Unpurgeable types - None in model when selecting, but an error message says there are instances in the model when deleting via project browser

[jbrr27]

I ended up with duplicate families as sometimes happens (i.e. Family and Family1 that are the same object).  In attempting to clean this up, I reloaded all the types used in the model from the library into the default family, selected all from each type of the duplicate family in the model, and changed them to the same type in the default family.  I then attempted to purge the duplicate family and its types, but they were not available in the purge menu.  I went back to the project browser, selected each type from the duplicate family, right clicked and chose "Select All Instances > In Entire Project" and it behaves as if there are no instances (shows a quantity of 1, but it's grayed out, as is typical of an object with no instances in the model):

I also tried the option to select all in project including legends, although I don't think model objects can be placed in legends.  Either way, the result was the same.  However, if I right click in the project browser and select delete, I get an error message stating that there are instances in the model:

The warning has no object IDs, and "show" is grayed out.  How can there be instances in the model, when select all in project shows none?  Model groups are the only possibility I'm aware of, but I went through all the model groups in the project and there are none of the duplicate family in any of them.  Creating a new instance of one of the duplicate family types and selecting all in the project, it only shows only the one instance, even though deleting that type it says there are multiple.  These are structural objects (beams), although I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the issue. 

I was able to delete each type in the project browser, and since I could see all of the instances of the correct family types in the model, that worked in this case.  The warnings are able to be ignored.  However, where the elements in question are harder to see, it may be more difficult to confirm you're not deleting objects that actually exist somewhere and are needed.  So I'd like to figure out why this happened.  Has anyone seen this before?  Any solutions out there?

[hmunsell]

Have you tried opening the file with Audit selected? 

• may be a long shot, but no one else has taken a stab at it :-).... 

Also, would you be able to upload the file with the warning for us to look at?

[syman2000]

Is the object part of the default beam when you draw or have beam system using that as default? Also is there a family that has a nested shared beam using the name W-Wide Flange1.rfa?

[jbrr27]

@syman2000 The beams were placed individually, not as part of a beam system.  Hadn't thought of the possibility of a beam system, but I was able to confirm that there are not any in the project.

 is there a family that has a nested shared beam using the name W-Wide Flange1.rfa?

I don't think so, but I'm not sure how to check--is there a quick way to do that?

[ToanDN]

Have you checked Legend views?

[jbrr27]

@hmunsell Had not tried audit, but just did and it still persists.  See attached for a file.  I've purged, edited, and simplified as much as I can and the family is still there.

@ToanDN I don't believe model elements can exist in a legend view, can they?  I did try "select all in project including legends" anyway, and it still showed no instances.  In the purged/simplified model there are no legends at all and the family in question is still there.

[ToanDN]

Sure you can place model family types in legend views.

[syman2000 · Accepted solution]

I've look at it. Turn on all the Analytical

Then delete all the analytical and when you purge, the W-Wide Flange 1 will appear in the purge list.

[jbrr27]

@syman2000 Thank you!  I would've never thought of that.  It's nice when you can find out the reasons Revit does what it does.

[BethanyBIM]

We are having the same problem but with a wall family. Same error, same symptoms:

• can't delete or purge wall type - warning says there are 4 instances but we can't find them.
• 'Show' button is greyed out, no element IDs listed
• from the project browser, right clicking and choosing 'select all instances in entire project including legends' results in 0 selection
• the wall type is not used in a stacked wall definition
• we have audited the model
• we created a view where we turned on EVERYTHING - all model categories, annotation categories, analytical categories, disabled all filters, set all worksets to show, phase filter for the view to 'show all', and phase to the last phase, view set to fine level of detail, coordination view (but also tried each discipline), we cannot find these 4 walls ANYWHERE to see what they are to delete the instances so we can purge the wall type.

[arq_42]

Have you purged the model?

This happened to us with window families.

After deleting all the instances, including legend ones, when we tried to delete the family or type, it told us there were still x number of elements.
But when we purged, it was selectable.

EDIT:

Sorry, I didn't see that you included purging in the options you tried.

Since this is a wall family: have you checked the stacked walls?

[BethanyBIM]

Yes, I downloaded a detached copy where I could be really destructive for troubleshooting purposes and purged over and over until nothing left to purge. Checked stacked walls, not there. Deleted all legends and purged again. There are actually two walls that say there are (1) and (4) instances respectively but I cannot select them or find them. I could just force delete them, but it's odd that we can't find instances of them to see what they are.

[arq_42]

Try creating 1 instance of that type of wall, then deleting tipe, and see if the figure of 4 instances is maintained.
Then, select that instance /select all /delete.

[BethanyBIM]

Thank you for your help. I tried that and it didn't work. I even created 1 instance, selected it, right clicked and chose 'select all instances in project including legends', and them changed to a different type. Then when I went to delete the type from the project browser no go - same warning about instances that will be deleted. But no element IDs.

[jbrr27]

This could happen if the types in question exist in a model group, even if you don't have any instances in the model.  But if they the model groups are not used I'm assuming they would have been eliminated when you purged.  But just wanted to throw that out there as a possibility.

[BethanyBIM]

Thank you - yes all unused groups were purged. Still no luck.