Teams & Autodesk Desktop Connector - Browsing images

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to browse multiple images in Autodesk Desktop Connector? For example, I just want to press left and right to go through the images, is that possible or being worked on?

Thanks!

[mespaillat]

Hello @Anonymous,

Thank you for posting your inquiry to our forums!

With regards to browsing through multiple images in the Autodesk Desktop Connector, could you please provide a little more detail? The Autodesk Desktop Connector is a connected Drive (A connected drive is a local folder that mirrors the structure of the connected data source.), which will behave much like a drive, folder or directory on your PC.

Navigating/browsing images via arrow key inputs is possible. Depending on the OS view options for drives/folders, you may be able to navigate through images just as you stated. For instance, the image below shows large thumbnails using BIM 360 Team with Desktop Connector on my PC. I can cycle/browse through the images using arrow keys in this example.

If this is not the functionality you are looking for, please visit the BIM 360 Ideas forums and suggest a feature for future consideration. We would love to hear what features and functionality are most important to our users.

If you found this response useful in answering your inquiry, please click the ACCEPT AS RESPONSE button.

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[Anonymous]

Hi @mespaillat, I am using Windows 10. It seems to default to the app called "photo" which does not let me use the arrow, but it does in regular window folders. You seem to be using Windows 7 or Vista based on your UI.

Could you give it a try in Windows 10 and see if there is a solution for this?

Thank you

[mespaillat]

Hello @Anonymous,

I tried this on Windows 10 and was able to essentially do the same thing, browse/cycle through the thumbnails of the images that are in the folder/drive. The Windows 10 Photo app will allow you to cycle through locally stored pictures on your PC. If you try this with photos/images stored in Desktop Connector, you will be prompted to import the images/photos first. This will download a copy of the image(s) to your local system and will allow you to cycle/browse using arrow keys.

If you found this response to be helpful, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION button!

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[Anonymous]

Hi Mespaillat,

This unfortunately does not work on 3 of our computers here. Perhaps we are using a different software to open photos.

Would it be possible to create a simple recording of your screen while doing this? I am mostly wondering about what photo viewer you are using, I think there are some subtle differences that Windows 10 introduced. For example, I notice you don't have the latest up to date Windows, that show the little "People" at the bottom right. Perhaps that is affecting your behavior as well.

Also to clarify, I meant browsing the images in full screen using the "Photo" app, not in the Explorer folder.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous !

As he mentioned, in the first reply, the desktop connector is just 'mirroring' the files stored in the BIM 360 cloud. So,  @mespaillat correct me if I am wrong, but the files you see in the folder do not exist in your local drive. For that reason, when you right click on them, there is no copy/paste/properties option. The only option you have is to 'export' which is the same as download. Yes, even if you see the file in a folder, you have to download it. It will not behave as a Dropbox. 

I hope this helps and correct me if I am wrong,

Thanks

Xavier

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous,

I've already opened the three test images multiple times before, so they should be downloaded.

As for @mespaillat, they seem to be having a different behavior then me with the software, so the issue is not yet resolved on my end.

[mespaillat]

Hello @Anonymous,

I apologize for the delayed response to your follow up comments.

@Anonymous, thank you for the assistance and you are correct in your assessment of my comments.

I would like to clarify that I am not using any app/program to view image files on any PC I have shown for these examples. I am merely changing the "View" options/behavior with the folder as allowed by the OS.

In this case, you are actually using an app/program called "Photo" in Windows 10. I am not using an app, since the thumbnails in my folder(s) are set to display/view (Extra large icons) in the largest size possible. This eliminates the need for an app/program (at least for me) as it allows me to browse all images in one single view by simply using arrow keys, or the scroll wheel on my mouse.

From your last comment:

“I've already opened the three test images multiple times before, so they should be downloaded.”

If you are double-clicking (open) the image in the folder and viewing in the Windows 10 Photo app, it is possible that the file you are viewing is only stored in a temporary location on the host PC, as suggested when you look up the “File info” in Windows 10 for the Source and Location fields (see screenshot below).

 To achieve the functionality you seek in the OS/app, I can offer the following suggestions:

• Use the A360 Desktop App which will download/sync, and store the files on your local system. Then browse using the Photo app via arrow keys.
• Manually download all, or select files directly from the source (A360/BIM 360 Team/A360 Drive) using a web browser to the desired location on your local system. Then browse using arrow keys.
• You also have the option of:

1. Select all (or specific) images from the Desktop Connector source folder
2. Right-click on any of the selected files
3. Click Export

 4. Wait until the Export (download) completes

 5. Navigate to the destination folder and browse using arrows

If you found this response useful, please click the ACCEPT AS RESPONSE button.

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[mespaillat]

If you found this response useful, please click the ACCEPT AS RESPONSE button.

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[mespaillat]

Hi @Anonymous,

Did my last response help with you with this issue?

If you found the response useful, please click the ACCEPT AS RESPONSE button.

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[Anonymous]

Hi @mespaillat,

Thanks for the detailed response and follow through.

I will have to wait until next week to test this functionality. I should be able to come back to update you on the situation next Monday or Tuesday.

Thank you

[mespaillat]

Hi @Anonymous,

We look forward to hearing back on your findings.

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[mespaillat]

Hi @sarsenault2CCSS,

Did you have an opportunity to attempt my recommendations? If so, did you find them to be helpful in answering this inquiry?

If so, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION button!

Thank you for choosing Autodesk!

Regards,

mespaillat

Autodesk Support Team

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @mespaillat

It is not possible to browse images like we normally can using Windows 10 and all other versions of windows. You can view 'Extra large image previews" and that is all. Autodesk has not successfully implemented proper image browsing in Windows yet.

Her is what we cannot do with BIM 360 Teams:

• Activate the windows Preview Pane - it stays empty
• Open an image and press left and right to go through full screen images

Perhaps it will be possible to do this at some point, but it is not possible right now.

Using large review icons is possible, however is it totally inadequate for architectural work. I believe a solution to the two problems above needs to be executed for proper integration into Windows. When using Teams to browser folders with many images, it is a terrible experience that needs improvement.

[Anonymous]

That was my reply, I forgot to sign out of the BIM 360 Team testing account.