# How to get Wall Families from linked Revit model **URL:** \ **Category:** Revit\ **Tags:** revit, archi-lab, dynamo\ **Created:** [October 27, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020 "2017-10-27T19:35:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Claus\_Andersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/claus_andersen/32/82863_2.png) [@Claus\_Andersen](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Claus_Andersen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/1 "2017-10-27T19:35:31Z")
Hi all Anybody knows how to get the family parameters from walls of a linked Revit model? I know how it get it from the main model, as shown in the image - however the same procedure gives me an error when i’m trying to get the result from a linked model. Any help is appreciated. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/5/2/526a4981b68245b8fcb0893e63e98d1e2bf6ec35.png) ---
**Author:** ![awilliams](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/awilliams/32/114496_2.png) [@awilliams](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/awilliams)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/2 "2017-10-27T20:06:11Z")
@Claus_Andersen Can you expand/show what the error is that you are getting? And are you trying to get the Wall Types of the linked walls? Its possible it is not returning values because the Wall Types in the linked file do not exist in the current document… see below, notice the matching element IDs for the Wall Types I could pull from the Linked Doc (i.e. Interior 4 7/8" wall’s ID is shown as 261 in the Linked Wall Types list and the current document Wall Types) ![linked wall types](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/6/9/694616d8ea0dfbfeacb28bf939285532cd40abb3.png) ---
**Author:** ![Nick\_Boyts](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/nick_boyts/32/76313_2.png) [@Nick\_Boyts](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Nick_Boyts)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/3 "2017-10-27T20:11:22Z")
Exactly what @awilliams said. You can’t get the wall types (that way) because they don’t exist in your document. The preferred method for getting wall types would be to use Element Types instead of Categories. Rhythm has a node All Elements of Type in Document that will let you get the Wall Types from a linked doc. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/c/f/cfcefc7093c16d7b9452f2d7681511beb9d8cd73.png) ---
**Author:** ![john\_pierson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/john_pierson/32/191977_2.png) [@john\_pierson](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/john_pierson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/4 "2017-10-27T20:18:42Z")
Try using the OOTB GetParameterValueBYName for linked elements. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/5/e/5e1cfb721fb7b40e9164c0f976c1a8bf72fad261.png) The reason my node (GetParameterValueByNameTypeOrInstance) is not working with a linked document is that it is using a method to grab the element type in the _current file_. ~~I can definitely revise this in a future update, but this will get it done for now.~~ \*Update: I changed the node and will be in the next version of Rhythm. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/3/b/3bb4a2d1182cc82cbe90432bc129bc805f43f35c.png) ---
**Author:** ![awilliams](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/awilliams/32/114496_2.png) [@awilliams](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/awilliams)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/5 "2017-10-27T20:34:32Z")
> [@john\_pierson](#): > > The reason my node (GetParameterValueByNameTypeOrInstance) is not working with a linked document is that it is using a method to grab the element type in the current file @john_pierson The OOTB GetParameterValue node doesn’t appear to work with getting a parameter value if the value is associated with an element ID, unless the same type/ID exists in the current document, shown in the image I posted above. The second image you just posted, can you confirm that those types do not also exist in your active document as well? ---
**Author:** ![john\_pierson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/john_pierson/32/191977_2.png) [@john\_pierson](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/john_pierson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/6 "2017-10-27T20:35:24Z")
@awilliams The second image is determining what document the element exists in, obtaining the appropriate type, then outputting results. ---
**Author:** ![awilliams](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/awilliams/32/114496_2.png) [@awilliams](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/awilliams)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/7 "2017-10-27T20:39:41Z")
> [@john\_pierson](#): > > determining what document the element exists in, obtaining the appropriate type, then outputting results. Ahh gotcha, so this is included in your revised node, nice! Looking forward to the update 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Claus\_Andersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/claus_andersen/32/82863_2.png) [@Claus\_Andersen](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Claus_Andersen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/8 "2017-10-27T21:40:31Z")
Thanks for your response everyone! @john_pierson could you explain the second picture you sent? Is the “Springs.collector…”-node from your Rhythm package? I’m also having troubles finding the “links” node. Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![john\_pierson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/john_pierson/32/191977_2.png) [@john\_pierson](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/john_pierson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/9 "2017-10-27T22:07:34Z")
Spring.cOllector is from spring nodes and links will be in next Rhythm update. ---
**Author:** ![Claus\_Andersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/claus_andersen/32/82863_2.png) [@Claus\_Andersen](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Claus_Andersen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/10 "2017-10-27T22:16:07Z")
Great! Thank you. It seems like your suggested code only works partly. When i choose family parameter “Length” everything is OK, but changing it to “Family and Type” gives me an error 😕 Seems strange to me, when the parameter does exist for the element. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/dynamobim/original/3X/9/9/99d956f285118154a179bd174ad23b1a91b91326.png) Just another question: Is it possible to create a drop-down node with wall types from my linked model? Working the same way as the “Wall Types” node for the main model. ---
**Author:** ![awilliams](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/awilliams/32/114496_2.png) [@awilliams](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/awilliams)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/11 "2017-10-27T22:41:12Z")
@Claus_Andersen the method @john_pierson showed working was using a node that he revised and will release in his next update. As stated above by myself and @Nick_Boyts, as of now you can’t get “Family and Type” from a linked document, because it is searching for the Element IDs in the active/current document. The parameter value for “Length” can be obtained, because the value is not associated with an element ID. > [@Claus\_Andersen](#): > > Just another question: Is it possible to create a drop-down node with wall types from my linked model? Working the same way as the “Wall Types” node for the main model. You can obtain the list of Wall Types from the linked document using the method that @Nick_Boyts showed you above 🙂 > [@How to get Wall Families from linked Revit model](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/3): > > Exactly what @awilliams said. You can’t get the wall types (that way) because they don’t exist in your document. The preferred method for getting wall types would be to use Element Types instead of Categories. Rhythm has a node All Elements of Type in Document that will let you get the Wall Types from a linked doc. ---
**Author:** ![Claus\_Andersen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.dynamobim.com/claus_andersen/32/82863_2.png) [@Claus\_Andersen](https://forum.dynamobim.com/u/Claus_Andersen)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/how-to-get-wall-families-from-linked-revit-model/16020/12 "2017-10-29T19:27:30Z")
Ohh okay. I think i get the point about the Element ID issue. I’m fairly new to both Dynamo and Revit, hence i’m still a bit confused about the difference in Revit elements/types/categories/families etc 😅 Thanks to you both - i think i’ll have to settle with the solution from @Nick_Boyts for now.