BimSyntax - Revit naming standardization

BimSyntax centralizes naming rules for views, families, types, and other model elements. The tool helps teams keep names consistent, review non-compliance, and apply bulk updates based on rules and catalogs.

General Description

The add-in works with categories, scopes, rules, and catalogs to propose structured names and validate whether elements follow the selected standard. It also supports field editing, name regeneration, change application, and profile management.

Key Features

• Three tabs: Manage (review and apply), Rules (define naming fields), Catalogs (supporting code/description lists).
• Naming rules: Fields can be Catalog, Fixed, Auto, or Free type, with separator, allowed/forbidden characters, max length, and an optional regex for the full name.
• Category-specific overrides: Use a general rule across a scope group, or override it per category.
• Compliance review: The Manage table flags each element as Compliant, Partial, or Non-compliant, with search and "Active only" / "Non-compliant" filters.
• Batch editing: Edit shared fields (Discipline, Use, Subtype, etc.) across a multi-selection at once, then Regenerate or Auto-complete proposed names.
• Excel round-trip: Export the current tab to Excel, edit offline, and import the changes back.
• Profiles: Save, save-as, and restore full rule/catalog configurations.

Requirements

• Applies to Revit categories with a name that can be edited (views, sheets, schedules, view templates, families, types, materials, line patterns/styles, text types, tags, filters, and similar).

Usage Procedure

1. Open BimSyntax from the Model panel on the Frata ribbon tab.
2. On the Rules tab, pick a category or scope group and define the naming fields (or enable Use category-specific rule to override the general rule for that category — otherwise the general rule applies).
3. If any field uses the Catalog type, go to the Catalogs tab and fill in the codes/descriptions it should offer.
4. On the Manage tab, pick a Category and a Scope (Current category or All group). The table loads with Current name, Status, and Proposed name columns.
5. Use Search and the Active only / Non-compliant filters to narrow the table, and Edit selection for batch field edits across multiple rows.
6. Press Regenerate (or Auto-complete) to refresh proposed names, select the rows you want to change, then press Apply changes.
7. Optionally use Export Excel / Import Excel to edit a large batch offline, or Delete selected elements to remove elements outright (this asks for confirmation and cannot be undone).
8. Save the current rules/catalogs as a profile if you plan to reuse this setup.

Recommendations

• Names that would collide with an existing element or with another proposed name in the same table are flagged before you apply — resolve those conflicts first.
• Use a category-specific rule only when a category genuinely needs different fields than the general rule; otherwise keep it on the general rule so future changes stay centralized.
• For large renaming passes, Export to Excel, edit there, and Import back rather than editing hundreds of rows in the grid.

Frequently Asked Questions

I got the message "Select at least one element before applying changes." Why? You pressed Apply changes without checking any rows in the table. Select at least one element first.

I got the message "No changes were applied. Check conflicts, proposed names, or selection." Why? Either none of the selected rows had a different proposed name, or all of them were blocked by a naming conflict (duplicate/existing name). Review the Status column for the flagged rows.

What's the difference between the general rule and a category-specific rule? The general rule applies to every category in a scope group by default. A category-specific rule is a local override for one category only — the tool shows a hint that changes there create a local override instead of editing the shared rule.

Is deleting elements from the Manage tab reversible? No — you're asked to confirm first, but once confirmed, the deletion is a normal Revit element deletion and follows standard Undo rules like any other delete, not a BimSyntax-specific safety net.