Turn Revit and CAD link visibility/graphics overrides into an intuitive, view-aware workflow. Pick directly in the model, build category rules, work across views, or target view templates—without repeatedly navigating through Revit's V/G dialog.
Pick a model category, Revit-linked element or CAD layer and inspect the resolved target before making the change.
Scope, linked model, target type, category path and picked-element details
Launch the on-canvas lens for Color, Hide, or Halftone
Pick Object and Reset controls
02 · Rule-driven
By Categories
Build a repeatable set of linked category overrides and apply the selected color, visibility, and halftone properties in one operation.
Searchable category selection
Color swatches with Skip/No Overrides behavior
Per-row State toggle, Remove, Add Rule and Reset
03 · Multi-view controls
By View
Select one or more host views and apply a consistent linked graphics configuration across them. Use view-type filtering and search to find the right targets quickly.
Manual and Auto workflows; Auto applies category rules to the source view, then propagates its resulting RVT Links V/G block
Ctrl/Shift multi-select with search supporting * and ?
Handles view-specific and template-controlled Revit Links V/G overrides without detaching the view template
One-level Revert restores the affected RVT Links V/G block
04 · Template-wide consistency
By Template
Select multiple view templates that control Revit Links V/G, then apply the same configured category rules directly to their RVT Links graphics block.
Revit Link selector with searchable eligible View Templates
Template Assignment filter: All, Assigned, or Unassigned
Assigned means at least one non-template view uses the template; Unassigned means none
Only templates with RVT Links V/G included in the template are listed
On-canvas controls
Meet the Link Lens.
Select in the model and make the graphics decision where you're already looking. The lens keeps the chosen action close to the selected linked object, rather than forcing repeated dialog navigation.
Color. Hide. Halftone.
Click Color to use the current swatch, or click its swatch to open the color picker. Hide changes visibility. The Halftone action switches between Halftone and Full-tone according to the current state.
Designed around the canvas
Shift + L is the default native shortcut for Pick Object mode.
The lens is constrained to the Revit canvas, with a bottom-right handle for repositioning.
Drag with the middle mouse button to pan; press Esc to exit.
Continue Pick Object mode after an action when the setting is enabled (default).
Precise graphics targeting
Apply the right setting to the right V/G row.
Linked CAD layers and Revit model categories do not share the same Revit V/G hierarchy. Link Lens follows the correct target for each graphics property.
Source
Color
Visibility
Halftone
Linked DWG / CAD
Picked child layer
Picked child layer
Parent/root DWG entry in Import Categories
Linked Revit model
Resolved Model Category
Resolved Model Category
Model Categories row for the resolved category
Important: For CAD, halftone is controlled at the parent DWG level—not separately for every child layer. Link Lens preserves that distinction while presenting one consistent interface.
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Color
Set a category or layer color with a swatch. Use Skip to leave the current value alone or No Overrides when a reset is needed.
◉
Visibility
Turn a target ON or OFF, or choose Skip so the existing visibility setting stays unchanged.
◐
Halftone
Control halftone independently, respecting the actual Revit category or root-DWG scope.
☷
Rule table
A compact Category · Color · Visibility · Halftone · State · Remove table keeps each rule reviewable.
≡
Saved Settings
Save, Save As, load, and delete reusable named configurations shared across workflows.
↶
Revert
Restore the previous affected RVT Links V/G state from a one-level backup; Shift+Revert clears internal z_LinkVG templates.
One-page guide · 1.3.1
Everything you need to get started.
Installation, four workflows, linked graphics rules, template behavior, saved settings and troubleshooting—all here. Expand the steps as you work.
01Install and launch Link Lens
Go to the BIMGrove Downloads page to obtain the appropriate installer when Link Lens is listed there.
Install the BIMGrove Revit add-in for your supported Revit version (2023–2027), then start or restart Revit.
Open a project with a linked Revit model or CAD/DWG and launch the Link Lens palette from the BIMGrove tools.
Choose one accordion workflow: By Pick, By Categories, By View, or By Template. Only the expanded workflow is active.
02Pick an element and use the on-canvas lens
Expand By Pick and choose Pick Object (or use Shift + L).
Click the linked element or CAD layer in the Revit canvas.
Check Scope, Revit Link, Target Type, Target, Category Path and other available selection details.
Use Color, Hide, or Halftone / Full-tone in the circular lens.
