Add a Beam Length to Framing Tag

You will first create a shared parameter in the project file:

1. Under Manage tab, select Shared Parameters.
2. Create a new file.  (This file will usually be saved in the project folder, but for this I have saved a file called Beam Tags in S:\Revit\Shared Parameters\.  You can browse to this file to load it.)
3. Create a new Group  (I named the group Beam Tags).
4. Create a new Parameter (Design Length).  Discipline is Common and Type of Parameter will be Length.

Then modify or create a Structural Framing Tag:

1. Load the Shared Parameters file if it is not open.
2. You can either create an additional label that will tag in addition to the current beam (copy or Create), or you can change the current label and tag only with a framing length.
3.  Highlight a tag to access the Edit Label dialogue option.
4. In Edit Label, on the left side below Category Parameters, choose the Add Parameter icon.
5. In Parameter Properties, choose Select..., Parameter Group "Beam Tags", Parameter "Design Length".
6. Design Length should not be an option under Category Parameters.  Use the arrow buttons between frames to add and subract Parameters from the Label Parameters window.
7. Save the Framing Tag as a new family file so that you can keep the stock tag and the new tag separate (or perhaps add a new Family Type with visibility parameters?).

This is an open Annotation Tag file, specifically the Structural Framing tag with an additional tag added to the right of the stock Type tag.  This tag is in a box because it is currently highlighted and its Label dialogue box is open.  I used a different font size and color for the Design Length label.  The suffix for the label is "l=" and the default value is X'-X"

For each type of framing family you want to tag with a length you will have to edit the Family:

1. Load the Shared Parameters file if it is not already open.
2. Open the Family Types dialogue.
3. At the right side, under Parameters, click Add...
4. Select Shared parameter, Select..., Design Length.  Make it an Instance parameter, it should file itself under Dimensions.
5. Hard code Design Length to be =Length (default).
6. Load the Family back in to the project and discard the edited Family file (DO NOT save this back over the stock Revit Families).