Type Catalogs in Content Catalog

[curtisridenour]

Does the Content Catalog allow for the Type Catalog function? Can I choose individual types to load or do all types always get loaded into the Revit model?

[jordan_bullock1 · Accepted solution]

Hi @curtisridenour ,

Currently, the Content Catalog in Autodesk Docs does not fully support the Type Catalog functionality as it exists in Revit. When you load a family from the Content Catalog into Revit, all types within that family are imported, rather than allowing selection of individual types.

Additionally, some users have reported issues when uploading families accompanied by their .txt type catalog files. These issues include naming and formatting discrepancies, which can lead to errors during the import process between the Content Catalog and Revit.

Autodesk is aware of these concerns, and improvements to the Content Catalog's handling of type catalogs are anticipated in future updates.

I hope this helps clarify the current capabilities of the Content Catalog regarding type catalogs. If you have further questions or need assistance with specific workflows, feel free to ask!

[curtisridenour]

@jordan_bullock1 I currently have dozens of families with only one type in the family but dozens within the associated type catalogs. Do you know of a good workflow of getting all those types into the Content Catalog?

I was thinking about loading all the types into a blank Revit model and then exporting the families back to a local folder before moving them to the Content Catalog.

Sadly, our file sizes will bloat quite a bit when loading our Lighting families. We have several nested IES files that increase the file sizes. 

[Ric_Weber · Accepted solution]

@curtisridenour I know this is a fairly old post, but have you got your type catalogs to work correctly in your Content Catalog?  I'm not sure what @jordan_bullock1 was saying.  Some families with type catalogs were having issues, but most were not and were working properly.  They have made lots of strides in getting those issues resolved.  You should be able to upload the family and the .txt file at the same time and then when you insert that file into a project it will ask which types you want to insert and you won't need to insert them all.  If this is not working correctly for some or all of your files, I would issue a support ticket to get it resolved because that should not be happening.  

[curtisridenour]

@Ric_Weber i will give it another shot. That is very encouraging.

[curtisridenour]

Yes, @Ric_Weber is correct. If you load both at the same time, a TC image will show up in the Content Catalog Upload Content tab.

[mikel5YREW]

Have there been any improvements to Type Catalogs (in Content Catalog) since the last reply in late 2024?  I am STILL unable to successfully bring in a family with a type catalog.

[Ric_Weber]

@mikel5YREW, The Type Catalogs should be working just fine.   

You have the family in Content Catalog, correct?  Along with the Type Catalog .txt file, correct?  When you uploaded the family to CC, you uploaded both the family and the .txt file at the same time right?  So if you go into Browse or Search and pull up that family does it say if it is has a TC or not?    And then when you try to insert it, it doesn't give you a list of types to choose from?  Do you have the latest CC extension?  1.3.12.3??  Are you using Chrome or Edge?  

At which point is CC failing to work for you?   I haven't heard any grumbling from anyone regarding issues for months!  If you haven't already, can you try deleting the family from CC, and try to reupload it and the .txt file again to give that a try.  If it was a long time ago that you uploaded those (like over a year ago), there could have been some corruption or something at that time.  Otherwise it should all be working fine.  

Let me know.  

[curtisridenour]

The content catalog does work with Type Catalog files. I have a few families that break when using it via the Content Catalog though. I have not diagnosed the issue yet. It loads many of the parameters incorrectly.

[mikel5YREW]

Here’s what I see:

A shows me that there IS a Type Catalog.  B shows me ONLY 2 member sizes.  When I choose Insert, I get no offer to select a size, nor do I see ANY activity.

Yes, I believe I have the latest extension having installed only a couple of weeks ago.  BTW, where can I find the extension number?  On the web version, I see a build # of 4.0.102, but nothing similar to 1.3.12.3.  I just uploaded the content within the last 7 days.

[Ric_Weber]

That is strange...  I haven't heard of that one yet, but perhaps the developers actually have.  I'm going to recommend a support ticket with Autodesk.  I'm going to assume you've tried deleting and re-uploading that file (and it's related .txt file) again to see if that helps.  Is it only specific families or is it randomly happening?  Does it only happen to Type Catalog families?  Does it always happen to those families that it happens to?  The number one troubleshooting item they almost always go to first is "delete cache and cookies, log out and back in and try again"...  weirdly, often enough that has permanently worked in the past.  I haven't had to do that in months now.  They've gotten those kinks mostly worked out it seems.  

