Pixeltools
Docs / Print Order Control

Getting Started

Opening the Plugin

Find Print Order Control on the Add-Ins tab in Revit's ribbon. Click to open.

Print Order Control main window The Print Order Control dialog showing the full interface

Interface Overview

The dialog is organized into several areas:

  • Filter bar (top): Quick text search to find sheets
  • Toolbar: Undo/redo, sorting, locking, and utility buttons
  • Sheet list (center): Your print queue with drag-and-drop reordering
  • Saved orders: Save and load named print configurations
  • Apply bar (bottom): Apply changes and open Print dialog

Prerequisites

Before opening Print Order Control, you need sheets in your print selection. Use one of these methods:

  • File > Print > Selected views/sheets: Revit's built-in sheet picker
  • Plot by Revision: Our companion plugin for revision-based selection
  • Load a saved order: Restore a previously saved configuration

Basic Workflow

  1. 01Arrange sheets: Drag and drop to reorder, or use sort buttons
  2. 02Lock critical positions: Ensure cover sheets stay at the top
  3. 03Save your order: Create a named configuration for reuse
  4. 04Apply & Print: Click "Apply to Print" then "Open Print..." to send to Revit
Tip

Print Order Control remembers your last session automatically. Close Revit, come back tomorrow, and your order is still there.

Filtering

Use the filter bar at the top to quickly find sheets by number or name.

Filter bar Type to filter the sheet list

Filter Modes

ModeDescriptionExamples
SimpleWildcard matching with * and ?A-1*, *Floor*, M-?01
RegexFull regular expression support^A\d{3}, (Floor|Ceiling)

Wildcards (Simple Mode)

  • *: Matches any number of characters
  • ?: Matches exactly one character

Quick Tips

  • Press Ctrl+F to focus the filter box
  • Press Escape to clear the filter
  • Click the X button to clear the filter text
Tip

Filtering doesn't remove sheets from your queue. It just hides non-matching sheets temporarily.

Reordering Sheets

Drag and Drop

  1. 01Click a sheet to select it
  2. 02Drag it to the desired position
  3. 03A visual indicator shows where the sheet will be inserted
  4. 04Release to drop

Moving Multiple Sheets

  1. 01Select multiple sheets using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click
  2. 02Drag any selected sheet. All selected sheets move together
  3. 03Drop at the target position

Move Buttons

Use the toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to move selected sheets:

Move selection controls Move buttons for precise positioning
ActionShortcut
Move up one positionCtrl+Up
Move down one positionCtrl+Down
Move to topCtrl+Home
Move to bottomCtrl+End

Maintain Selection Spacing

Enable "Maintain selection spacing" in settings to preserve gaps between selected items when dragging. Useful when your selection has intentional spacing.

Note

Locked items cannot be dragged unless "Temporarily unlock" is enabled in settings.

Locking Positions

Lock sheets to prevent them from moving during sort operations. Perfect for cover sheets, title pages, or any sheet that must stay in a specific position.

Lock and unlock controls Lock controls to fix sheet positions

Lock States

StateAppearanceBehavior
UnlockedNormal rowCan be moved, sorted, reordered
LockedBronze/tan background with lock iconCannot be moved; stays in place during sorts
Locked + Temp UnlockGreen background with lock iconCan be moved but remains marked as locked

How to Lock/Unlock

  • Lock selected: Select sheets, click "Lock" or press Ctrl+L
  • Unlock selected: Select sheets, click "Unlock"
  • Unlock all: Click "Unlock All"
  • Right-click menu: Lock/Unlock options available in context menu

Temporarily Unlock

Enable "Temporarily unlock locked items" in the settings popup (gear icon) to allow moving locked items while keeping them marked as locked. The row appears green to indicate this state.

Sorting

Quickly sort your sheet list using the toolbar buttons or column headers.

