I am trying to change the categories of some families in my project. I’ve tried to use Element.SetParameterByName but I can’t get this to work.
Is it even possible to change the category by using Dynamo?
your value input is wrong
As far as I know, the only place you can recategorize a family is in the family document itself. And only if the family template that was used for creating the family supports the new category.
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Its not the values. @Blau.Bart You can just open the family editor → change the category and Reload the family in project. You don’t need dynamo for this.
Well, my problem is that I’m working with a file that has a huge number of families because I’ve imported elements from an IFC file and Revit created a family for every single element in the IFC file (Yes, I know that this is not the normal way to work with IFC files). So changing the categories manually for every family is not an option.
I guess I’ll have to change the families of the imported objects and change the categories of those families manually. Anyway, thank you for your answers.
You could save out all families as a library, and then set up a mass open and re-categorize graph.
Test it manually first to see if they can be recategorized this way as if they were created in one of a few different methods then they can’t be recategorized.
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Families generated via IFC import or linking are DirectShapes. They cannot be opened in the family editor and therefore it is not possible to change their categories. Your best bet is to modify the IFC import mapping table:
Don’t modify the file inside Revit, use a decent text editor like Notepad++ instead. Modifying the file in Revit will break the character encoding. Note that the file uses tabs as delimiters so be careful not to alter that structure.
Hi Jacob, is there a forum example of a mass open & re-categorize graph that you could point us to? So far, this thread below is my starting point:
That’s the closest starting point I know of. You’re progressing off the well traveled path here, which is a good thing. Just means you’ll have to invent some of this on your own.
Hey,
Try installing the latest version of Orchid…
FamilyCategoryChange.dyn (17.7 KB)
Hope that helps,
Mark
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Hi Mark,
Thanks for the tip. I installed Orchid and tried running your dyn but I get these errors:
FamilyCategoryChange.dyn (17.7 KB)
Do you know how I can fix them?
What nodes do you have in Orchid?
Hey,
I suspect you installed Orchid through the package manager, there is only 1 node which directs you to a Github page for the proper installer…
Otherwise it’s maybe more serious 
Hope that helps,
Mark
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The Ghithub Orchid packages are automatically categorized as Trojan virus and deleted or prevented by antivirus. Does not work.
Hey, i just tried downloading and it seemed fine…
Can you ask your IT guys why it’s being flagged?
You can post to the Github page and ask for Eric’s help…
Cheers,
Mark
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NOW THERE IS A GOOD PACKGAE CAN DO THIS
SYNTHESIS TOOLKIT
AND THERE DYNAMP SCRIOPT WITH IT
Family Category Change by Selection .dyn
Family Category Change by Selection Filter.dyn
Family Category Change by Family name.dyn
Very very good
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hi elzohry,
i am really new to dynamo, i have a situation to change categories for lot of families from existing project, can you please guide me which nodes to use from synthesis toolkit ?
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