TiMBIM Explorer 1.2.6 Help

Complete Guide To TiMBIM Explorer

Learn how to standardize and validate filenames, search structured naming fields, batch-rename safely, export detailed reports, browse two locations side by side, and reuse conventions in Microsoft Office.

Quick Start Explorer Naming Conventions Search Rename Export Details Office Add-ins Troubleshooting
Select a project folder before you begin. Explorer works best when you first review the folder, then assign or check its naming convention, and only then search or rename.
TiMBIM Explorer main window with locations, file list, details, search, and rename tools
The main Explorer workspace.

The Structured File-Naming Workflow

1. Standardize

Create or import a naming convention and assign it to the relevant folder structure.

2. Validate And Correct

Review parsed fields and naming status, then use convention-aware batch rename or advanced transforms to correct exceptions.

3. Find

Search individual naming fields, lookup values, status, and file metadata across the required scope.

4. Export

Create a TXT, CSV, or Excel report containing paths, naming descriptions, sizes, dates, and optional folder grouping.

Explorer treats the information encoded in a structured filename as searchable, editable, and exportable data.

On This Page

Quick Start

  1. Open a project folder. Select a location in the tree, or paste a full folder path and select Go.
  2. Use Window 2 when useful. Open another folder beside the first to compare locations or move files between them.
  3. Choose a view. Open View, then choose List for a compact table or Preview for thumbnails and tiles.
  4. Inspect an item. In View, enable Details pane, then select an item to review file, naming, and Revit information.
  5. Check the convention. The summary above the list identifies the current folder's naming convention.
  6. Search or rename. Narrow the file set with Search, then select only the items you intend to change.
For your first rename, test one or two files in a non-critical folder. Always read the preview before selecting Apply Rename.

Explorer Workspace

Select Explorer in the application navigation. Version 1.2.6 provides two independent Explorer windows, each with its own location tree, path, item area, view options, and selected items. Search and Rename open in a shared panel below them.

1. Window 1 And Window 2

Browse two locations at once, with separate navigation and selections in each window.

2. Locations And Paths

Browse pinned folders, Current User locations, This PC, Autodesk Forma, OneDrive, SharePoint, or enter a path directly.

3. Item Area

Switch between List and Preview, select multiple items, drag between locations, and double-click to open an item.

4. Shared Tools

Open Search or Rename and use Apply to to select Window 1 or Window 2.

Work With Two Explorer Windows

Window 1 and Window 2 can show different folders at the same time. Use the vertical splitter to give either window more room, or select Minimize in Window 2 and restore it from the narrow Window 2 tab at the right.

  1. Open the source folder in one window and the destination or comparison folder in the other.
  2. Select one or more items in the source window.
  3. Drag the selection into the other window to move it. Hold Ctrl while dropping to copy instead.
  4. When using Search or Rename, check the Apply to control before running the action.
Each window keeps its own path, browse mode, and selection. Search results and rename changes apply only to the window selected in Apply to.

Locations And Folder Navigation

Open A Folder

  • Expand a location in the left tree and select a folder.
  • Use Current User for quick access to Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos.
  • Paste or type a full Windows folder path, then press Enter or select Go.
  • Use the clickable path segments to return to a parent folder.
  • Double-click a folder in List or Preview view to open it.

Pin A Folder

  1. Right-click a real folder in the location tree or item list.
  2. Select Pin Folder.
  3. The shortcut appears in the Pinned group.
  4. Use Unpin Folder to remove the shortcut without deleting the folder.
Locations tree and folder path navigation in TiMBIM Explorer
Use Locations for discovery and the path box when you know the exact folder.

List View, Preview View, And Item Details

List View

List view shows Name, Type, State, Size, and Modified. When the current folder uses a naming convention, Explorer also adds its naming fields and a Naming status column. Use List view for scanning, comparison, and batch selection.

Preview View

Preview view shows tiles. Explorer uses Windows thumbnails where available, including supported images and other file types with a registered thumbnail provider. Items without a thumbnail use their file or folder icon. Search-result tiles also identify their containing folder.

View Options

  • Hidden files: include hidden and system items in the location tree and item area.
  • Folder sizes: calculate folder sizes and show folder and drive summaries.
  • Details pane: show or hide the selected item's preview and metadata.

Select Items

Use Ctrl+click for separate items or Shift+click for a continuous group. Check the selected count in the footer.

