To get a detail from Pirros into your Revit project, stage it on the website and download it through the plugin. This article covers the full workflow, including project linking, duplicate family handling, and PDF export.
Prerequisites: The Pirros Revit plugin must be installed and you must be logged in. For PDF downloads, no plugin is needed.
Step 1: Link Your Revit Project to Pirros
Before downloading your first detail, link your active Revit project to Pirros. This tells Pirros which project the downloaded details belong to.
In Revit, click Pirros → Settings → Project Settings
The Pirros plugin settings showing the Project Settings option. Click it to open the project linking dialog.
Enter the Project Name and Project Number, then click Save
The Project Settings dialog with Project Name and Project Number fields. These auto-fill from ACC or Revit project info if available. Click Save to link the project.
If duplicate families are detected, Revit shows a popup asking how to handle them:
The duplicate families dialog. Choose Use Local Families to keep your existing families (overrides incoming ones by name), or Import Duplicate Families to bring in Pirros versions alongside your existing ones (creates renamed copies like "Callout Head1"). Closing the popup with the X button defaults to Use Local Families.
Step 2: Stage and Download Details
On the Pirros website, navigate to the Details page
The Details page showing the search bar and detail cards. Search or browse to find the details you need.
Hover over each detail and click the checkbox to select it
Detail cards with checkboxes visible in the top right corner. Click the checkbox on each detail you want to download.
Click Stage for Download in the orange bar at the top
The orange Stage for Download bar at the top of the page. Click it to queue your selected details for the Revit plugin.
Click Done to confirm
The confirmation screen showing the staged details. Click Done to finalize staging.
In Revit, click the Pirros tab in the top ribbon
The Revit ribbon with the Pirros tab. Click it to access download controls.
Click Download
The Pirros plugin panel showing the Download button. Click it to start importing your staged details.
Confirm the details in the dialog and click OK
The download confirmation dialog listing the details queued for import. Verify the list and click OK to proceed.
The details are automatically upgraded to your current Revit version and appear under PIRROS IMPORTS in your Project Browser:
The Revit Project Browser showing downloaded details listed under the PIRROS IMPORTS section. From here, you can place them on sheets and edit them as needed.
Download Details as PDF
To export a detail as a PDF for markups or sharing (no Revit needed):
Find the detail on the Details page and click on it
Click Download PDF
A detail card with the Download PDF button visible. Click it to generate and open the PDF in your browser.
You can also download from the full detail view:
The full detail page with the Download PDF button in the action bar. Click it to export this detail as a PDF document.
The PDF includes detail metadata in the footer:
A downloaded PDF showing the detail image with metadata in the footer — detail name, project, sheet number, and other fields configured by your admin.
Customize the PDF footer in Settings → Display → PDF Footer Layout:
The PDF Footer Layout settings page where admins choose which metadata fields appear in the PDF footer.
What Happens Next
Downloaded details appear in your Revit Project Browser under PIRROS IMPORTS. You can place them on sheets, edit them, and use them in your project. The Pirros ID parameter is embedded in each view — this is how Pirros tracks the connection between your local copy and the cloud version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does "Stage for Download" mean?
A: Staging queues details on the Pirros server so they're ready when you click Download in the Revit plugin. You stage on the website, then download in Revit — it's a two-step process because the website and Revit communicate through the staging queue.
Q: Should I choose "Use Local Families" or "Import Duplicate Families"?
A: Choose Use Local Families if you want your existing template families to remain unchanged — Pirros details will use your local versions by family name. Choose Import Duplicate Families if the detail depends on specific family definitions from the source project that differ from yours. When in doubt, Use Local Families is the safer choice.
Q: Will downloaded details match my current Revit version?
A: Yes. Pirros automatically upgrades details to match the Revit version you have open. No manual conversion is needed.
Q: Can I download details without the Revit plugin?
A: You can download PDFs from the website without the plugin. For Revit .rvt files, the plugin is required. You can also export stash contents as a ZIP of .rvt files from the Stashes page.
Q: I staged details but nothing appears when I click Download in Revit.
A: Verify you're logged into the same Pirros account in both the website and the plugin. Check your internet connection. If the issue persists, log out of the plugin and log back in.