How to delete shared/project parameter from family instances?

[Anonymous]

I need to clean up some shared parameters to my project - but cannot. Unwanted parameters are removed from Project Parameters and Shared Parameters, but they are still "binded" to family instances.
Is there a way to get rid of them?

Image after deleting parameter - it's greyed out and locked, but still appears to all Windows.

Anyhelp would be much appreciated.

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @M_Perez

Thanks or the alert! Appreciate it I will report this to the dedicated resource & team.

Thanks to all experts on this thread, excellent brainstorming! @Anonymous, @Sahay_R, @ToanDN, @KuberanBaskar)

Regards,

[Anonymous]

@M_Perez  May I ask what do you mean by replace family?
When I change the element to represent totally different window family, the old parameter remains.

Only when I create new instance (of any window family) it's not present.

Any idea how to smoothly delete-replace all existing windows in the project? To add to that, they must remain in different phases (existing/ new construction) and preserve the Text parameters they have (different for each instance).

[M_Perez]

Sorry, I assumed that when you exchange it with another family it would be remove.

How many "problematic" windows do you have?

Have you ever used dynamo? Dynamo/Script would be a solution to batch replace them.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately then. It's more than 1k windows (ca. 1 300).

Yes, I've used Dynamo before on some basic problems. Could you suggest an idea how to match old instances to new with copying the data contained in parameters?
As said, each instance has different values (type-in Text and Numbers), that link to other documentation and need to be preserved.

[M_Perez]

I haven´t yet tested it, but I guess it should work:

1. List the windows (You could somehow filter just the ones with problems or at least remove the ones that for sure don´t have the problem, for example if they where all from the same family/typ)
2. Get the position of the window (you can google dynamo family in coodinates https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/place-family-from-list-of-coordinates/11329)
3. Get the parameters of the windows (get parameter value by name) You would have to look for the parameters that you need.
4. Remove the old windows
5. Place the new windows in the positions of the old ones
6. Set parameters by name in each window

I would subject to make a small dummy project with a few walls and a few windows (better if you use different walls/windows types) and then I would test first the system just to replace the windows, without parameters, and then the part to copy the parameters. (divide and rule)

If you get stuck, you can ask here again or in the https://forum.dynamobim.com/ for specific dynamo questions.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much!

I will have a look onto that work method with Dynamo.

To sum up the topic - the problem with remaining parameter after deletion still exists.

To avoid the issue, you can replace the windows - delete and place again new instances, which shall not have old, removed parameter. This could help if you have relatively small number of items to your project.

To bigger projects and large number of items custom script might help - and is still to be developed.

Thank you all again!

[M_Perez]

I would like to check if you made any progress! 🙂

[Hugh_Compton]

I have managed to recreate your problem.  I have attached the file (2019 format) for those willing to have a go at removing the Project Parameter that has been deleted but is still showing.  

The Parameter is PP_Water.  I have added a Generic Family (z Splitter) that has this pesky Parameter attached.  

[FAIR59 · Accepted solution]

If you are positive, you don't need the shared parameter, i.e. the parameter isn't also a family-parameter in a loaded family , then there is a quick fix using dynamo:

• Find the id of the SharedParameterElement ( the Element in the database for a shared parameter)  using dynamo.
• Manual:   Select By Id
• Manual: Delete.

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @Anonymous

I just wanted to follow up here, please mark any posts that help with "Accept as Solution" and thanks! 

This will help others in the community to find answers quickly.

Regards,

[Hugh_Compton]

Thank you FAIR59, that works great. 

[ShameemahDavids]

This works really well. Thanks.

[niklas.stranneforsQRAYC]

I know this is an old topic, but I had the same problem. 

Short: 

• Went into Project Parameters and removed parameter
• Removed all Schedules with said parameter.

The parameter still existed in the project as said above, and greyed out. 

How I "solved" it; 

Added the Shared Parameter again into the project with the same category (Wall in my case, Windows in this post's case) and "ok" the dialogue box.

Went back to Project Parameters and removed the parameter, it was now correctly removed from all Walls and gone from the project.

This was in a Revit 2020.2.5 project. 

[tertoledo9621]

Hey, I am facing the same problem here. Did you find a way to solve it that isn't deleting the families?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I got rid of it, but I am not sure what finally did work out.
I have detached the model with audit option (in case other users might accidentaly still use that parameter). I did double check to existing schedules and deleted problematic parameters there. Some tag families that referenced to that parameter also needed modification.

[cem_acikada]

what happend to the elementtypes node? it doesnot exist in my Revit 2023. I sthere any othe node for the same function?

[lmpka]

This worked for me.  I had a sheet parameter that I wanted to remove, so I removed it at the project level, and then cleaned up all the sheet lists that used it, but the parameter was still showing as a sheet property (ghosted).  I added the parameter back in, then deleted it and it was gone from the sheet properties.

I'm guessing that when you delete it, Revit checks to see if it is in use anywhere, and it if is, it keeps it in read-only form.  And that check doesn't get done when removed from schedules, so adding it back in and deleting it again makes it re-check for use, and then allows full deletion when not used anywhere.

Hope this is helpful.

[jflemaydesign]

This may not apply directly to this case, but there's often a situation where shared parameters were brought in by a family, and they can't be seen in the shared parameters panel.  So they're still in the Revit project but invisible.  In this case, the solution is:

"Purge Shared Parameters From a Revit Model" by By Jay Merlan

https://opendefinery.com/blog/purging-shared-parameters-in-revit/

1) Reveal “deleted” Shared Parameters using the RevitLookup add-in by Jeremy Tammik.

2) Use SnoopDB to find the Element ID of the Shared Parameter.

3) Select Element by ID.

4) Press the Delete key.

There's a risk of data loss if you delete the wrong thing.

I hope this helps.