Autodesk Revit MEP

[#1]

I am working in Revit  MEP 2012. When I try to load some families which I got from manufacturers (a model of a rooftop unit or a chiller) my revit crashes. I get the following error message "An unrecoverable error has occured. The program will now be terminated. ..).

I looked into the journal file created for the error and i have copied what i think is the problem. I have multiple parameters called "Phase" already in the model and it looks like there is a name conflict when i tried to bring in this new family which has a new parameter called "Phase".  Has anybody seen this before or is there a solution to this?

Thanks!

  ' 0:< DBG_WARN: Mismatched shared parameter definitions!  GUID='697795fb-88ee-4cc9-93e4-e363ae8be74b'  Existing parameter:  Name='Phase'  ParamType='11', '-1', '4'  New parameter:  Name='Phase'  ParamType='16', '-1', '4': line 821 of Elem\FamilyUI.cpp.

 'C 25-May-2012 09:02:08.793;   0:< Assertion failed: line 829 of Elem\FamilyUI.cpp

 ' 0:< Exception occurred

 'C 25-May-2012 09:02:08.793;   0:< ExceptionCode=0xe06d7363 ExceptionFlags=0x00000001 ExceptionAddress=000007FEFD62CACD

[#2]

As you highlighted the categorising of the parameter is different so could well be upsetting Revit. Before loading in to project, I would recommend adjusting the family to incorporate your shared parameters byt swapping their ones for your ones in the family types dialogue box. That should hopefully resolve the issue.

This is one of the problems with Manufacturer content as they mean to help bu it actually causes more problems and messing around trying to fix it.

[#3]

Did you figure this out?  I am running into the same thing with an Aurora pump I downloaded from the manufacturer.  My journal file tells me it is the Phase parameter too.  I tried removing the phase parameter from the family, but it still gives me a fatal error when I load it in. 

It is odd that I can load it into an "autodesk template" without any issue.  When I try to load it into a project started with my company template, I get the error.

[#4]

Sorry but have had little spare time to look at things due to workload.

[#5]

Okay I have ran into this problem as well.  Here is what I have found out.  Half of the families out there have a phase paramter called "Phase" and are set to "number of poles" as their type of parameter.  The other half of the families out there have a "Phase" parameter set as an integer.  Now to argue which is right or wrong.  

120V,1 Phase = 1 Pole

208V, 1 Phase = 2 Poles
208V, 3 Phase = 3 Poles

240V, 1 Phase = 2 Poles
240V, 3 Phase = 3 Poles

277V, 1 Phase = 1 Pole
480V, 1 Phase (rare) = 2 Poles
480V, 3 Phase = 3 Pole

While most of the time Phase does equal No of Poles it doesn't always as shown above.  So if you are going to create a phase parameter it should be set as an integer not "No of Poles." 

Now for the fix and to truely remove the phase parameter from a .rfa.  How these two parameters ever ended up with the same GUID is beyond me the only thing I can think of is that at some point a family creator got in there and messed with the shared parameter file IDs before the parameter was assigned in that family.  Removing the parameter requires an add-in from sdk and is not easy for me to explain.  I will try and make a video of how to install the add-in and remove the parameter soon when I have a little more time on my hands.  For starters you can install the add-in you need by placing the two files I attached into this folder C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2013

or C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2012 for 2012.   Once the add-on is installed open the family go to its parameters, delete the parameter.  Then use Revit Lookup> Snoop DB> Element> find "phase" look at element ID copy that to your clipboard, exit snoop db.  Now go and do a purge under the manage tab, I usually do it twice for good measure.  Now go to select by ID under manage tab paste that ID that you copied out of Snoop and hit OK.  You will notice that you have something selected so just hit the delete button and that deletes the parameter.  Now save the file, and upon reopening make sure the audit box is checked.  Like I said not an easy task but its what it takes.  I will try to make a youtube video and post  a link to it soon.  Okay apparently I cannot attached the files I need to so message me with your e-mail and I will send them to you.

-THanks

[#6]

Rocky, I am having a similar problem with a shared parameter. Have you made the video you mentioned in your post about instructions to install the Add in?

[#7]

I've had a few people asking about clearing these problematic shared parameters, so I wanted to provide more details on how to install the Revit Lookup add-in to facilitate this.

1. Download the 2012 SDK from the following link (I've found that the 2013 version does not have a pre-compiled version of the RevitLookup.dll file, but the 2012 version will work with the 2013 software):
   http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=2484975
2. When prompted extract the SDK to the following folder:
   C:\RevitAPI 2013\Revit 2013 SDK
   Note: You can use a different folder, if you want, but you will need to adjust the path in the ADDIN file from the next step.
3. Download the RevitLookup.addin file from the following link to the C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2013\ folder (For XP use the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2013\ folder):
   http://adndevblog.typepad.com/aec/2012/09/revitlookupaddin-manifest-file-.html

Note: If you are installing the add-in for the 2012 version, replace 2013 with 2012 (and edit the ADDIN file to change the path).

Once the add-in is loaded, you can go through the steps provided by rocky1717 to remove the shared parameters from the family.