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Troubleshooting the Pirros Revit Plugin by Version (Pirros in Revit and Classic Plugin)

Fixes for common Pirros plugin problems, split by plugin version: Pirros in Revit (docked panel) and the classic plugin.

Pirros has two plugin generations, and the symptoms and fixes differ. This guide covers problems by plugin version. For the general reinstall steps that apply to both, see the Pirros-Revit Troubleshooting Guide.

Step 1: Find out which plugin you have

In Revit, click the Pirros tab, then Settings, then About. 4.x means Pirros in Revit (docked panel). 3.x or lower means the classic plugin (separate dialogs).

Can't open Settings because the panel won't load? A panel that opens beside your model means v4. Separate dialog windows mean classic. [VERIFY: a reliable way to read the installed plugin version when the panel never loads, for example from Programs and Features.]

Step 2: Try the fixes that apply to both

  1. Update the plugin. Check the version under Settings, then About, and install the latest from app.pirros.com/plugin. Turn on Auto Update.

  2. Close Revit completely and reopen it.

  3. Check your connection. The plugin needs internet access. If your firm uses a proxy or firewall, see Network Requirements: Domains to Allow Through Your Proxy, PAC File, or Firewall.

  4. Rule out another add-in. Other add-ins can interfere with Pirros, and Revit may switch Pirros off or stop it connecting. Temporarily disable your other add-ins, then re-enable them one or two at a time to find the one causing the conflict. Update that add-in if a newer version is available.

  5. Do a clean reinstall. Follow the full reinstall steps in the Pirros-Revit Troubleshooting Guide. Installing over the top of an existing version isn't the same as a clean removal.

Pirros in Revit (v4.x): docked panel problems

I click the Pirros button and nothing happens, or I can't see the panel

Revit may think the panel is already open but have it positioned somewhere you can't see, for example after a monitor or resolution change. Clicking the button then just hides and shows that invisible panel.

  1. Look for the panel as a thin collapsed strip along a screen edge, or as a small tab next to the Project Browser, and drag it into view.

  2. If you recently disconnected a second monitor, reconnect the old setup. The panel may reappear.

  3. If that doesn't work, reset Revit's saved panel layout:

    1. Close Revit. Open Task Manager, go to the Details tab, and end every Revit.exe. A copy left running can write the old layout back.

    2. Press Win+R, paste %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit {YEAR} (use your Revit year), and press Enter.

    3. Rename RevitUILayout.xml to RevitUILayout.xml.old.

    4. Start Revit and open any project. The panel opens by itself after roughly 10 seconds. Don't click the Pirros button while you wait, because it can hide the panel again.

    5. Sign in on the panel with your usual Pirros email and password.
      ​NOTE: (This also resets Revit's other panels, such as Properties and the Project Browser, to their default positions.)

  4. If the above doesn't work either, reset the plugin:

    1. In Revit, click Manage > Add-Ins Manager > uncheck Pirros Plugin > click Apply > click Close > close Revit.

    2. Reopen Revit > click Manage > Add-Ins Manager > check Pirros Plugin > click Apply > click Close > close Revit.

    3. Reopen Revit, and the Pirros pane opens on the right side of the Revit window.

The panel spins for several minutes, or never connects to Revit

This is most often another add-in supplying an older copy of a component the panel depends on. Disable your other add-ins and test, as in Step 2. If Settings shows no version number or says to update the plugin even though you're current, that points to the same cause.

The panel is blank or won't load

Ask IT to check that Pirros domains are allowed through your proxy or firewall. See Network Requirements. Then update to the latest plugin, which includes loading reliability fixes.

The panel opens on the wrong page, or the sign-in window closes early

Update the plugin. Both were fixed in 4.0.55, and staying signed in after a Revit restart arrived in 4.0.60.

"Execution timeout exceeded" when I insert a family

Revit won't start loading a new family until the previous placement is finished. If you click Insert on a second family while another is still being placed, the panel can time out. The first family usually still loads. Finish placing the first one, or press Esc, before inserting the next.

Several Revit sessions are open

Multiple concurrent Revit sessions are supported from 4.0.39, and Live Link actions go to the correct session from 4.0.73. Update if you see actions land in the wrong session.

Classic plugin (v3.x): ribbon and dialog problems

The Pirros tab or add-in is missing in one Revit year

  1. Check that Pirros.addin and the Pirros folder exist in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\{YEAR} for that year.

  2. Open Revit's add-in manager and confirm Pirros is enabled. After toggling it, close and reopen Revit.

  3. If you've reinstalled and it's still missing for that one year, run the add-in conflict test in Step 2, then do a clean removal and reinstall for that year.

A download looks successful but the detail is missing or wrong

Confirm you're on 3.2.5 or later, try the download again, and reinstall if it persists.

Revit slows down or crashes while Live Link is on

Update to the latest classic plugin. If you can't update yet, the Live Link icon in the plugin can be switched off. When it's orange, click it and it turns grey, which disables Live Link.

What to send Pirros support

  • Your Revit version and your plugin version, if you can read it.

  • The exact error text or a screenshot.

  • What you were doing when it happened.

  • What you've already tried, such as a reinstall or disabling other add-ins.

Contact support through the in-app chat or [email protected].

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