Family not showing in Project Browser

[edgars_miskins]

I have an .rvt file with ceilings and lighting fixtures (exported/saved by some other company, so I don't have access to the source)
Lighting Fixtures are displayed seemingly correctly (with the correct category (under "Lighting Fixtures"), acceptable family and type names, ect).
The problem is, that these families are somehow not listed in the Project Browser. Additionally, these families cannot be edited and "Create Similar" also does not work for these.
Also when exporting to DWG, these families export as lines not blocks (I need them to export as blocks)
How can I fix this? What is wrong here?
I need these families to behave as normal families (that are listed in the Project Browser, can be edited and exported to DWG as blocks).
Any ideas?
The original file is quite large, so, for the sake of an example, I copied few elements to a new and empty file. See the attachment.

[Luiscko]

I almost sure that this element is not native from Revit, i think so is a imported IFC element this is the principal reason that you can not see in your project browser and obviusly you can not modified this particular element.

I recommend that is this element escencial to your project that you replace with a new one create with the same information.

[L.Maas]

This what is called a directshape. It is geometry built with materials assigned. It has a few characteristics from a family. It can have parameters, it has a category and it has types. 

As you already noticed you can not edit it. If you look at the family types you will see that it is marked as a system family (thus not loadable).

It is possible with the Revit API to create these DirectShapes.

I am afraid there is not much you can do (or you might to dig deep into the Revit API).

[Anonymous]

You started with the Construction Template.....don't do that.  Delete it...Get rid of it!

Start with the Architectural (default.rte) template....you will see all your family categories.

[edgars_miskins]

Thank you for the response!
Unfortunately, the original file has around 4700 elements like this (14 different types). It would be a massive pain to replace them all manually.
Isn't there any way to convert these to regular families?

[edgars_miskins]

Thank you for the response and the nice explanation!
I guess, there is also no way to easily convert them to regular families?

[Corsten.Au]

Hi

If you just want to use the same family, then you may create it ..

1. Export it in 3D , dwg

2. Create a new family, ceiling based, wall based, fixture etc..

3. import that dwg

exported in CAD, and import CAD in new light fixture family..

looking at that light fixtures, it would be much easy to just recreate that form.

[L.Maas · Accepted solution]

No. As you already noticed you can not edit or save those objects.

As you are talking mainly about lighting fixtures I would consider to remodel the families and then replace the objects with the new families Maybe using Dynamo to assist with the replacing.

[edgars_miskins]

Ok. Thanks.