hello,
I'm trying to load steel connections in revit 2023 but i can't find them
also they are not available in "my updates" in the autodesk desktop app
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steel connections missing in revit 2023
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steel connections missing in revit 2023
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21 Replies
24,368 Views
21 Replies
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Message 21 of 22
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Hello guys, here is a clean summary of my journey fixing this issue on my PC. I hope it helps.
Revit 2027 Steel Connections Missing / Empty Structural Connection Settings — Fix Summary
I had an issue in Autodesk Revit 2027 where the Steel → Connection Settings dialog opened, but both Available Connections and Loaded Connections were empty. No steel connections were available, even though the Steel tab and connection tools were visible.
Initial Symptom
In Revit:
Steel tab → Connection Settings
The dialog appeared, but no steel connections were listed.
At first, it looked like a Revit content problem, but the real issue was related to SQL Server LocalDB, which Revit uses for the Steel Connections database.
Step 1 — Check SQL LocalDB
I opened Command Prompt and ran:
sqllocaldb info
The list showed instances such as:
MSSQLLocalDB SteelConnections2025 SteelConnections2026 SteelConnections2027
But when checking the Revit 2027 instance:
sqllocaldb info SteelConnections2027
I got errors such as:
LocalDB instance "SteelConnections2027" doesn't exist!
or:
SQL Server process failed to start.
Trying to create or start the instance also failed:
sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb start SteelConnections2027
The main error was:
Error occurred during LocalDB instance startup: SQL Server process failed to start.
Step 2 — Identify Windows 11 NVMe Sector Size Issue
Because even a test LocalDB instance failed, I checked the disk sector size using:
fsutil fsinfo sectorinfo C:
Initially, the output showed:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 65536
This was the key problem. SQL Server LocalDB does not work properly when the disk reports a physical sector size greater than 4096 bytes.
Step 3 — Apply the Registry Fix
In Command Prompt as Administrator, I ran:
REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" /v "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes" /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d "* 4095" /f
Then I restarted Windows.
After restart, I checked again:
fsutil fsinfo sectorinfo C:
The result changed to:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 4096
This fixed the Windows / NVMe sector-size issue.
Step 4 — Reinstall Correct SQL LocalDB Version
After the sector-size fix, sqllocaldb was still not fully working correctly. I installed SQL Server 2019 Express LocalDB.
In my case, SQL Server 2025 LocalDB was not the best match. Revit had originally tried to use SQL LocalDB version:
15.0.2000.5
which corresponds to SQL Server 2019 LocalDB.
I installed SQL Server 2019 Express Edition, chose Custom, then in the SQL Server Installation Center selected:
New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation
At Feature Selection, I selected only:
LocalDB
After installation, I restarted Windows.
Step 5 — Confirm SQL Server 2019 LocalDB Is Installed
In normal Command Prompt, not Administrator, I ran:
sqllocaldb versions
The output showed:
Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (15.0.2000.5) Microsoft SQL Server 2022 (16.0.1180.1)
The important version was:
15.0.2000.5
Step 6 — Test SQL LocalDB
I created a test instance using SQL Server 2019 LocalDB:
sqllocaldb create CleanTest2019 15.0 sqllocaldb start CleanTest2019 sqllocaldb info CleanTest2019
The result showed:
Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
Then I cleaned the test instance:
sqllocaldb stop CleanTest2019 sqllocaldb delete CleanTest2019
Step 7 — Recreate the Revit Steel Connections 2027 Instance
Then I recreated the Revit Steel Connections LocalDB instance using SQL Server 2019:
sqllocaldb stop SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb delete SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 15.0 sqllocaldb start SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb info SteelConnections2027
The first two commands may return:
The specified LocalDB instance does not exist.
That is okay. Continue.
The final successful output was:
Name: SteelConnections2027 Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
Step 8 — Open Revit 2027 Again
After this, I opened Revit 2027 and checked:
Steel tab → Connection Settings
This time the connections appeared correctly.
The dialog showed many Available Connections, including examples like:
Apex haunch Base plate Base plate cut Base plate with traverse, bolted Base plate with traverse, welded Beam seat T Binding plates Bolting on gauge lines
and the Loaded Connections list also showed connections such as:
Embed beam seat Embed plate clip angle Seated beam connection Shear plate Shear splice plate Stiffened seated beam connection
Final Working State
The final healthy SQL LocalDB state was:
Name: SteelConnections2027 Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
After that, Revit Steel Connections worked again.
Key Lessons
The issue was not simply missing Revit families or missing connection families. Steel connections depend on a SQL LocalDB database.
The main causes in my case were:
Windows 11 / NVMe disk reporting:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 65536
SQL LocalDB failing to start.
Revit Steel Connections needing SQL Server 2019 LocalDB version:
15.0.2000.5
The SteelConnections2027 LocalDB instance had to be recreated using:
sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 15.0
After applying the sector-size registry fix and using SQL Server 2019 LocalDB, the Revit 2027 steel connections loaded successfully.
