Feature Request, Batch import +update Styles

Hello VA team,

We’re currently collaborating on a project with multiple team members — some working on structure, and others focusing on doors and windows. Using styles has been very helpful for managing types (or families), but I’m looking for a more efficient way to batch import or update styles across files.

To avoid performance issues and lag when editing everything in one file, I’m experimenting with editing specific styles (e.g. door and window styles) in separate files, then importing them back into the main model.

However, I’ve run into a challenge. If the style name already exists in the main file, importing it overwrites both the style and the object geometry, including custom properties set “by object” — as shown in the GIF below.
Style with same name

Ideally, I’d like to update style-based properties while preserving custom “by object” values. As a workaround, I’ve tried importing styles under slightly different names and manually reassigning them in batch to the objects I want to update (see GIF below). This keeps the custom object properties intact, but it’s quite time-consuming.

Style with new name

It would be extremely helpful if there were a way to overwrite existing styles by name while retaining the “by object” overrides — this would save us a lot of manual effort when syncing style updates across files.

Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions!

Cheers,
Ray

Hello,
I think it’s already possible. It’s just a matter of your workflow. You can use both worksessions or referenced blocks. All you need it is a good model organization. You can use a system of separate layers for all model parts. Or (and) you can use separate VA styles for each element. For example, you could use specific layers with names starting with a “STRUCTURE…” prefix, and also all styles used by your structural engineer could be named like this. Then there would be no names interferring.
Cheers, Jaro

Hi Jaro,

Thanks for your response — I appreciate the suggestions on model organization and using worksessions or referenced blocks.

I agree that having a structured layer and naming system is helpful to avoid conflicts. However, my main concern is not about avoiding name interference, but more about intentionally updating existing styles.

For example, if a door style named “Standard_Door” exists in both the source and main file, I’d like to update that style in the main file by re-importing itwhile keeping the custom “by object” properties (like manual height or width overrides) intact.

From what I’ve tested so far, importing the updated style with the same name overwrites both the style and the geometry, resetting any custom changes made to individual instances.

Do you know if there’s a way to update styles without affecting those object-specific customizations? Or is this something that could potentially be improved in the workflow?

Thanks again!
Ray

@Rui_Hang_Yong1 when you import a VisualARQ style with the same name of an object style that already exists, the imported one overrides the dimensions of the existing style. But it only affects to the style properties. The values of the properties defined by object should not be modified.
If you have an example where this is inconsistent, please send it over and we will study what’s happening.

@fsalla Thank you for clarify the expected behaviour, but my experience doesn’t seems to align to what you described, as per the GIF above. I have sent the file to your email can you help me have a look if something is wrong.

Cheers,
Ray

Hi @Rui_Hang_Yong1 I’ve figured out that this problem only happens with VisualARQ objects created as Grasshopper Styles

Hey @fsalla, will this to be fixed anytime soon? this feature is very handy especially for a heavy model, or a project with many doors and windows

Hi @Rui_Hang_Yong1 I don’t know.