Nested families + shared parameters: make them work (fast)

Nested families + shared parameters: make them work (fast)

The gist: You can expose and control a nested family’s parameters from the host and in the project (for tagging/scheduling) — but only if the nested family is marked Shared and its parameters are properly associated

Why it matters

  • Individually tag & schedule the parts inside a host (e.g., hardware in a door family) by sharing the nested family. If it isn’t shared, it can’t be selected/tagged/scheduled on its own
  • Reuse & control: associating host parameters to nested ones lets you drive nested behavior from one place

Do this (quick setup)

  1. Make/confirm a shared parameter
    Create or browse to your shared parameter file, then add the shared parameter you’ll need (text/length/Yes-No, etc.). Shared parameters are definitions you can reuse across families & projects
  2. Share the nested family
    Open the nested family’s properties and turn on Shared so it’s taggable/schedulable as its own element in the project
  3. Associate parameters in the host
    Load the nested family into the host. Select the nested family in the host and associate its parameter to a host family parameter (they must be the same data type)
  4. Use it in the project
    Place the host. Now you can tag/schedule the shared nested component or use its shared parameters in schedules
  5. Toggle visibility (common need)
    For on/off control, use a Yes/No parameter: create it where needed and associate it to the nested family’s visibility. If it “doesn’t work,” it’s usually an association/setup issue

Troubleshoot (fast)

  • Association fails? Host and nested parameters must be the same type to associate 
  • Can’t tag/schedule a sub-component? The nested family likely isn’t Shared 
  • Visibility not responding? Re-link the Yes/No parameter to the specific nested element’s visibility; confirm the nested setup

FYI / gotchas

  • You don’t need to share the host — share the nested parts you want to tag/schedule
  • Shared parameters live in a .txt file so teams can standardize and reuse the same definitions 

Keep it simple

  1. Create the shared parameter
  2. Share the nested family
  3. Associate in the host
  4. Tag/Schedule in project
  5. Troubleshoot if need

References

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