Data Explorer - Tabular model review inside Revit

Data Explorer provides a table-based way to inspect model elements and their parameters without leaving Revit. It is aimed at review workflows, data control, and reusable profile-based configurations.

General Description

The add-in can load elements from the full model, the active view, or the current selection. It then lets users filter by category, define visible columns, search values, select rows in view, isolate elements, and save configurations for future reviews.

Key Features

• Dockable panel: Data Explorer opens as a docked pane, not a modal dialog — it stays open alongside your modeling work and toggles show/hide from the same ribbon button.
• Flexible source: Get elements from All Model, Active View, or Selected Elements.
• Category filtering: Narrow the dataset with a searchable category filter.
• Configurable columns: Choose exactly which parameters appear via Select Columns; group rows by dragging a column header into the group-by area.
• Savable configurations: Save, delete, export, import, and publish (to Company or Project) column/filter layouts as reusable configurations.
• Model actions: Select or isolate the rows' elements directly in the Revit view, and colorize the table.

Requirements

• Requires a column Configuration to be selected (or created) before you can Load elements — an empty state prompts you to pick one first.

Usage Procedure

1. Open Data Explorer from the Navigate panel on the Frata ribbon tab — this shows or hides the docked panel (press the same button again to hide it).
2. Under Source, choose All Model, Active View, or Selected Elements.
3. Set the Category filter to narrow which categories are included.
4. Pick an existing Configuration from the dropdown, or press the column icon (Select Columns) to build one, then press Load elements.
5. Use the search box, Select all / Clear selection, or drag a column header into the group-by area to organize the table.
6. Select rows and use Select in view or Isolate in view to act on those elements directly in Revit, or Colorize table to highlight them visually.
7. Press Refresh elements to reload after model changes, without reconfiguring the table.
8. Save your setup with Save Configuration; use Export Configuration / Import Configuration to share it as a file, or Publish to Company / Publish to Project to make it available to your team through the shared profile folders (see Options).

Recommendations

• Publish configurations you want the whole team to reuse instead of exporting/importing files by hand — it uses the same Company/Project folders as every other addin's profiles.
• Use Active View or Selected Elements as the source for quick, focused checks; reserve All Model for full audits, since it loads more data.
• If a saved configuration references a parameter that's no longer in the model, Data Explorer tells you which ones were ignored rather than failing silently — clean those up in the configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions

I get "Select a column configuration to get started." Why? Data Explorer needs a Configuration selected before it can load a table. Choose one from the dropdown or create a new one via Select Columns, then press Load.

I get "Load elements first." Why? You tried an action (like Select in view) before pressing Load elements. Load the table first.

I get "No modelable elements found in the selection." Why? Your Revit selection (or the Selected Elements source) doesn't contain any elements this tool can display — pick model elements, not view-only objects.

What's the difference between exporting and publishing a configuration? Export saves it as a .json file you share manually. Publish sends it straight to the shared Company or Project profile folder configured in Options, so teammates see it automatically without you handing them a file.

Does the panel update automatically when I switch Revit documents? Yes — reopening or toggling the panel syncs it with whichever document is currently active.