Are formulas being scrambled?  Are parameter names getting messed up?  Are parameters simply missing entirely?   If you have any families that are always doing this, I'd recommend sending the files in on the support ticket in addition to the description of the problem.  They may want to see how it works inserting from CC so may request access.   I'd recommend creating a "Testing" collection, add those families into that collection and then you can add the technician to your hub (into a dummy Forma project (trying to get used to saying Forma instead of ACC)), and then add them to that collection if you don't want them in everything.  I typically just grant full access, I figure they can't mess it up any more than I or my users can.  LOL

[Ric_Weber]

You and I were replying at the same time!   When it is a type catalog it won't show every type in the list in the Properties tab, but when you go to insert the family into a project it will give you the option of loading any or all of them.  

But if the family happens to have one or two actual types in the family editor and also has the Type Catalog, it will list those types that do exist in the family.  So if you take a look at that family in the editor, you will probably see that those two types listed there are actually in the family as well as being associated with the Type Catalog for the rest of the types.  

That happens frequently when people have one or two types loaded into their model, and then save that family back out to it's original location.  

Question is, does it actually give you the full list of types when you go to try to insert it into a project?

[Ric_Weber]

Here is one of my where one of the types got saved to the file as a type but it has a type catalog: 

[Ric_Weber]

Oh dang, I didn't read your post well enough!  I am sorry.  Since it is not giving you the option to choose types, there is definitely something wrong there.  I'd recommend the support ticket.  

As far as finding the version of extension, unfortunately currently the only way to find that is in the Add/Remove Programs tool.  I've told them they need an About feature on that extension, so hopefully when the 2027 version comes out!  Fingers crossed.  If you just downloaded and installed within the last couple weeks, I'm sure you have the current one.  

[mikel5YREW]

Ric---

Thanks so very much for your help!  I must admit that I'm getting very frustrated in becoming a test dummy for Autodesk......especially on a product that apparently worked very well until the Big A got involved.  Sorry, I just HAD to vent a bit!   I'm all better now. 😁  

At this point, I'm looking at AVAIL as a (paid) alternative for content management, being that "time is money" as the saying goes.  

Again, THANKS SO VERY MUCH for your feedback!!!

[Ruby_WangGSJQS]

Hey Ric, we are having this issue as well. The workflow issue for us is that since not all types are showing in the 'properties', when searching for content, we  cannot search for these missing types EVEN THOUGH they are somewhere in the metadata... It's an odd one. The workaround given to us in this article that I will link. Load all types into a Revit model and then upload the content via the Revit model. That way we will see all types in the 'properties'. However our tests then conclude users are unable to pick which types to load when inserting into model. Doesn't seem like we can win win at this point. https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Type-names-for-the...

[Ric_Weber]

Ruby, 

I understand your dilemma, but I've never had the need to search by parameter, so I don't have that experience.  

When you export the family back into CC via a project that has all the types loaded, you are essentially getting rid of the Type Catalog.  Without a type catalog, you cannot choose only certain types to insert into your project...  that doesn't required any testing, that is just the way it is.  To my understanding that is something they are looking at being able to do, but at the moment it can't do that.  I don't know if they are looking at being able to search the type catalogs data or not...  that would be a good idea if it isn't already out there.  

[gabriel_lopezcustode]

Hello everyone,

I am having an issue with Autodesk Content Catalog and Type Catalog families.

Environment:

• Revit 2024
• Latest version of the Content Catalog extension
• Families are stored in Autodesk Docs / Content Catalog

What works:

• If I upload a family without a Type Catalog (.txt), I can insert it into Revit without any problems.
• If I upload the same family with a Type Catalog, the Content Catalog correctly recognizes it:
  • The TC icon is displayed.
  • All family types are visible in the Content Catalog.
  • I can browse and select the different types.

The problem:

• When I click Insert (or Download), I get a message saying that the family was downloaded successfully.
• However, nothing is inserted into Revit.
• No error message is shown.
• No Type Catalog selection dialog appears.
• The family does not appear in the Project Browser.

I've done many tests with many variables, it just does not download the Family. 

Has anyone experienced this issue with Revit 2024 and Content Catalog?
Are there any limitations or known issues regarding Type Catalog support in Content Catalog?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!