List and Preview browse modes in TiMBIM Explorer
List is compact; Preview is useful for visual files.

Details Pane

Enable View > Details pane and select an item. Depending on the item, Explorer shows:

  • A larger Windows thumbnail when one is available
  • Full path, type, size, attributes, and folder contents
  • Created, modified, and last-accessed dates
  • Effective naming convention and naming status
  • Parsed naming fields with codes and descriptions
  • Revit version, worksharing status, and central path where available
Expanded file details and naming descriptions
Naming descriptions translate filename codes into readable values.

File And Folder Actions

Right-click an item in List or Preview view to access its available actions.

  • Copy To... copies selected items after you choose and confirm a destination.
  • Move To... moves selected items after destination confirmation.
  • Drag and drop moves selected items to the open destination; hold Ctrl while dropping to copy.
  • Export list... exports the current location or visible search results.
  • Delete sends supported items to the Windows Recycle Bin after confirmation.
  • Pin Folder / Unpin Folder manages the Pinned shortcut group.
  • Properties opens the standard Windows properties dialog.

Create A Folder

  1. Open the intended parent folder.
  2. Select New Folder.
  3. Enter a name and confirm.
File context menu with copy, move, delete, pin, and properties
Context actions operate on the current selection.
Destination selection panel for copying or moving files
Copy and move are completed only after destination confirmation.

Export A File And Folder List

Right-click in the item area and select Export list.... Explorer exports the current location, or the visible result set when Search results are active.

  1. Choose whether to include subfolders.
  2. Select the properties to include: filename, naming fields and descriptions, size, modified date, and created date.
  3. For Excel, optionally enable hierarchical grouping by subfolder.
  4. Select Continue, then save as Text (.txt), CSV (.csv), or Excel (.xlsx).
The containing folder path is always the first column. Naming descriptions replace codes where a matching code-table description is available.

Naming Conventions

A naming convention divides a name into ordered fields. Fields can accept text, numbers, or values from a code table. Separators can differ between fields, and required fields can be validated.

Maintain definitions on the Naming Conventions page and assign them to folders from Explorer. A folder can use its own assignment or inherit one from a parent configured to include subfolders.

Create

Build manually or start from an editable built-in template.

Import

Import JSON, Autodesk Forma XLSX exports, CSV, TSV, TXT, or XML.

Duplicate

Copy a convention before making project-specific changes.

Export

Export the selected convention as reusable JSON.

Export A Naming Convention From Autodesk Forma

In Forma Data Management, a project administrator can open Files, then go to Settings > Compliance > Naming Standards. Open the More menu for the naming standard and select Export. Forma downloads the standard as an XLSX file, ready to import into TiMBIM Explorer.

See Autodesk's official guide: Import and Export Naming Standards.

Deleting a convention also removes folder links that refer to it. Export a backup first if it may be needed again.

Assign A Naming Convention To A Folder

  1. Create or import at least one convention.
  2. Return to Explorer.
  3. Right-click the target folder in Locations.
  4. Select Apply Naming Convention....
  5. Choose a convention.
  6. Enable Also apply to this folder's subfolders when appropriate.
  7. Select Apply.

The convention summary then appears above the item list. Open a file's Details to inspect its parsed fields and naming status. Repeat the process to replace an assignment.

Apply Naming Convention dialog with folder and subfolder scope
Use subfolder inheritance only across a branch that shares the same rule.

Create Or Import A Convention

Create From A Starter

  1. Open Naming Conventions.
  2. Right-click the list and select Create Convention.
  3. Choose a blank convention or built-in starter.
  4. Enter a unique name, description, separator, and example name.
  5. Optionally enter a template for the initial field pattern.
  6. Create the convention, then refine it in the editor.

Built-In Starters

  • Blank manual convention
  • Belgian Revit Standards family starter
  • ISO 19650 container starter
  • ISO 8601 document starter
Create Naming Convention dialog
Starters are editable beginnings, not locked standards.

Import A Convention

  1. Right-click the convention list and select Import Convention.
  2. Select a supported JSON, XLSX, CSV, TSV, TXT, or XML file.
  3. Review field order, separators, types, and code tables.
  4. Make project-specific corrections and select Save Changes.

XLSX import supports Autodesk Forma naming convention exports. For a simple two-column code list, paste the Excel cells directly into a code table.