Quick Sort Buttons

Sort buttons Quick sort buttons for common operations
ButtonAction
A-ZSort by sheet number (ascending)
ReverseReverse the current order
BrowserMatch Project Browser sheet organization

Column Header Sorting

Click any column header to sort by that column. Advanced sorting options:

  • Click: Toggle sort direction (ascending/descending)
  • Ctrl+Click: Add to multi-column sort
  • Alt+Click: Remove from sort
  • Shift+Click: Clear this column's sort

Natural Sort

Enable "Natural sort" in settings so "A2" sorts before "A10". When disabled, strict alphabetical order is used.

Tip

Locked items stay in place during all sort operations. Other items sort around them.

Saved Orders

Save named print orders per project. Each project can have multiple saved configurations like "Full CD Set", "Permit Package", or "ASI-012 Response".

Saved Order controls Save, load, and manage named print orders

Saving an Order

  1. 01Arrange your sheets in the desired order
  2. 02Click "Save" next to the Saved Order dropdown
  3. 03If this is a new order, you'll be prompted for a name
  4. 04Existing orders are updated in place

Save As (New Name)

  1. 01Click the "▾" menu button next to Save
  2. 02Select "Save As..."
  3. 03Enter a new name

Loading an Order

  1. 01Select an order from the "Saved Order" dropdown
  2. 02The sheets are reordered to match the saved configuration
  3. 03Sheets not in the saved order are placed at the end

Deleting an Order

  1. 01Select the order to delete from the dropdown
  2. 02Click the "▾" menu button
  3. 03Select "Delete"
Storage

Saved orders are stored per-project in %AppData%\Pixeltools\PrintOrderControl\

Export & Import

Share print orders across projects, teams, or even different software. Export your sheet list to a file, or import sheet numbers from any text file.

Exporting

  1. 01Arrange your sheets in the desired order
  2. 02Click File in the menu bar, then Export...
  3. 03Choose a format: CSV, TXT, or JSON
  4. 04Select what to include: sheet numbers, names, positions, etc.
  5. 05Save the file

Export Formats

FormatBest For
CSVOpening in Excel, sharing with other teams, data analysis
TXTSimple sheet number lists, email/chat sharing
JSONProgrammatic use, full data preservation, automation scripts

Importing

  1. 01Click File in the menu bar, then Import...
  2. 02Select a file containing sheet numbers (one per line, or CSV format)
  3. 03The import will match sheet numbers to sheets in your current project
  4. 04Matched sheets are added to your queue in the order listed
Tip

Import works with any plain text file that has sheet numbers. You can paste a list from Excel, copy from an email, or use output from other software.

Use Cases

  • Team coordination: Export your print order and share with a colleague
  • Cross-project reuse: Export a standard order, import into another project
  • External submittal lists: Import sheet numbers from contractor requests
  • Backup: Keep a record of print orders outside Revit

Column Configuration

Built-in Columns

ColumnDescriptionDefault
# (Position)Current position in print orderAlways shown
OrigOriginal position when dialog openedHidden
NumberSheet numberAlways shown
NameSheet name/titleShown
RevCurrent revision markHidden
Rev DateCurrent revision dateHidden
SizeTitle block sizeHidden

Showing/Hiding Columns

  1. 01Click the gear icon in the header bar
  2. 02Check or uncheck columns in the "Columns" section
  3. 03Changes apply immediately

Custom Parameter Columns

  1. 01Click the gear icon, then "Edit..." next to Columns
  2. 02Click "Add Parameter Column..." to select parameters
  3. 03Use the Up/Down arrows to reorder columns
  4. 04Toggle visibility with checkboxes

Column Width & Order

  • Resize columns by dragging the column borders
  • Reorder columns by dragging column headers
  • Both widths and order are saved between sessions
  • Ctrl+Double-Click any column header to auto-size all columns
Column Editor and Parameter Picker dialogs Reorder columns, toggle visibility, and add custom parameter columns

Delete & Restore

Remove sheets from the print queue without losing them permanently. Deleted sheets can be restored at any time.

