Categories Panel

The Categories panel allows you to browse, filter, and select Revit Family Type categories (such as Walls, Doors, and Windows) to define specific naming conventions for each.

Overview

The Categories panel serves two main purposes:

Scope Definition: Select the specific categories you want to include in the renaming process.
Document Insights: View all available categories in the current Revit document. The list dynamically updates if new categories are loaded into the project.

The panel also indicates which categories already have naming rules applied and displays the total number of Family Types in the project that belong to each category. The categories are organized into tabs to separate Model and Annotation Family Types.

Tabs

Model Categories

Displays all 3D model categories available in the document, such as Walls, Doors, Windows, and Model Text.

Annotation Categories

Displays all 2D annotation categories available in the document, such as Tag Types, Text Types, and Dimension Styles.

Category Count Header

At the top of the panel, a header displays the current selection status:

Selected Count: The number of categories currently checked for renaming in the active tab.
Active Category: The name of the currently highlighted category. Selecting a category here updates the Parameters Panel and the Name Rules Panel to show relevant data.

Categories Grid

The data grid provides a detailed breakdown of each category and its associated families.

Columns

Column	Description
Row Header	Shows a triangle icon (`▶`) for the currently selected row, and a dot (`•`) for any category that has at least one naming rule defined.
Checkbox	Check or uncheck to include the category in the renaming scope.
Category	The Revit category name (e.g., Walls, Doors, Ceilings).
Family	The family type group within the category (e.g., Basic Wall, Loaded Families). Note: This distinction is important because different family types possess different parameters. For example, a Basic Wall (System Family) has a Compound Structure parameter, whereas a Loaded Family or Curtain Wall belonging to the same Wall category may not.
Family Types	The total number of Family Types belonging to that category within the current project.

Row Selection

Single Selection: Clicking a row highlights it, populating the Parameters panel with available parameters for that category, and updating the Name Rules panel to show its specific rules.
Multiple Selection: Selecting multiple categories disables the Parameters and Name Rules panels, as different categories do not share the exact same parameters or naming rules.

Footer Controls

Category Filters

At the bottom of the panel, use the filter checkboxes to quickly refine the visible list:

Show Checked Only: Filters the grid to display only the categories you have checked for renaming.
Show Edited Only: Filters the grid to display only categories that have custom naming rules applied.

Workflows

Selecting Categories for Renaming

Highlight the category you want to rename to reveal its available parameters.
Move the desired parameters from the Parameters panel into the Name Rules panel to build your naming convention (adding prefixes, suffixes, etc.).
To apply the rules and preview the new names, check the checkbox next to the category name.
You can check multiple categories to generate and view name previews for all selected Family Types simultaneously.

Filtering Parameters by Category

When you highlight a category, the Parameters panel is automatically populated with parameters specific to that category. From there, you can easily transfer parameters into the Name Rules panel by double-clicking the parameter or using the right-pointing arrow button.

(Note: If multiple categories are selected simultaneously, the Parameters panel is temporarily disabled to prevent parameter mismatches.)

Shortcuts

Scroll to Category: Type a letter key (e.g., W) to instantly scroll down to the first category starting with that letter (e.g., Walls). Type same letter key again to move selection to next category starting with same letter.
Scroll to Preview: Double-click on a category name to automatically scroll the New Names panel to that specific category's section.
Batch Selection: Select multiple categories by holding down the Shift key while clicking the category names, then click any checkbox in the selection to check or uncheck all of them at once.