Revit 2023 - cannot change family type

[HVAC-Novice]

I use Revit 2023 and this problem just started after I installed Revit 2024 (not sure if this is related). i haven't upgraded projects to 2024 yet.

When I select a family in a view or a family type in the browser, I normally can select in properties a different type or a different family of the same category from the dropdown. But now the following problem happens:

- when I click on the dropdown the choice of all the types only shows up for half a second, and then disappears. 

- I can highlight the dropdown section and then use the arrow down to scroll through the types. Thsi only shows a few types and looks like a graphics error (see below, the S3-3.75K etc. should be along list of 12 types). Even if I select one, it doesn't change the family

- this happens when is elect the type in browser or in a view

- it happens to all types of families and in multiple projects where it didn't before. 

I already-re-installed Revit 2023. the only clue I have is that the properties menu looks weird (it has those black bars)

I installed the latest graphics driver (Quadro P2000). Maybe i will try to install an older (Autodesk certified driver). but this wasn't an issue all along. 

the only real odd thing is i have that update 2023.1.1.1 listed as available update. I installed that and it installed successfully. But next time I check, it is listed again and I can install it again. and it also showed up again after i re-installed Revit. 

Did anyone experience this or have an idea what to try? it basically prevents me from swapping out family types. The only workaround would be to delete a placed family, and manually place the type I want. 

[HVAC-Novice]

I installed an older graphics driver, to no avail. the drop down menu still disappears after less than a second.

I found one trick. When I use arrow keys to go to the type i want (like in the screenshot above, where it only shows 2 of the many types it should show), I was able to select that type if i hit "enter". it doesn't work when I left-click. That is not really a good workaround or solution. 

[stefan_gokstorp]

sounds like a revit UI problem think you have to go in to the reg edit file and reset it you should google how you do it.

OBS be careful if you dont know what you are doing with reg edit file mess with the wrong file and could mess up alot of things on your computer. so i wont post where it is because i dont know for sure myself. dubble check to invidual threads that you ahave the right file as well im not kidding about the mess up your computer part

[HVAC-Novice · Accepted solution]

I have the suspicion some of the problems I have are related to the applocker software our IT uses. That software basically prevents executables or any other files to run if they are not approved. I had installed Revit 2024, but it threw some errors (and the logs showed me applocker prevented some things from running). I assume, this had some sort of effect on my 2023. It also could have been a problem with the 2023.1.1.1. update also being prevented by AppLocker. So i basically had to remotely install myself, and send someone from IT the applocker errors, so they can approve that specific feature. Since Revit uses many features (and uninstalling also really requires the rights I don't have), this all didn't work. I tried to re-install 2023 and 2024 correctly to see if that helps. So, this is what I think caused my problems. 

IT must have changed something how Applocker works. For the last few years I was able to install Revit myself. But I think those days are over and I now will have to have a privileged person install Revit and all updates for me as well. 

Good news, this morning I physically was in the office and someone who has full privileges came by and installed Revit (both versions) for me and now it works. I can use that drop down in both 2023 and 2024! I now just also have to get the applocker errors resolved for plugins I have in Revit. 

I hope this is a unique problem to our organization. But if your organization uses applocker, look in Eventviewer to see what it is stopping from running. this is an example for how it prevents one of my Revit plugins from running. 

[HVAC-Novice]

So this issue came back. Even after a fresh install of Revit 2023 and 2024. I opened a support ticket with Autodesk and we are going through the ususal steps. 

But I wonder if anyone else had a similar issue? I mean the drop down menu issue in my OP (this time it is not an Applocker issue). I'm not expecting you to solve it for me (I hope Autodesk can help), but at least it would be good to know if someone else has seen this and what the circumstances may have been.

[HVAC-Novice · Accepted solution]

this also covers the crashes I had in a different thread. 

It took me working with Autodesk and our It a long time to figure out. that pattern that emerged was that if I start Revit at work at the desk it is instilled on, all is fine, no crash, no weird drop down menu and no black bars. But when I remoted in from home and both my private PCs, i had the above problem. The tricky part was, when a project was opened at work and left open, it still worked (most the time), when remoted in. Only when I opened the project while remoted in, it acted up. So, it initially was hard to see the pattern. This was for both R2023 and R2024. Both either worked, or didn't. 

Our IT had provided us a remote software to install on our private PCs. it is called VMWare Horizon and is a bit clunky but worked over the last 3 years. Usually if it has problems, it impacts all work (either slow, or remoting in doesn't work at all). It is a new flaw that it impacts only one software and mainly only one feature. and no, after this, no one has the slightest idea why this all happens. 

But we have a second way to remote in. This is via VPN. BUT this only can be used on employer-issued devices. It is not possible to use on my private PC. So I ended up trying that out, and IT WORKS FINE. So, I took an employer-issued tablet and hub home to hook up to my monitors and remote in. 

Hope this helps someone to spend less time if they have problems remoting in. There probably is no logical explanation.