Utility bar with delete and restore tools Delete and restore controls

Deleting Sheets

  • Select sheets and click "Delete"
  • Or press the Delete key
  • Or right-click and choose "Delete from Queue"

Viewing Deleted Sheets

  1. 01Click the gear icon
  2. 02Enable "Show deleted items"
  3. 03Deleted sheets appear grayed out and italicized

Restoring Sheets

  • Restore selected: Select deleted sheets, click "Restore" or press Ctrl+H
  • Restore all: Click "Restore All"

Applying Changes

When you're ready to print, use the buttons at the bottom of the dialog to apply your changes to Revit.

Apply to Print and Open Print buttons Apply your changes and open Revit's Print dialog
ButtonAction
Apply to PrintSave the current order to Revit's print selection (doesn't open Print dialog)
Open Print...Apply changes and open Revit's Print dialog
Queue information bar Queue status shows current sheet count
Important

Changes are not saved to Revit until you click "Apply to Print" or "Open Print...". A yellow banner reminds you when you have unapplied changes.

Settings

Access settings via the gear icon in the toolbar.

Settings popup Settings popup accessed via the gear icon

Column Settings

  • Position (#): Always shown
  • Original Position: Show position when dialog first opened
  • Sheet Number: Always shown
  • Sheet Name: Show/hide name column
  • Current Revision: Show revision mark
  • Revision Date: Show revision date
  • Title Block Size: Show sheet size

Behavior Settings

SettingDescription
Natural sortA2 sorts before A10 (vs strict alphabetical)
Maintain selection spacingPreserve gaps between selected items when dragging
Temporarily unlock locked itemsAllow moving locked items while keeping them marked as locked
Show deleted itemsDisplay items removed from queue (grayed out)
Remember order between sessionsAuto-save/restore sheet order per project
Filter modeSimple (wildcards) or Regex filtering

Supported Languages

Print Order Control is available in 9 languages:

  • English
  • German (Deutsch)
  • Spanish (Espanol)
  • French (Francais)
  • Italian (Italiano)
  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Chinese (Simplified)

The language is automatically detected from your Revit installation. You can also manually select a language in the About dialog (click the info icon).

Storage

Settings are stored in %AppData%\Pixeltools\PrintOrderControl\PrintOrderControl.json

Keyboard Shortcuts

Undo and Redo buttons Undo and Redo buttons in the toolbar

Movement

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+UpMove selection up
Ctrl+DownMove selection down
Ctrl+HomeMove to top
Ctrl+EndMove to bottom

Editing

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+ZUndo
Ctrl+YRedo
Ctrl+LLock/unlock selection
Ctrl+SSave configuration
DeleteDelete from queue
Ctrl+HRestore deleted

Selection

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+ASelect all
Ctrl+ClickAdd/remove from selection
Shift+ClickRange select
EscapeClear selection

Sorting & Navigation

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+RReverse order
Ctrl+BMatch Browser order
Ctrl+FFocus filter box
Ctrl+Double-ClickAuto-size all columns (on column header)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the window empty?

You need sheets in your print selection first. Use File > Print > Selected views/sheets, or use Plot by Revision to select sheets.

My changes aren't showing in Print

Click "Apply to Print" before opening the Print dialog. The yellow banner at the bottom reminds you when changes haven't been applied.

How do I use this with Plot by Revision?

If Plot by Revision is installed, you'll see a "Plot by Revision..." button in Print Order Control. Click it to open Plot by Revision, select your sheets there, then return to arrange the order.

Plot by Revision integration button Integration button to launch Plot by Revision

Can I undo after closing the dialog?

No, undo history is cleared when you close the dialog. However, if "Remember order between sessions" is enabled, your last order is saved and can be restored.

Why can't I drag a locked sheet?

Locked sheets are immovable by default. Enable "Temporarily unlock locked items" in settings to allow moving them while keeping them marked as locked.

How many undo levels are supported?

Up to 50 undo/redo operations are remembered per session.

What happens to sheets not in a saved order?

When loading a saved order, sheets that weren't part of that order are placed at the end of the list in their current order.

Need more help? Contact support →