Table of Contents

Transfer Drafting Views (TDV)

Transfer Drafting Views (TDV) lets you share drafting views between Revit projects using a central library file. Instead of recreating standard details from scratch in every project, you can import them from your team's shared library - or contribute new views back to that library for others to use.

When to Use It

TDV is helpful when you need to:

  • Import standard details into a new project from your team's library
  • Share drafting views you've created with the rest of your team
  • Standardize details across multiple projects
  • Back up important drafting views to a central location
  • Migrate drafting views between projects without copy/paste hassles

Quick Start

Importing Views

  1. Open your project in Revit
  2. Go to the DB Tools ribbon tab
  3. Click Import From Library
  4. Select a library file from the list
  5. Check the views you want to import
  6. Click Transfer Selected

Exporting Views

  1. Open the project containing the views you want to share
  2. Go to the DB Tools ribbon tab
  3. Click Export To Library
  4. Select which library to export to
  5. Check the views you want to export
  6. Click Transfer Selected

The TDV Window

When you click Import or Export, the Transfer Drafting Views window opens with these main areas:

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  [View Type Filter v]  [Search________________] [Clear] [Transfer]|
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Warning Bar (appears if there are naming conflicts)              |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Views List                              |  Preview Panel          |
|  +------------------------------------+  |  +------------------+   |
|  | [ ] View Name         Replace Type |  |  |                  |   |
|  | [ ] Standard Detail A    [ ]  Type1|  |  |   (Preview of    |   |
|  | [X] Standard Detail B    [X]  Type1|  |  |  selected view)  |   |
|  | [ ] Standard Detail C    [ ]  Type2|  |  |                  |   |
|  +------------------------------------+  |  +------------------+   |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Status: Selected: 1 | Replace: 1 | Adds: 0                       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

Toolbar

Control Purpose
View Type dropdown Filter views by their drafting view type
Search box Type to filter views by name
Clear Selection Uncheck all selected views
Transfer Selected Start the transfer operation

Views List Columns

Column Description
Status icon Shows transfer result: checkmark (success), X (failed), or warning (conflict)
Transfer checkbox Check to include this view in the transfer
View Name The name of the drafting view (click to edit before transfer)
Replace Check to overwrite an existing view with the same name
View Type Select which view type to use in the destination

Preview Panel

  • Shows a preview image of the currently selected view
  • Use your mouse to pan and zoom
  • Click Zoom Extents to fit and center the preview image

Status Bar

Shows counts of:

  • Selected - How many views you've checked
  • Replace - How many will replace existing views
  • Adds - How many are new views

After a transfer, shows the results summary.

Step-by-Step Workflows

Importing Drafting Views from the Library

Scenario: You're starting a new project and need to import standard details from your team's library.

  1. Open your project in Revit
  2. Click Import From Library on the DB Tools ribbon
  3. Select a library file - if you have multiple libraries configured, choose the one you want
  4. Find the views you need:
    • Use the View Type filter to show only certain types
    • Type in the Search box to find views by name
  5. Check the views you want to import
  6. Review for conflicts:
    • If a view name already exists in your project, you'll see a warning
    • Either rename the view (click the name to edit) or check Replace to overwrite the existing view
  7. Choose view types (optional):
    • By default, views keep their original type ("Retain Original")
    • The View Type dropdown is populated from your project (host) document
    • Use the View Type dropdown to assign a different host type if needed
  8. Click Transfer Selected
  9. Wait for the transfer to complete - progress is shown for each view
  10. Review the results summary alert:
  • Click Accept and Transfer More to keep the TDV window open
  • Click Close Tool to finish and close TDV

Exporting Views to the Library

Scenario: You've created a new standard detail that should be available to all projects.

  1. Open the project containing your drafting view
  2. Click Export To Library on the DB Tools ribbon
  3. Select the library file to export to
  4. Find your views:
    • Use filters and search to locate the views
  5. Check the views you want to export
  6. Handle existing views:
    • If a view with the same name exists in the library:
      • Rename your view to add it as a new view, OR
      • Check Replace to update the library version
  7. Choose view types (optional):
    • By default, views keep their original type ("Retain Original")
    • The View Type dropdown is populated from the library document
    • Choosing Retain Original keeps the source host type; if missing in the library, TDV creates it first
  8. Click Transfer Selected
  9. Wait for the export and sync to complete
  10. Review the transfer summary alert and choose Accept and Transfer More or Close Tool
  11. The library file is automatically synced back to central

Replacing an Existing Library View

Scenario: You've improved a standard detail and want to update the library.

  1. Click Export To Library
  2. Find your updated view in the list
  3. Check the view's Transfer checkbox
  4. Check the Replace checkbox
  5. Click Transfer Selected
  6. The old version in the library is replaced with your new version

Importing with Different View Types

Scenario: Your project uses different drafting view types than the library.

  1. Click Import From Library
  2. Check the views you want
  3. In the View Type column, select the appropriate type from your project
  4. If you leave Retain Original, TDV keeps the source type and creates it in the destination when missing
  5. Click Transfer Selected

Settings

Configuring Library Files

TDV needs to know where your library files are located. To configure:

  1. Open DB Tools Settings (click the settings icon on the DB Tools ribbon)
  2. Find the Library Files section
  3. Click Add to add a library file path
  4. Browse to your .rvt library file (must match your current Revit version)
  5. (Recommended) Set an Alias so the library picker stays readable
  6. (Optional) Add a fallback path for users on different networks
  7. Click Validate Libraries to verify all paths are accessible and version-compatible
  8. Click Save

Library File Options

Setting Description
Main Path Primary path to your library .rvt file
Fallback Path Alternative path (e.g., if users access from different networks)
Alias Friendly name shown in the Import/Export library picker (recommended)

Multiple Libraries

You can configure multiple library files - for example:

  • One for company-wide standard details
  • One for project-specific details
  • One for experimental/draft details

When you run Import or Export, you'll choose which library to use. If an entry has no alias, TDV shows a shortened version of the file path in the picker.