Message 22 of 22
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This is a summary of how I fixed it. I hope it helps.
Revit 2027 Steel Connections Missing / Empty Structural Connection Settings — Fix Summary
I had an issue in Autodesk Revit 2027 where the Steel → Connection Settings dialog opened, but both Available Connections and Loaded Connections were empty. No steel connections were available, even though the Steel tab and connection tools were visible.
Initial Symptom
In Revit:
Steel tab → Connection Settings
The dialog appeared, but no steel connections were listed.
At first, it looked like a Revit content problem, but the real issue was related to SQL Server LocalDB, which Revit uses for the Steel Connections database.
Step 1 — Check SQL LocalDB
I opened Command Prompt and ran:
sqllocaldb info
The list showed instances such as:
MSSQLLocalDB SteelConnections2025 SteelConnections2026 SteelConnections2027
But when checking the Revit 2027 instance:
sqllocaldb info SteelConnections2027
I got errors such as:
LocalDB instance "SteelConnections2027" doesn't exist!
or:
SQL Server process failed to start.
Trying to create or start the instance also failed:
sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb start SteelConnections2027
The main error was:
Error occurred during LocalDB instance startup: SQL Server process failed to start.
Step 2 — Identify Windows 11 NVMe Sector Size Issue
Because even a test LocalDB instance failed, I checked the disk sector size using:
fsutil fsinfo sectorinfo C:
Initially, the output showed:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 65536
This was the key problem. SQL Server LocalDB does not work properly when the disk reports a physical sector size greater than 4096 bytes.
Step 3 — Apply the Registry Fix
In Command Prompt as Administrator, I ran:
REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" /v "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes" /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d "* 4095" /f
Then I restarted Windows.
After restart, I checked again:
fsutil fsinfo sectorinfo C:
The result changed to:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 4096
This fixed the Windows / NVMe sector-size issue.
Step 4 — Reinstall Correct SQL LocalDB Version
After the sector-size fix, sqllocaldb was still not fully working correctly. I installed SQL Server 2019 Express LocalDB.
In my case, SQL Server 2025 LocalDB was not the best match. Revit had originally tried to use SQL LocalDB version:
15.0.2000.5
which corresponds to SQL Server 2019 LocalDB.
I installed SQL Server 2019 Express Edition, chose Custom, then in the SQL Server Installation Center selected:
New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation
At Feature Selection, I selected only:
LocalDB
After installation, I restarted Windows.
Step 5 — Confirm SQL Server 2019 LocalDB Is Installed
In normal Command Prompt, not Administrator, I ran:
sqllocaldb versions
The output showed:
Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (15.0.2000.5) Microsoft SQL Server 2022 (16.0.1180.1)
The important version was:
15.0.2000.5
Step 6 — Test SQL LocalDB
I created a test instance using SQL Server 2019 LocalDB:
sqllocaldb create CleanTest2019 15.0 sqllocaldb start CleanTest2019 sqllocaldb info CleanTest2019
The result showed:
Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
Then I cleaned the test instance:
sqllocaldb stop CleanTest2019 sqllocaldb delete CleanTest2019
Step 7 — Recreate the Revit Steel Connections 2027 Instance
Then I recreated the Revit Steel Connections LocalDB instance using SQL Server 2019:
sqllocaldb stop SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb delete SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 15.0 sqllocaldb start SteelConnections2027 sqllocaldb info SteelConnections2027
The first two commands may return:
The specified LocalDB instance does not exist.
That is okay. Continue.
The final successful output was:
Name: SteelConnections2027 Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
Step 8 — Open Revit 2027 Again
After this, I opened Revit 2027 and checked:
Steel tab → Connection Settings
This time the connections appeared correctly.
The dialog showed many Available Connections, including examples like:
Apex haunch Base plate Base plate cut Base plate with traverse, bolted Base plate with traverse, welded Beam seat T Binding plates Bolting on gauge lines
and the Loaded Connections list also showed connections such as:
Embed beam seat Embed plate clip angle Seated beam connection Shear plate Shear splice plate Stiffened seated beam connection
Final Working State
The final healthy SQL LocalDB state was:
Name: SteelConnections2027 Version: 15.0.2000.5 State: Running
After that, Revit Steel Connections worked again.
Key Lessons
The issue was not simply missing Revit families or missing connection families. Steel connections depend on a SQL LocalDB database.
The main causes in my case were:
Windows 11 / NVMe disk reporting:
PhysicalBytesPerSectorForPerformance : 65536
SQL LocalDB is failing to start.
Revit Steel Connections needing SQL Server 2019 LocalDB version:
15.0.2000.5
The SteelConnections2027 LocalDB instance had to be recreated using:
sqllocaldb create SteelConnections2027 15.0
After applying the sector-size registry fix and using SQL Server 2019 LocalDB, the Revit 2027 steel connections loaded successfully.
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