# How to find who deleted elements **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [February 27, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484 "2018-02-27T21:39:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@mix](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/mix)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/1 "2018-02-27T21:39:06Z")
Hi guys, conceptually, is there any way to figure out who deleted an element(s)? Sorry, I know I am supposed to have my own script to start with, but I just want to know if its possible. Can I use the journal files? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Uaifestival](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/47e85d/32.png) [@Uaifestival](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Uaifestival)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/2 "2018-02-27T23:56:01Z")
Dear mix, yes it is conceptually possible. I am waiting for you start scripting, I doubt dynamo alone can solve it. ---
**Author:** ![Ewan\_Opie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/ewan_opie/32/77070_2.png) [@Ewan\_Opie](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Ewan_Opie)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/3 "2018-02-28T03:10:20Z")
Have you ever seen this blog posting? > **[\#RTCEUR Wish #1: #Revit Change Tracking](https://boostyourbim.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/rtceur-wish-1-revit-change-tracking/)** > > Dieter asked “What about a tool that can help you tracking changes in your #Revit model. E.g. select elements that were affected by an indicated change. Eg after updating model from RSA. Mayb… Or this one? > **[Tracking Element Modification](https://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/2016/01/tracking-element-modification.html)** > > How to determine and track element modification? > I implemented a solution! > – Two approaches > – Task analysis > – Modification tracker > – Creating an element state snapshot > – Determining which elements to track > –... And a partial assembly of an add-in can be found here: > **[jeremytammik/TrackChanges](https://github.com/jeremytammik/TrackChanges)** > > Track Revit BIM database modification by creating and comparing snapshots of element properties - jeremytammik/TrackChanges ---
**Author:** ![jacob.small](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/jacob.small/32/161030_2.png) [@jacob.small](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/jacob.small)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/4 "2018-02-28T05:39:59Z")
Considering you’re asking it, I’m guessing something went missing and you want to know who and/or how. The first link above requires you already had the software running in the background. I haven’t come across anyone who has utilized this solution on a large scale project yet - not to say t can’t be done but as pointed out in the second link things get complicated quickly due to the speed of growth. Every transaction is a LOT of data to collect. The second option I’ve seen in use. It’s fairly straight forward, and can be implemented between but doesn’t provide that pesky who bit you’re after. The only way I know to assemble this after the fact is to check the journals for every user who was in the model over the time from when you last knew it existed and when it was first discovered to me gone. It’s a lot to do, but you can start certainly speed the process. ---
**Author:** ![mix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@mix](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/mix)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/5 "2018-02-28T16:56:56Z")
So I looked into the journal files, and can harvest who, and if they used the delete command but I dont see anywhere in there what the element ID of the element that got deleted. Any ideas how to find that? ---
**Author:** ![mix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@mix](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/mix)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/6 "2018-02-28T17:01:21Z")
Can you use the Revit Macro creator for the first one? @Ewan_Opie I dont have visual studio ---
**Author:** ![Steven](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/steven/32/112504_2.png) [@Steven](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Steven)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/7 "2018-02-28T17:03:12Z")
Do you have an archive of the model. That would be a good place to start. Elements IDs do change over time though so it might not match. ---
**Author:** ![mix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@mix](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/mix)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/8 "2018-02-28T17:04:37Z")
What do you mean element IDs change over time? ---
**Author:** ![Steven](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/steven/32/112504_2.png) [@Steven](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Steven)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/9 "2018-02-28T17:18:31Z")
> [@Id to element, by excel](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/id-to-element-by-excel/5053/15): > > @Yien, To answer your question about the “permanency” of Element Ids. They are NOT supposed to be permanent. The idea is that Element Id of an Element in a WORKSHARED Revit model can change at any time during its life. To make a long story short the id can be reassigned when different people edit the element and then synch to Central model. Please see this post for more info: [http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/2015/02/understanding-the-use-of-the-uniqueid.html](http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/2015/02/understanding-the-use-of-the-uniqueid.html) Next time just use the Uni… This is not to say that the element ID did not change. I just wanted you to know that it might have. ---
**Author:** ![mix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@mix](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/mix)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/10 "2018-02-28T18:37:45Z")
Ok, but do I even have access to the unique element ID in the journal file? If so, I am having trouble finding it any advise? ---
**Author:** ![Steven](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/steven/32/112504_2.png) [@Steven](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Steven)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-find-who-deleted-elements/19484/11 "2018-02-28T18:41:25Z")
I am not sure on that, my journal file knowledge is limited. Did you try the Element ID? Check this out as well it may provide you some help. > **[andydandy74/Journalysis](https://github.com/andydandy74/Journalysis)** > > Revit journal and worksharing log analysis package for the Dynamo visual programming environment - andydandy74/Journalysis