Table of Contents

Installation

This guide covers installing, updating, and uninstalling DBTools.

System Requirements

Requirement Minimum
Revit 2024, 2025, or 2026
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
Permissions Standard user account

Download

Download the latest installer from:

Installation

Step 1: Close Revit

Ensure all Revit instances are closed before installing.

Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Double-click DBToolsSetup.exe
  2. Accept the license agreement
  3. Choose installation options:
    • Revit versions: Select which Revit versions to install for
    • Install location: Default is recommended

Step 3: Complete Installation

Click Install and wait for completion. The installer will:

  1. Copy files to the installation directory
  2. Register the add-in with each selected Revit version
  3. Create configuration directory

Installation Locations

Add-in Files

%LOCALAPPDATA%\DBTools\
├── DBTools.Loader.dll      # Bootstrap loader
├── DBTools.dll             # Main application
├── vendor/                 # Vendored UI assemblies
│   └── DBTools.HandyControl.dll
└── [version-specific files]

Configuration & Data

%APPDATA%\DBTools\
├── settings.{YEAR}.json    # User settings for the running Revit year
├── Logs/                   # Application logs
│   └── DBTools_2025_*.log
├── Cache/                  # Tool-specific caches
│   └── VTC/
│   └── GM/
└── [tool-specific data]

Revit Add-in Manifest

Each Revit version gets a manifest file:

%APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2025\DBTools.addin

Updating

Automatic Updates

DBTools checks for updates on startup. When an update is available:

  1. A notification appears in the ribbon
  2. Click to download and install
  3. Restart Revit to apply

Manual Update

  1. Download the latest installer
  2. Close Revit
  3. Run the installer (it will detect and upgrade)

Uninstallation

Using Windows Settings

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features
  2. Search for "DBTools"
  3. Click Uninstall

Using Control Panel

  1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program
  2. Find "DBTools"
  3. Click Uninstall

What Gets Removed

The uninstaller removes:

  • All add-in files (%LOCALAPPDATA%\DBTools\)
  • Revit manifest files (*.addin)

Preserved (manual deletion required):

  • User settings (%APPDATA%\DBTools\settings.{YEAR}.json)
  • Log files (%APPDATA%\DBTools\Logs\)
  • Cache files (%APPDATA%\DBTools\Cache\)

Clean Uninstall

To remove all DBTools data:

# Remove add-in files
Remove-Item -Recurse "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\DBTools"

# Remove user data
Remove-Item -Recurse "$env:APPDATA\DBTools"

# Remove Revit manifests (adjust year as needed)
Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2025\DBTools.addin"
Remove-Item "$env:APPDATA\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2024\DBTools.addin"

Troubleshooting Installation

"Access Denied" Errors

  • Ensure Revit is closed
  • Run installer as Administrator if needed
  • Check antivirus isn't blocking

DBTools Tab Not Appearing

  1. Check the add-in manifest exists:

    %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2025\DBTools.addin

  2. Verify Revit loaded the add-in:

    • File > Options > Add-ins
    • Look for "DBTools" in the list

  3. Check for startup errors:

    • Look in %APPDATA%\DBTools\Logs\
    • Search for "ERROR" or "FATAL"

Theme Validation Failed

If you see "DB Tools theme failed to load":

  1. Ensure vendor assemblies exist:

    %LOCALAPPDATA%\DBTools\vendor\

  2. Try reinstalling DBTools

  3. Check for conflicting add-ins

Multiple Revit Versions

DBTools supports side-by-side installation for multiple Revit versions. Each version has:

  • Its own manifest file
  • Shared DLLs (version-agnostic)
  • Per-year settings files (%APPDATA%\DBTools\settings.{YEAR}.json)

Silent Installation

For enterprise deployment:

DBToolsSetup.exe /S /REVIT=2024,2025,2026

Options:

Flag Description
/S Silent mode (no UI)
/REVIT=<versions> Comma-separated Revit versions
/D=<path> Custom install directory

Next Steps

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