Continue picking if Continue Pick Object Mode is enabled. Press Esc to finish. Reset clears the current pick selection.
03Create and apply category graphics rules
Expand By Categories and select the Revit Link.
Click Add Rule; choose a category from the searchable picker and configure Color, Visibility, and Halftone.
Use <Skip> to avoid changing a property. Color supports a selected swatch and a native picker.
Toggle a row's State to include or exclude it. Remove individual rows or click Reset to rebuild the rule table.
Click the shared footer Apply button to apply the active workflow's enabled rules.
04Apply consistent settings to multiple host views
Expand By View; select the linked Revit file and filter views by View Type.
Search by name; * matches any text, and ? matches one character. Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple views.
Use Manual or Auto. In Auto, configure category rules for the source view; Link Lens uses its resulting RVT Links V/G block for the selected views.
Apply the shared rules. When a target view's Revit Links V/G is controlled by a template, Link Lens operates on the appropriate controlling template instead of detaching the view.
Review the selected count and source view before applying.
05Select assigned or unassigned view templates
Expand By Template, select the Revit Link and locate the View Templates you wish to change.
Use Template Assignment: All, Assigned (used by a non-template view), or Unassigned (used by none). This filter considers views in the document, not just currently visible By View results.
Only templates whose RVT Links V/G override parameter is included/controlled appear in the list.
Use Search and Ctrl/Shift multi-select, then set the category rule table and click Apply. Auto uses those rules to produce the RVT Links V/G block applied to the selected templates.
Link Lens changes the selected template's Revit Links V/G block without altering unrelated template overrides.
06Understand Color, Visibility, and Halftone targets
Linked DWG: Color and Visibility apply to the exact child layer. Halftone applies to the parent/root DWG row under Import Categories.
Linked Revit: Color, Visibility, and Halftone target the resolved Revit Model Categories row.
Rules with Skip for a property leave that specific value unchanged; ON/OFF are explicit states.
Use the displayed Target and Category Path in By Pick to confirm before changing graphics.
07Save, reuse, and revert your configuration
The palette's common footer provides Apply, Revert, and Saved Settings operations across workflows.
Save or Save As a reusable rules configuration; load it in the workflow that needs it and delete presets no longer in use.
Revert uses a one-level RVT Links V/G snapshot of affected view or template targets and restores only that graphics block, leaving unrelated template changes alone.
Shift+Revert clears internal z_LinkVG* temporary/cache templates. This is an advanced cleanup action, not a replacement for a full project backup.
08Theme, display scale and input controls
Link Lens follows Revit's light/dark theme and shares the compact, rounded BIMGrove palette styling.
The on-canvas wheel is constrained to the Revit canvas; use its handle to reposition and the outer rim / Esc to close.
Middle-mouse panning is supported during Pick Object mode.
Display targeting has been tested at 100% and 150% scaling, including both narrow and extended V/G dialog widths. If native dialog geometry becomes stale after an environment change, retry the operation after the target is visible.
09Troubleshooting and safe editing
Nothing changes: confirm a linked Revit/CAD target, active workflow, enabled rule State, and a non-Skip property.
Template-controlled views: inspect which view template controls RVT Links V/G. Use By Template when changes should apply to selected templates explicitly.
Unexpected CAD halftone: remember it is controlled by the parent/root DWG entry, not an individual DWG layer.
Pick-mode or coordinates seem stale: exit with Esc, reopen the picker and verify the current scale/dialog layout; restart Revit if the host's DPI environment does not refresh.
Revert: Link Lens only keeps a one-level relevant graphics snapshot. Use standard Revit project backups/versioning for broader recovery.
Questions and answers
A quick reference, right here.
Does Link Lens modify the linked file?
It operates through the host Revit project's link V/G graphics settings, rather than changing source geometry in the linked RVT or DWG.
Can I apply the same override to several views?
Yes. Select multiple host views in By View, or select eligible templates in By Template for shared RVT Links V/G behavior.
What's the difference between By View and By Template?
By View starts with host view selections and respects any controlling template. By Template targets selected view templates directly and can filter by their assignment status.
Are CAD layers and RVT model categories treated identically?
No. Color and visibility may target child CAD layers, while CAD halftone belongs to the root DWG. Revit model category controls use their respective Model Categories row.
Bring link graphics under control
Less dialog hunting. More design time.
BIMGrove Link Lens · Revit® 2023–2027 · Workflow, feature guide, and documentation on this page.
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