Object Style Management

Analyze, rename, merge or delete unused Revit object styles found within Revit projects, templates or family files with Ideate StyleManager.

Object Styles specify the line weight, line color, line pattern, and material of model, annotation, analytic and imported objects. You can override project object styles on a view-by-view basis.

Why Object Styles Matter

Object styles are near the top of the graphic control hierarchy within Revit (below View Templates). If the list of custom object styles (custom subcategories) is consistent, then view templates can function as a powerful control over the graphic and visibility controls. Unfortunately, this list can easily expand when files are linked, imported, or if custom families with different objects styles are added to the project. When this happen, the project 2D and 3D output is at risk and printed documents will tend to have unexpected lineweights, unexpected content displaying where it should not, and/or unintended rendering results.

Built-in Category Styles

Revit has a finite list of built-in object style categories. These categories cannot be deleted or renamed per Revit. Additionally, due to API limitations Ideate StyleManager cannot yet predict which elements are using these built-in object styles. For these reasons the built-in categories are not displayed within the main dialog, but will be displayed and available for selection during a merge.

NOTE: The (Show) Built-in checkbox refers only to the built-in subcategory styles.

Built-in Subcategory Styles

In addition to the built-in categories, Revit also has a few built-in subcategories which depend on both the parent category and whether the family is a system, project, or custom family. For example, in the image below, the Title Blocks category has three custom families and (3) built-in subcategories. The built-in categories are shown in italics and the quantity will be noted with a "-" because the usage cannot be predicted.

Oddly, some built-in subcategories, such as Structural Framing: Web, are not available in the family editor, but are available within the project template. We don't make the rules here, we just try to help you play by them.

Custom Subcategory Styles

Custom subcategory styles are predefined within many of the family template files and can be further defined within the project, template, or family files. In the image above, there are (3) custom subcategories for Title Blocks, and the element usage for each is shown to the left of each name.

Tips for Managing Object Styles

  1. If a custom subcategory style is deleted, the style of the element reverts to the built-in category style, which can also be thought of as the parent style. With one exception, deleting a custom style will not delete elements. Learn about this intentional exception in the How To...Delete Imported Object Styles topic.

  2. Object styles shown in italics (e.g. Title Blocks: Medium Lines) indicate a built-in style. These styles cannot be deleted or renamed but you may merge elements from a custom style into a built-in style.

  3. Use this tool in all your template files to prevent downstream garbage in your projects.

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