Plot Pilot · Documentation

Configure once. Publish with intent.

A practical reference for installing Plot Pilot, building PPCs, running the eight-step workflow, publishing saved ribbon buttons, managing data, and resolving common issues.

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OverviewWhat Plot Pilot does.

Plot Pilot turns repeated Revit PDF publishing decisions into a reusable Plot Pilot Configuration, or PPC. A PPC can fully assign a publishing choice or prompt for it at runtime. The saved configuration can then be launched from Plot Pilot Config or published as a Revit ribbon button.

Core capabilities

  • Resolve Sheet List schedules and sheet scope.
  • Choose project-relative, selected, or absolute output locations.
  • Apply folder presets and naming formulas.
  • Create separate or combined PDF output.
  • Control PDF processing, raster quality, and appearance.
  • Publish PPCs as pushbutton, pulldown, stack, or pulldown-stack controls.
InstallationInstall and open Plot Pilot.
  1. Close every running Revit session.
  2. Run BIMGrove.PlotPilot_Installer.exe.
  3. Launch a supported Revit version.
  4. Open the BIMGrove ribbon and select Plot Pilot Config.
  5. Open Settings → Licensing when activating Trial, Pro, or Team access.

Plot Pilot supports Revit 2023–2027. Installer upgrades preserve existing PPC, parent-button, icon, naming-preset, and folder-preset data.

PPC editorCreate and manage publishing configurations.

Use the PPC toolbar to create, save, duplicate, rename, import, export, delete, or reload configurations. An empty Button Label falls back to the PPC name. Full-height ribbon controls support two explicit label lines, while stacked controls remain single-line.

Recommended setup sequence

  1. Create or duplicate a PPC with a clear deliverable name.
  2. Configure Steps 1–8 from left to right.
  3. Set Button Type, Button Label, Button Icon, Button Position, and Tooltip.
  4. Save the PPC and review the ribbon preview.
  5. Run the PPC once from the editor before relying on its ribbon button.
Workflow referenceThe eight configurable steps.
StepPurposeTypical choices
1 · Sheet IndexResolve the Sheet List source and variation.Assigned list, prompted list, variation selection.
2 · SheetsDetermine which eligible sheets publish.All, Prompt, or Specific.
3 · LocationResolve the output root.Project-relative, selected location, absolute path.
4 · FolderBuild or select the output subfolder.Assigned folder preset or prompted bucket selection.
5 · PDF OutputChoose the output assembly.Separate PDFs or configured combined output.
6 · NamingApply naming presets and variables.Sheet number/name, central model, discipline, variation, PPC name, custom values.
7 · ProcessingControl PDF visibility and appearance.Hide refs/tags/scope/crop, raster quality, vector processing, Color/Black Lines/Grayscale.
8 · File HandlingControl what happens when output files already exist.Overwrite existing files or prompt for how to handle conflicts.
Runtime wizardPrompt only for unresolved choices.

When a step is assigned, Plot Pilot removes that prompt from the runtime sequence and renumbers the remaining steps. Searchable selection lists support Ctrl, Shift, Ctrl+A, and full-canvas drag cross-selection. Back, Cancel, and Next preserve the runtime workflow, and incomplete or cancelled runs do not consume Personal usage.

Successful completion

Personal usage is recorded only after every configured PDF export in the PPC completes successfully. A failed export, cancelled wizard, missing prerequisite, or incomplete run does not consume the allowance.

Revit ribbonPublish saved PPC buttons.

Button Position uses spreadsheet-style labels. Full-height controls use Column A, Column B, and so on. Stacks use Stack Column A1, A2, A3; pulldowns and pulldown stacks follow the same column/row pattern.

  • Pushbutton and pulldown controls use 32 px artwork.
  • Stack and pulldown-stack items use 16 px artwork.
  • Theme-aware _Dark and _Light pairs are resolved automatically.
  • Plot Pilot Config is always appended as the final panel control.
  • Saving a PPC reloads the ribbon; use the manual Reload command when needed.
Data locationsKnow what is personal and what is shared.

PPC configurations, ribbon parents, and button icons are a portable per-user set. Naming and folder presets are shared application data. Both roots can be changed independently in Settings → Configuration.

%APPDATA%\BIMGrove\PlotPilot\plotpilot.configurations.json
%APPDATA%\BIMGrove\PlotPilot\plotpilot.ribbon-parents.json
%APPDATA%\BIMGrove\PlotPilot\Button Icons

%PROGRAMDATA%\BIMGrove\PlotPilot
aming-presets.json
%PROGRAMDATA%\BIMGrove\PlotPilotolder-reserve.json

Missing packaged button icons, naming presets, or folder presets are recreated from built-in defaults. User-edited PPC and parent catalogs are preserved.

LicensingPersonal, Trial, Pro, and Team.
  • Personal: 5 successful PPC publishes per rolling 24-hour window.
  • Trial: full access for 15 days.
  • Pro: paid full access for an individual seat.
  • Team: paid full access for team licensing.

Open Settings → Licensing to activate, validate, deactivate, or review the current entitlement. When Personal reaches 5/5, use Check Licensing to open the licensing section.

TroubleshootingCommon publishing checks.

A Sheet List prompt appears when one is assigned

Confirm the assigned Sheet List exists in the active model and that the PPC stores the exact list identity. Review variation handling when multiple matching schedules are available.

A saved PPC button is missing or stale

Save the PPC, use Reload saved PPC ribbon buttons, and verify Button Type and Button Position. Revit may require a restart when its ribbon cannot safely rebuild a control during the current session.

The PDF folder cannot be resolved

Check Step 3 Location and Step 4 Folder. Confirm absolute paths are fully qualified and relative paths can be resolved from the active project or configured base location.

PDF publishing stops before completion

Verify the selected sheets are printable, the destination is writable, no conflicting output file is locked, and the naming result is valid for Windows. Cancelled or failed runs do not consume Personal usage.