Revit Python Shell - Change Parameter Group

Question

I'm trying to write a quick script to open a family document, change the parameter group of 2 specified parameters, and then close and save the document. I've done multiple tests and I am able to change the parameter groups of the specified parameters, but the changes of the groups don't save back to the family file. When I open the newly saved family, the parameter groups revert back to their original group.

This is with Revit 2017.2.

The same script, when run in RPS in Revit 2018 will do as desired.

import clr
import os
clr.AddReference('RevitAPI')
clr.AddReference('RevitAPIUI')
from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *
from Autodesk.Revit.UI import UIApplication

from System.IO import Directory, SearchOption

searchstring = "*.rfa"
dir = r"C:\Users\dboghean\Desktop\vanity\2017"

docs = []

if Directory.Exists(dir):
    files = Directory.GetFiles(dir, searchstring, SearchOption.AllDirectories)
    for f in files:
        name, extension = os.path.splitext(f)
        name2, extension2 = os.path.splitext(name)
        if extension2:
            os.remove(f)
        else:
            docs.append(f)
else:
    print("Directory does not exist")

doc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument.Document
app = __revit__.Application
uiapp = UIApplication(app)

currentPath = doc.PathName

pgGroup = BuiltInParameterGroup.PG_GRAPHICS

for i in docs:

    doc = app.OpenDocumentFile(i)

    paramList = [i for i in doc.FamilyManager.Parameters]

    t = Transaction(doc, "test")
    t.Start()

    for i in paramList:
        if i.Definition.Name in ["Right Sidesplash Edge line", "Left Sidesplash Edge line"]:
            i.Definition.ParameterGroup = pgGroup

    t.Commit()

    doc.Close(True)

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I can confirm that this happens in Revit 2017. Strange!

A simple way around it is to arbitrarily rename the parameter using doc.FamilyManager.RenameParameter, then rename it back to the original name.

So in your case this would be three additional lines of code after changing the Parameter group:

originalName = i.Definition.Name
doc.FamilyManager.RenameParameter(i, "temp")
doc.FamilyManager.RenameParameter(i, originalName)

Doesnt get to the root problem, but works around it