Tips & Tricks

Naming Conventions

  • Use consistent, descriptive names for drafting views
  • Include the detail type, scale, or category in the name
  • Example: STD-DETAIL-FOUNDATION-WALL-1X1

Organizing Your Library

  • Keep one "master" library file for company standards
  • Periodically clean up unused or outdated views
  • Use clear view type names to categorize details

Batch Operations

  • You can select multiple views at once for transfer
  • Use the View Type filter to quickly select all views of a certain type
  • Check multiple views, then use the View Type dropdown to assign the same type to all

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Tab moves between fields in the grid
  • Space toggles checkboxes when a row is selected
  • Ctrl+F focuses the search box

Preview Navigation

  • Scroll wheel - Zoom in/out
  • Click and drag - Pan around
  • Zoom Extents button - Fit and center the preview image

Troubleshooting

"No library files configured"

Problem: You see an error that no library files are configured.

Solution: Go to DB Tools Settings and add at least one library file path.

Import/Export buttons are disabled at startup

Problem: The Export To Library / Import From Library buttons are disabled immediately after opening Revit.

Solution:

  • Open DB Tools Settings → Library Files
  • Fix any invalid/mismatched library paths
  • Click Validate Libraries, then re-try the command

"Library file is inaccessible"

Problem: A library file can't be opened.

Solution:

  • Check that the file path is correct
  • Verify you have network access to the file location
  • Make sure the file isn't open exclusively by another user
  • Try the fallback path if configured

"Revit version mismatch"

Problem: A library file shows a version mismatch error during validation or when trying to open it.

Solution:

  • The library file was saved in a different Revit version than you're currently running
  • Use a library file that matches your current Revit version
  • If you need to upgrade a library file, open it in the newer Revit version manually and save it, then update the library path in Settings
  • Click Validate Libraries in Settings to verify all library files are compatible

Name conflict warning

Problem: Yellow warning bar appears saying views have naming conflicts.

Solution: For each conflicting view, either:

  • Edit the view name to something unique
  • Check the Replace checkbox to overwrite the existing view

View type not available

Problem: You see a warning icon next to a view, and the tooltip says the source type name is unavailable.

Solution: Select a specific view type from the dropdown instead of "Retain Original".

Transfer fails for some views

Problem: Some views show a red X after transfer.

Solution:

  • Click on the failed view to see the error details
  • Common issues:
    • View type doesn't exist and couldn't be created
    • Elements couldn't be copied (may have missing families)
    • Network issues during sync

Changes don't appear in library after export

Problem: You exported views but they don't appear when others import.

Solution:

  • Ensure the sync to central completed successfully
  • Check the results dialog for any sync errors
  • Have other users reload from central

Frequently Asked Questions

What gets transferred?

TDV copies:

  • All detail lines, text, and annotation elements in the view
  • The view scale
  • The view description
  • Graphic overrides on elements

TDV does not copy:

  • Viewports
  • Title blocks
  • Schedules placed on the view
  • View templates (the view type is copied, but not a view template assignment)

Can I undo a transfer?

For imports: Yes, use Revit's Undo command immediately after the transfer.

For exports: No, once synced to central, changes can't be undone. However, you could import the old version back from a backup.

Does TDV work with workshared files?

Yes. TDV:

  • Creates a local copy of the library file for operations
  • Automatically syncs changes back to central after exports
  • Handles worksharing transparently

Local copies are stored under:

  • %APPDATA%\\DBTools\\Cache\\TDV\\LibraryLocals\\ and cleaned up after the operation completes.

Can multiple people use the same library at once?

Yes, because TDV creates local copies for each operation. However:

  • If two people export different views to the same library simultaneously, one sync might fail
  • Best practice: Coordinate export timing with your team

What happens if a family is missing?

If the source view contains elements from a family that doesn't exist in the destination:

  • Revit will attempt to copy the family along with the elements
  • If the family can't be copied, those elements will be skipped
  • You'll see a warning in the transfer results

Can I transfer views between different Revit versions?

No. The library file must be saved in the same Revit version as your current session. For example, if you're running Revit 2026, your library file must also be a Revit 2026 file. TDV validates this automatically and will show a version mismatch error if the versions don't match.

This restriction prevents Revit from silently upgrading library files, which would make them unusable by team members on older versions.

How do I create a new library file?

  1. Create a new Revit project (you can use the default template)
  2. Save it as a central file on your shared network location
  3. Add drafting view types as needed
  4. Add the file path to TDV settings
  5. Use Export to add views to your new library

Why is the preview blank?

The preview may be blank if:

  • No view is selected in the list
  • The view is empty (no elements)
  • The view couldn't be exported to an image (try selecting a different view)

Can I rename views during transfer?

Yes! Click on the view name in the list to edit it before transferring. The new name will be used in the destination.

For technical details about how TDV works, see the Developer Guide - TDV.

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