SPF Editor in the toolset of Shared Parameters helps edit shared parameters in any SPFs, connected with the current model (of project, family or even template kind), associated with the entire Revit session, or standalone anywhere in any version. The model connected shared parameter file (SPF) takes precedence over the Revit session associated one. The Open button can open any standalone SPFs residing anywhere created by any Revit.
Its UI looks like this.
Its title displays the Shared Parameter File (SPF) that is being edited, either connected with the current model, associated with the current Revit session, or opened explicitly.
Buttons: (from left to right)
- Open: to open a shared parameter file (SPF) on disk
- Close: to close the Editor
- Build: to build up a new Shared Parameter File (SPF) into the editor
- Save: to save all changes back to the Shared Parameter File (SPF)
- Save As: to save the current Shared Parameter File (SPF) as another
- Export as PO.txt: to export all shared parameters to a nicely formatted PO.txt so as to print or archive
- Export as PO.csv: to export all shared parameters to a PO.csv so as to open and edit in Excel or any similar
- Import PO.csv: to import a PO.csv file into the current editor
- Change View: to change parameter layout among views of flat, by group, by discipline, and by type
- Merge: to merge some other Shared Parameter Files (SPFs) into the current one
- Separate: to separate chosen Shared Parameters out to another SPF
- New: to add a new shared parameter into the editor grid at bottom
- Erase: to erase chosen shared parameters from the current view
- Examine: to examine shared parameters for issues like GUIDs wrong or parameter types unsupported in a specified Revit version
- Search/Replace: to separate chosen shared parameters out to another SPF
- Edit Chosen: to edit chosen parameters, e.g. GUID regeneration, regrouping, and name prefixing/suffixing
- Edit Groups: to edit parameter groups of the current SPF such as renaming, merging and swapping
- Settings: to check or modify those settings for the tool
- Help: to display online documentation for the tool
- About: to show information about the tool
Data grid:
Each column can be sorted in either ascending or descending order; it is enabled or disabled based on whether it make sense to the parameter, e.g. each Category box is disabled for none Family Type parameter and the whole Description column is not supported (will be disabled or hidden) in SPF version 2014 if specified in Settings.
Context Menu:
It can be popped up on any none-editable area such as row headers, column headers and drop down boxes; it provides a few commands to operate on parameter selections such as Select Highlighted, Deselect Highlighted, Select All, Deselect All, and Inverse Selection; multiple grid rows can be highlighted through pressing Shift/Ctrl key and Left mouse button at the same.
Columns:
- X: through checking its boxes, parameters on those rows will be chosen for later operations such as editing and erasing
- Group: all existing parameter groups are available in the drop down to select for that parameter; better, the group name can be changed directly in the edit box so as to add it to the whole SPF
- Name: can be edited at will; in case they have duplicates the Examine command will report them out
- GUID: can be edited at will; in case it is not valid the Examine command will report it out
- Discipline: can be selected from all available disciplines such as Common, Structural, HVAC, Energy, Electrical and Piping; then those parameter types in it will be populated for the Type drop down below
- Type: can be selected from all available parameter types in the Revit discipline as specified above; their availability also depends on the SPF version as specified in Settings
- Category: is only enabled in case the parameter type as selected above is Family Type; can be selected from all available family types for the SPF version as specified in Settings
- Visible: to indicate whether the parameter is visible to users in Revit
- User Modifiable: to indicate whether the parameter is user modifiable; if the field is not supported by the SPF version as specified in Settings such as 2014, the column will be hidden or disabled
- Description: to indicate the description for the parameter; each box in the column provides a multiple line editor for the description field; if the field is not supported by the SPF version as specified in Settings such as 2014, the column will be hidden or disabled
Scrollbars:
- Horizontal: it will not show up at all; all data grid columns' width will be adjusted automatically if the window is resized on the horizontal direction
- Vertical: it will show up if parameters are more than one view page; it can be scrolled up or down so as to show parameter out of the current view page
Status Bar:
It displays the group, parameter, and issue count in the SPF at each moment.