Reloading a Family into a Project

There are multiple way to reload a family into a project

Reload via the ribbon menu

  1. Click Insert tabLoad from Library panel (Load Family).
  2. Navigate to the directory containing the family file to reload.
  3. Select the family file or files and click Open. The Family Already Exists dialog displays.
  4. Do one of the following:
    • Click Overwrite the existing version.
    • Click Overwrite the existing version and its parameter values.

      The parameter values of the existing family are overridden by the parameter values of the family you are loading.

      ImportantIf the family is used in the building model and you override the parameter values of existing types, the family will update throughout the project with the new values.
      Instance Parameter values will not be changed.
    • Click Cancel.

Reload via the Project Browser

  1. Find the family in the project browser
  2. Right click on one of the families typesReload...
  3. Navigate to the family file. Revit will remember where the file was the last time it was loaded
  4. Follow the instructions above regarding overwriting or not overwriting the instance parameter values

Reload via the Type Properties window

  1. Select the family
  2. Open the Type Parameter window by clicking on Edit Type
  3. Select the Load... button to the right of the Family dropdown chooser
  4. Navigate to the family file. Revit will not remember the earlier file path
  5. Follow the instructions above regarding overwriting or not overwriting the instance parameter values

New and Renamed Types

Regardless of how a Family is reloaded, Types in the existing project which do not exist in the reloading Family will not be removed. This means that if you rename a Type in the Family Editor it will be created as an additional Type when loaded into the Project where the Family already existed. It is therefore important to think carefully about Type naming to avoid the need for renaming Types in the future and the subsequent switching out and purging of unused types from projects.