Simple answer NO.
But remember edit one group and that updates ALL like group instances

However, groups can also been a royal pain in the butt. They can vary from eachother in minor ways, over which you very little control, for eg. wall joins. Its extremely annoying when you want all instances of a group to be EXACTLY the same, yet they start to behave differently.

I do wish there was an element that was between a group and a family(not in-place), that would always remain constant no matter where it was placed.

Have you tried using links instead of groups ? Personally I tend to use that option over groups, which besides the issues you mentioned, also tends to slow down the project :beer:

Yup, always try to use links over groups, however, often there will be repeating set of elements within a project which are better suited to being used as groups, but can be difficult to manage.

I'm unsure what you mean by links, locking pivot point?.
The issue I was looking at was a flexible ramp symbol which needs to repeat length wise, ie group number formula over length, but also flex in width, this means using groups.
I initially built the ramp symbol out of family components (non groups) which can flex in width but not repeat them selves over variable distances. I like the ward robes I created 3 different sizes small, medium and large, the accommodate the pattern distortion.
Mark B posted a flexible ward robe yesterday which repeats its self length ways using the formula above, this was a revelation to me, But then I found the groups in this component can't flex in width.
Again I don't think I can have it both ways.

Try this and see if it is what you are after. Draw as line, set desired width and arrow spacing.
Try reverse engineering to see how it works.
Let me know how you get on

Groups and Links serve an entirely different Purpose. Groups are invaluable at the quasi-micro scale. Every configuration of Storefront or Curtainwall gets Grouped in our models. Ive got models with hundreds of "groups" of storefront, no want youre going to have all of those as links. Theyre extremely fast, they update quickly, theyre all built from the same origin so you can swap different units out with faith, and the models fly.

Vertical circulation (stairs) get grouped if the FTF heights are the same and the stair run is the same floor to floor.
Public Toilet cores get grouped, sometimes even with all of the detailing, to be stored and reused in other projects.
Room equipment gets grouped constantly, particularly in our Healthcare Group, when theyre detailing tons of rooms with a lot of equipment in them.

All of these things.... Very bad uses of links.

The stigma groups have for killing file performance exists because people dont understand and misuse them. Ive got files with (literally) several HUNDRED groups, and they are some of the fastest performing files we have.

Yes this is what I was looking for. I started on this by reverse engineering that wardrobe you sent through. I just missed the important step of setting the nested family parameter that you DID hint at.
I'll have to send you a crate of beer if this keeps up. Thanks again.

Aaron, I'm interested in what you said about grouping vertical circulation, ie stairs. Are you including the stair shafts in you groups?

I've got exactly this situation on a project and for now we've used links for the stairs and lift core types(both are contained in a link), but will bind these in as groups near to project completion(end of design stage). The reasoning behind this is to avoid the issue with various wall junctions messing up the groups when they heal, as this project is at design stage and so a lot of change is occuring.