Convert Family to Face Hosted

Tools
1

Has this tool become unusable? I have changed the category for my family to every single type listed in this tool, but nothing converts. Is converting a family to a face host-based one possible with another kind? I remember this working back in version 4.4 or something, but I haven’t figured this out since then. Does anyone know how to fix this issue?

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2

Hello, hi @eluvs89
Do you have a family file I could try it on specifically.
There’s a good chance that either the category isn’t right or the base family has no host.

3

I have tried nearly all the family types listed under the tool, so I tried a brand new wall-hosted lighting fixture family and still, it failed. You can find the basic family I used to test this tool in this link: WeTransfer - Send Large Files & Share Photos Online - Up to 2GB Free

4

Also, that’s a Revit 2023 file.

5

thanks for the file
I tried it, no success, as expected
I also tried on different project files with this code, just to check if any family would qualify for Conversion… 

from pyrevit import revit, DB

all_families = DB.FilteredElementCollector(revit.doc).OfClass(DB.Family).ToElements()

count = 0
for fam in all_families:
    if DB.FamilyUtils.FamilyCanConvertToFaceHostBased(revit.doc, fam.Id):
        print(
            'Family {0} can be converted to face-hosted family.'.format(fam.Name))
    else:
        count += 1
print('{0} cannot be converted to face-hosted family.'.format(count))

Well…
I found only one out of 3 project files. And found none in two sample files from Toto’s Desk.
I also tried in Revit in French and English
I could not figure out a common denominator for the CanConvert to pass a True
I could not find further reasons in the API docs ApiDocs.co
I tried changing the category for some families, hosted by wall or non-hosted, etc. Also tried in Revit 2017->2023…
If it worked previously for you in the past, you got lucky! :slight_smile:
you can try to figure it out with the family that was working if you feel like it 376 KB file on MEGA
it is more a question for the people developing the Revit API I guess

6

escalated that on to the Revit API forum. I did not get it at first, while reading the api:

three conditions for the API method to work as expected:

  1. no instance placed
  2. specific categories ( see list here ApiDocs.co)
  3. must be a hosted family

The code for the tool itself has issues I can spot. I will try to look at it and fix it later.
It cannot delete placed instances as it is now. so that is a big no go.

But by itself, if:

  1. you take a hosted family,
  2. change its category to match the list :point_up: or if it is already of that category
  3. and you don’t have any instance placed, and select the family from the project browser, it will work.
7

I tried this with the same family in Revit 2023 and got the error below. The family wasn’t placed anywhere and it is a type that it should work with. Tried with an electrical fixture family as well, but got the same error.

IronPython Traceback:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “C:\Users\elovell\AppData\Roaming\pyRevit-Master\extensions\pyRevitTools.extension\pyRevit.tab\Project.panel\ptools.stack\Family.pulldown\Convert Family To Face Host Based.pushbutton\script.py”, line 31, in
AttributeError: ‘FamilySymbol’ object has no attribute ‘Symbol’

Script Executor Traceback:
System.MissingMemberException: ‘FamilySymbol’ object has no attribute ‘Symbol’
at IronPython.Runtime.Binding.PythonGetMemberBinder.FastErrorGet1.GetError(CallSite site, TSelfType target, CodeContext context) at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExecute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1 arg1) at Microsoft.Scripting.Interpreter.DynamicInstruction3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at Microsoft.Scripting.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at Microsoft.Scripting.Interpreter.LightLambda.Run2[T0,T1,TRet](T0 arg0, T1 arg1)
at IronPython.Compiler.PythonScriptCode.RunWorker(CodeContext ctx)
at PyRevitLabs.PyRevit.Runtime.IronPythonEngine.Execute(ScriptRuntime& runtime)

8

try selecting the family from the project browser.
I will try to fix it for the general case, but in the meantime, using this method :point_up: that should work.
I tried with the arch sample file, used the table, set it to the comm devices cat, reloaded it, removed all instances and then selected it from the browser (but I might have tweaked the code in the meantime, I cannot remember)
anyway, I will try and fix it. And then you will owe me a beer if we get to meet :wink:

9

Haha I will gladly buy you a beer if we get to meet. I tried selecting the family from the project browser and still got that same error. Greatly appreciate the help with this. I have no idea how I got this to work way back in the day, but it was so many offices ago that I can barely remember what version of Revit I was even in. I am just surprised that I am the first person to write in about this tool. I have had at least 1 person in every office ask for a family to be converted from one host to face based and this tool was amazing for that. For a while, I was not updating pyRevit from the 4.4 version so I didn’t lose the ability to use this tool.