Edit Fields, Separators, And Code Tables

Fields

  • Add Field inserts a segment; Remove Field deletes it.
  • Move Up and Move Down change field order.
  • Field Name identifies the segment in Details, Search, and Rename.
  • Type controls text, numeric, or lookup-driven input.
  • Operator / Rule stores its validation or parsing rule.
  • Required determines whether an empty value is allowed.
  • Delimiter After sets the separator following that field.
  • Example documents a representative value.

Select Save Changes to keep edits or Discard to reload the saved definition.

Naming convention editor showing fields and separators
Field order and delimiters determine the assembled name.

Tables And Codes

  1. Open Tables and Codes.
  2. Select Add Table and enter a clear identifier.
  3. Link the appropriate field through its rule or source attribute.
  4. Add Code and Description pairs; press Delete to remove selected rows.
  5. Select Save Changes.

To paste from Excel, copy two columns in Code, Description order, select the grid, and press Ctrl+V. The blank final row accepts manual entries.

Naming convention Code and Description table
Descriptions make short codes readable in Details and lookup controls.

Generate A Name With The Current Convention

Use Naming Convention generates a valid name without changing an existing file. Use it for Save As, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or another manual naming workflow.

  1. Open a folder with an assigned or inherited convention.
  2. Select Use Naming Convention.
  3. Optionally enter an extension such as .docx.
  4. Complete each field. Lookup fields show code and description together.
  5. Review the name and validation message under Preview.
  6. Select Copy Name and paste it into the destination application.

Copy Name remains unavailable until the generated name passes validation.

Use Naming Convention dialog with field inputs and preview
Lookup descriptions assist selection while the code is used in the name.

Save With TiMBIM In Word, Excel, And PowerPoint

The TiMBIM Explorer Windows installer includes desktop add-ins for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The add-ins reuse naming conventions saved by Explorer for the current Windows user, so Office files can follow the same project naming rules.

Before You Begin

  • Create, import, or edit the required naming convention in TiMBIM Explorer.
  • Install TiMBIM Explorer with its Office add-ins, then restart the Office applications.
  • Use desktop Microsoft Office for Windows; the add-ins do not run in Office for the web or on macOS.

Where To Find The Command

Open the built-in Add-ins tab in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. In the TiMBIM group, select Save with TiMBIM to open the naming task pane.

Microsoft Word Add-ins tab with Save with TiMBIM and the naming pane open
Open Save with TiMBIM from the Add-ins tab.

Save An Office File

  1. Open or create the document, workbook, or presentation you want to save.
  2. Open Add-ins > TiMBIM > Save with TiMBIM.
  3. Select one of the naming conventions loaded from TiMBIM Explorer.
  4. Confirm the file extension and complete each naming field.
  5. Review the filename and validation message under Preview.
  6. Select Copy Name to copy the validated filename, or select Save with TiMBIM to save the active Office file.
The copy and save buttons remain unavailable until the generated name passes validation. If no saved Explorer conventions are found, the add-in shows a demo convention; create or save a real convention in Explorer before production use.
TiMBIM Office naming pane with convention fields, filename preview, Copy Name, and Save with TiMBIM
Complete the convention fields and review the validated filename before copying or saving it.
Save with TiMBIM naming pane open in Microsoft Excel
The same workflow is available for Excel workbooks.
Save with TiMBIM naming pane open in Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint presentations use the same shared naming conventions.

Rename Files And Folders

Select one or more items, then open Rename. Controls depend on the current folder's convention.

Without A Folder Convention

Build the rename in steps. Each line runs after the one above it, so order matters.

  • Add prefix / Add suffix: place text before or after each selected name.
  • Find and replace: replace matching text across the selection.
  • Uppercase / Lowercase: change letter case.
  • Trim outer spaces: remove spaces only at the start and end.
  • Direct name: set an exact name for one selected item.
  • Advanced transform: evaluate a structured expression.

With A Folder Convention

The panel shows one control per field. Empty controls keep each item's current value. Enter only the values to override across the selected items.

Rename panel with multiple steps and preview
Review the preview after every step.

Safe Rename Workflow

  1. Select the intended items and verify the count.
  2. Open Rename and configure steps or convention field overrides.
  3. Read the proposed-name preview.
  4. Select Apply Rename only when the result is correct.

