Details Panel

Overview

The Details Panel is a feature in Desktop Connector that displays cloud-based properties and metadata for files in your Autodesk Forma or Autodesk Fusion connected drives. When you select a file in Windows File Explorer, the Details Panel automatically shows detailed information about that file without requiring you to open it.

Key benefits:

Instant file insights - View version numbers, descriptions, lock status, and other metadata at a glance
Visual identification - See file thumbnails for quick recognition
On-demand preview - For Autodesk Forma files, generate a preview that you can view and interact with in the panel
Streamlined workflow - Access cloud properties without leaving File Explorer
Efficient browsing - Quickly evaluate multiple files when searching for specific content

Note:

This feature works with files in Forma and Fusion only.

Accessing the Details Panel

You can open the Details Panel in two ways:

From File Explorer:

Launch Desktop Connector if it's not already running
In File Explorer, navigate to a file in your Autodesk Forma or Autodesk Fusion connected drive
Right-click the file and select Desktop Connector > Details Panel

The Details Panel opens with that file's cloud properties already selected.

From the home screen:

Launch Desktop Connector if it's not already running
Click the Desktop Connector tray icon to open the Desktop Connector home screen
Select "Details Panel" on the home screen, or alternatively, select "Details Panel" under the Gear icon
The Details Panel opens as a separate window that can be resized and moved to any location on your screen
Open File Explorer and navigate to a file within your Autodesk Forma or Autodesk Fusion connected drive
Important:
- Files outside of the Forma or Fusion connected drives will not show any property information
- Projects or folders do not currently show any property information
- Only individual files will display properties in the Details Panel
- The Details Panel only works with the first tab in File Explorer. If you have multiple tabs open, make sure you're using the first (leftmost) tab

Details Panel window showing file properties alongside File Explorer

Using the Details Panel

Refreshing Property Information

If edits are made to a file, select a different file and then select the original file again to see the updated property information.

Optimizing the display

Resize the window to make thumbnails larger for better visibility
Move the panel to a convenient location alongside File Explorer
Keep it open while browsing to see properties for each selected file

Details Panel displaying file properties and thumbnails

Thumbnail and preview

The Details Panel shows a thumbnail of the selected file so you can confirm it is the right file before you open or edit it. If a thumbnail is not available, the panel shows the file type icon instead.

A thumbnail helps you identify a file. To view and interact with a Forma file in the panel, use Generate Preview to create a viewable.

Generate a preview (Autodesk Forma only)

Generate Preview creates a viewable for the selected file in the cloud, similar to Process for viewing. When the viewable is ready, you can view and interact with the preview in the Details Panel. Because the viewable is created in the cloud, other users who have access to the file can also use it.

To generate a preview:

Open the Details Panel and select a file in your Autodesk Forma connected drive.
In the Details Panel, select Generate Preview.
When the preview is ready, view and interact with it in the panel.

After you generate a preview: The Details Panel first shows a thumbnail of the selected file. Generate Preview creates or opens an interactive preview in the panel. If you close the panel or select another file, the thumbnail is shown again. Select Generate Preview again to reopen the interactive preview. If a preview already exists for that file version, Generate Preview reloads the existing preview without processing the file again.

Tip:

The Forma viewer controls and buttons are available when you view the preview in full screen in the Details Panel.

Note:

Generate Preview is available for Autodesk Forma connected drives only. It is not available for Autodesk Fusion connected drives.
Generate Preview is intended primarily for 3D viewables. It is not available for file types that the viewer cannot preview, such as Microsoft Office documents and text files. For some supported types (for example PDF or AutoCAD), the viewer may show a 2D sheet or layout. Only the default sheet or layout is shown; other pages or layouts are not available from the panel.

Available Properties

The Details Panel displays the following information for each selected file:

Description - Additional information about the file, especially helpful for files with technical or numeric names. Description is sourced from the Forma Data Management Description attribute and is available for files only.
Version - Number of versions uploaded to Forma
Date Created in Forma - When the first version was uploaded to Forma
Date Modified in Forma - When the latest version was uploaded to Forma
Last Modified By - Who uploaded the most recent version into Forma
Lock Status - Whether the file is locked or available for editing
Locked By - Who currently has the file locked (when applicable)
Naming Standard - Whether the file conforms to folder naming standards (when applied)
Revit Cloud Model - Identifies Revit Cloud Model files when viewing Revit files
File thumbnail - Visual thumbnail of the file content. If a thumbnail is not available, the panel shows the file type icon.

Requirements and Limitations

System Requirements

To use the Details Panel effectively, you need Desktop Connector running and properly synced with your projects. This feature works with files in Forma and Fusion connectors.

Files must be located within your Forma or Fusion connected drive to display properties. Files stored elsewhere on your system won't show any information in the Details Panel.

Important Considerations

Please note the following about the Details Panel's current functionality:

Scope: Only individual files show properties - selecting projects or folders won't display any information. Works with files in Forma and Fusion connectors.

File Explorer compatibility: The Details Panel only works with the first tab in File Explorer. Additional tabs will not display any property information.

Interaction: Properties are read-only and cannot be edited through the Details Panel. When files are modified, you must re-select them to see updated information.

Image quality: Thumbnail clarity varies depending on the original file format and size.

Generate Preview: Available for Autodesk Forma files only, not for Autodesk Fusion connected drives. It is primarily intended to provide a 3D view of a file.

Troubleshooting

Details Panel is Empty

If the Details Panel doesn't show properties for a selected file:

Verify the file is located within a supported connected drive (Forma or Fusion)
Ensure you've selected an individual file (not a project or folder)
Confirm Desktop Connector is running and synced
Make sure you're online and connected to the internet (if you've just restored connectivity, you may need to select a different file and then re-select the original file to refresh the display)
Check that the file has been successfully synced to your Forma or Fusion connected drive
Try selecting a different file to confirm the Details Panel is functioning

Properties Not Updating After File Changes

If properties don't reflect recent changes to a file:

Select a different file first, then re-select the modified file to refresh the display
Ensure the file changes have been synced to your Forma or Fusion connected drive
Verify your internet connection for cloud property retrieval
If issues persist, close and reopen the Details Panel