Compare Templates

Compare Templates provides a detailed side-by-side comparison of two view templates, showing parameter values and controlled status in the Template Manager workspace. Use it to troubleshoot unexpected view behavior, standardize templates across your project, or understand the differences between similarly-named templates.

Getting Started

Find Template Manager on the Amorphous ribbon tab in the Data Tools panel, then open the Compare Templates tab.

To access Compare Templates:

1. Navigate to the Amorphous tab
2. Find the Data Tools panel
3. Click Template Manager
4. Open the Compare Templates tab

The command requires an open Revit document with at least two view templates to compare.

Features

• Side-by-side parameter comparison - View all template parameters in a single table with both values displayed
• Controlled status visibility - See which parameters are controlled by each template
• Difference highlighting - Parameters with different values are highlighted for easy identification
• Difference-only filtering - Toggle to show only parameters that differ between templates
• Category grouping - Parameters organized by Revit parameter group for easier navigation
• Status indicators - Clear visual feedback showing “Different” or “Same” for each parameter

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How to Use

Basic Workflow

1. Open Template Manager from the ribbon
2. Select the Compare Templates tab
3. Select Template A from the first dropdown
4. Select Template B from the second dropdown
5. Click Compare to analyze the templates
6. Review the results in the comparison grid

Selecting Templates

The Compare Templates tab lists all view templates in your project alphabetically. Use the dropdowns to select the two templates you want to compare:

Element	Description
Template A	The first template (displayed in left column of results)
Template B	The second template (displayed in right column of results)
Compare	Analyzes both templates and fills the comparison grid

Note

You must select two different templates. The Compare button remains disabled until both dropdowns have different selections.

Reviewing Results

The comparison grid displays all parameters from both templates:

Column	Description
Parameter	The parameter name (e.g., “V/G Overrides Model”, “Detail Level”)
Category	The parameter category grouping (e.g., “Graphics”, “Extents”)
Template A	Value and controlled status for the first template
Template B	Value and controlled status for the second template
Status	Shows “Different” or “Same” for quick scanning

Understanding the Value/Controlled display:

Each template column shows the parameter value followed by its controlled status in parentheses:

• Standard (Controlled) - Parameter value is “Standard” and the template controls this parameter
• Coarse (Not controlled) - Parameter value is “Coarse” but the template does not control it
• (not set) (Not controlled) - Parameter has no value and is not controlled

Filtering to Differences

Use the “Show differences only” checkbox to focus on what matters:

• Checked (default) - Shows only parameters where the templates differ
• Unchecked - Shows all parameters from both templates

The filter info text (e.g., “Showing 12 of 87 parameters”) indicates how many parameters are currently displayed versus the total analyzed.

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User Interface

Compare Templates Tab

Element	Purpose
Template A dropdown	Select the first template to compare
Template B dropdown	Select the second template to compare
Validation message	Displays error if invalid selection (e.g., same template twice)
Compare button	Runs the comparison (enabled when valid selection made)
Maximize button	Expands the compare area for review

Keyboard shortcuts:

• Enter - Click Compare (when enabled)

Comparison Results

Element	Purpose
Summary	Shows total parameters and number of differences found
Show differences only	Checkbox to filter the parameter list
Filter info	Shows count of visible vs. total parameters
Parameter table	Scrollable grid with all comparison data
Close button	Closes or collapses the compare view

Visual indicators:

• Amber/yellow row background - Parameter has different values between templates
• Standard row background - Parameter values are the same

Keyboard shortcuts:

• ESC - Close the window
• Arrow keys - Navigate rows in the table

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Use Cases

Scenario	How Compare Templates Helps
Troubleshooting view differences	Compare the template assigned to a “correct” view with a “problem” view to find the parameter causing issues
Standardizing templates	Compare office standard template with project template to identify deviations
Template cleanup	Compare similarly-named templates to determine if they’re duplicates that can be consolidated
Documentation	Export template differences for project handoff or QA documentation
Learning templates	Compare a working template with default to understand what parameters were customized
Migration verification	After copying templates between projects, verify all parameters transferred correctly

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Options & Settings

Default Filter State

Option	Default	Description
Show differences only	On	When enabled, only shows parameters with different values

Note

Filter settings are not persisted between sessions. Each time you open Compare Templates, “Show differences only” is checked by default.

Window Behavior

• Modeless - Compare stays inside Template Manager so Revit remains usable
• Resizable workspace - Use the manager window or compare maximize control to give the grid more space
• Persistent during review - Switch between audit and compare tabs without reopening the tool

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Tips

• Start with differences - Keep “Show differences only” enabled to quickly identify what varies between templates, then uncheck to see the full picture
• Check controlled status - A parameter might have the same value in both templates but only be controlled by one; check the controlled status when troubleshooting
• Use meaningful names - Give templates descriptive names so they’re easy to identify in the dropdown lists
• Compare in pairs - If you need to compare multiple templates, do pairwise comparisons (A vs B, then A vs C) to build a complete picture
• Look at categories - Use the Category column to focus on specific parameter groups (Graphics, Extents, etc.)
• For audit purposes - Use Template Manager to identify which templates are in use, then switch to the Compare Templates tab for specific pairs

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Limitations

Limitation	Details
Two templates only	Each comparison analyzes exactly two templates; for more, run multiple comparisons
Read-only	Compare Templates only displays differences; use Revit’s native template editor to make changes
Parameter values	Some complex parameters may display as “(not set)” if the API cannot retrieve their values
No export	Results cannot be exported directly; use screenshots or Template Manager’s Excel export for documentation
Linked models	Only compares templates in the active document, not linked models

From the developer

Multi-template comparison and direct CSV/Excel export are on my radar. If either of those would save your team time, open an issue on GitHub so I can prioritize them.

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Troubleshooting

Compare button stays disabled

This happens when:

• The same template is selected in both dropdowns
• One or both dropdowns have no selection

Solution: Select two different templates from the dropdowns.

Many parameters show “(not set)”

Some template parameters are not accessible via the Revit API, particularly for internal or specialized settings.

Workaround: Focus on the parameters that do show values; the most common graphics and visibility settings are typically available.

No differences found but views look different

If Compare Templates shows no differences but views using these templates look different:

• Verify you’re comparing the correct templates
• Check if views have local overrides that bypass the template
• Some visual differences may come from workset visibility or linked model settings not controlled by view templates

From the developer

Nine times out of ten, the culprit is a local VG override on the view itself. Try right-clicking the view, selecting “Apply View Template,” and reapplying to clear any overrides.

Comparison appears blank or takes time

This may occur with very complex templates or in large projects.

Solution: Wait a few seconds for the comparison to complete. If the issue persists, switch tabs or close and reopen Template Manager.

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Related Tools

• Template Manager - Audit template usage across sheets and views, apply templates in bulk
• Transfer VG - Copy visibility/graphics settings between views
• QuickVis - Quick visual style changes and overrides