to go to the Create tab, I'm going to click on Label. I'm going to put this label right about here. The problem is I don't have any parameters that I want, so I'm going to create a new one.

I'm going to click Add Parameter. I have no choice but to make this a shared parameter. I'm going to click on Select. It's saying that the shared parameter file doesn't exist. Do you want to choose a new file? Yes. I'm going to click on the Create button, and I'm going to make a brand new shared parameter file. So my file name, I'm just going to call it Shared Parameters, and I'm going to click Save. Now, I need to make a parameter group, so under Groups, I'm going to click New.

For this group, I'm going to call it Project Information, and I'm going to click OK. Now I'm going to make a new parameter. I'm in New York. We have what's called the State Education Department, so I'm going to type SED Number. The type of parameter is going to be Text. And we're going to click OK. I'm going to click OK here, and I'm going to click OK here, and here's my parameter. I can't change anything, because that's controlled by the text file. I'm going to click OK, and I'm going to add that parameter.

For my prefix, I'm going to type SED, and I'm going to put a little colon. I'm going to click Apply. I'm going to click OK. I want to make this parameter a little bit bigger. Now I'm going to load my title block back into my project. I'm going to overwrite the existing version. Now we can't edit this yet, because we need to bring that shared parameter into this project. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to go to Manage, I'm going to go to Project Parameters.

There's none in here. I'm going to click Add. I'm going to click on Shared parameter, and I'm going to click Select. And it's going to go back to that same text file we created. I'm going to find my SED Number. I'm going to click OK. Now over here, I want to scroll down until I find Project Information. And I'm going to check it on. So in the category over here, We can make this parameter show up in whatever we want. It just so happens this is Project Information, but we can add shared parameters to any type of object.

I'm going to click OK. I'm going to click OK. Now I'm going to select my title block. Now I can click on that parameter and type 123456 and click off of it. My SED number is 123456. One more thing I'd like to look at, if we go to Manage, then we go to Shared Parameters, in our project, we can map our shared parameter to any file we want. A lot of times your firm will have a global shared parameter and sometimes you'll have shared parameters that are specific only to that project.

But either way, you can have multiple shared parameter files, just don't get crazy with them, because it'll get confusing.