Explorer stops the operation when selected items would receive the same name, a target already exists, or Direct name is combined with multiple selected items.

Advanced Rename Transforms

In an expression, Value means the current name. Use the built-in help in the Rename panel as a reference.

Text Helpers

  • Upper(text), Lower(text), Trim(text)
  • Split(text, delimiter, index)
  • Before(text, delimiter), After(text, delimiter)
  • Replace(text, oldValue, newValue)
  • ExtractNumber(text)

Numeric And Batch Helpers

  • Round(value, increment)
  • RoundUp(value, increment)
  • RoundDown(value, increment)
  • Index(startValue, step)

Examples

  • Upper(Value)
  • Replace(Value, "-", "_")
  • Before(Value, " DN")
  • After(Value, "REV-")
  • "PRE_" + Value or Value + "_SUF"
  • Index(001, 1)
  • Replace(Upper(After(Value, "- ")), " ", "-")

Revit File Details And Open With Revit

Supported Revit files can show version, worksharing information, and central path in Details. Right-click a supported file and open Open With Revit....

  • Matching Version uses the detected file version when it is installed.
  • Revit [year] explicitly selects a detected local installation.
  • Review Details first when the version is uncertain.
Revit must be installed on the same Windows workstation. TiMBIM Explorer does not include Revit.
Revit details and Open With Revit menu
Use detected metadata to choose the appropriate installed version.

Settings, Shared Naming Data, And Updates

Explorer Settings

Pinned folders, folder assignments, browse mode, and the Hidden files, Folder sizes, and Details pane choices are stored in Explorer's area under the current Windows user's AppData profile.

Shared Naming Profile

Convention definitions use TiMBIM's shared naming profile so the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint add-ins for the same Windows user can reuse them.

Select License & Updates to review license status and available update options.

Troubleshooting And FAQ

A synced location does not appear in Locations

Confirm its desktop sync application is installed, signed in, and exposing a Windows folder. You can also open a known local path and pin it.

A hidden file or folder does not appear

Open View and enable Hidden files. This also includes Windows system items, so take extra care before moving, renaming, or deleting them.

Folder sizes are blank

Open View and enable Folder sizes. Large or remote folders can take longer to calculate.

A file does not show a thumbnail

Explorer uses the thumbnail providers registered in Windows. When Windows cannot supply a thumbnail for that file type, Explorer shows the file icon instead.

Use Naming Convention is disabled

Open a real folder and assign a convention, or confirm it inherits one from a parent. The button needs an effective folder convention.

A filename shows Check naming

Review its parsed fields in Details. Check required values, field count, separators, and whether lookup codes exist in the linked table.

Naming field filters do not appear

They depend on the base folder's convention. Choose a folder with an assigned or inherited convention and refresh the search context.

Apply Rename is disabled or Explorer stops the rename

Select items and add an active step, or change a convention field. Resolve duplicate targets, existing names, or Direct name with multiple selections.

An XLSX convention will not import

XLSX import supports Autodesk Forma convention exports. Paste ordinary two-column Code and Description data directly into a table.

Does Search look inside documents?

No. It searches names, metadata, naming status, and parsed fields, but not file contents.

Does assigning a convention rename files?

No. Assignment enables validation and convention-aware tools. Files change only after you explicitly apply a rename.

Can I use a convention without renaming a file?

Yes. Use Use Naming Convention to create and copy a validated name for Save As or another application.

Can I back up a convention?

Yes. Right-click it and select Export to create a reusable JSON file.

The TiMBIM command does not appear in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

Confirm you are using the Windows desktop application, close every window for that Office application, and reopen it. Then check its Add-ins tab and the application's disabled add-ins list. Reinstall TiMBIM Explorer if the TiMBIM add-in is not installed.

The Office add-in shows only a demo convention

Open TiMBIM Explorer under the same Windows user and save at least one naming convention. Close and reopen the Office task pane so it reloads the shared naming profile.

Save with TiMBIM is disabled

Complete all required fields and resolve the validation message below the preview. The command becomes available only when the generated filename is valid.

Open With Revit is missing

It appears for supported Revit files. Confirm an appropriate Revit version is installed locally and review the detected version in Details.

More Help

When contacting support, include the Explorer version, the action you were performing, the exact message shown, and whether the location is local, synced, or document-managed.

Contact Support Explorer Product Page Privacy Policy