Model > Inspect

Open in Explorer

Shows the selected item's model file in Windows Explorer: the source file it was appended from, or its Navisworks cache file (asks when both exist). With nothing selected, shows this document's own file.

Tab and panelModel > Inspect

KindButton

Live whenA model is open

Status

Launched Ran inside Navisworks at least once with no error logged; nobody checked the result yet.

Ran headless under pynavis run against a sample model; no selection: ran to the end: 'Opened in Explorer'; result not checked by a person (stubbed: namo.ui.show_in_explorer; stubbed: namo.ui.show_in_explorer).

Recorded on 2026-10-09. The evidence is a pynavis run transcript.

Related asks to confirm

No quote is on record yet. These threads look related, but a person still has to open and read them.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/navisworks-forum/source-file-for-nwd-model/td-p/11570067

Installs with

Open in Explorer sits in a stack, so installing it also installs:

Copy IDs

Events it listens to

None. It runs only when you click it.

Files

Paths are relative to the Playground.extension folder.

Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/bundle.yaml
Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/icon.dark.png
Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/icon.png
Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/icon.small.dark.png
Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/icon.small.png
Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/script.py

Install

Only this tool. In Navisworks, click pyNavis > Playground, search for Open in Explorer, tick it and click Install.
The whole extension. Download Playground.extension.zip, unzip it, put the Playground.extension folder in %APPDATA%\pyNavis\extensions\, and click pyNavis > Reload. Open in Explorer is on the Model tab, Inspect panel.

You need pyNavis 1.3.0 or later.

Tried it? Tell us whether it worked or not. That report is what moves a tool up the status ladder.

Report

Source

The tool's own files, word for word as published in pynavis/Playground. Paths are relative to the Playground.extension folder.

script.py

The script that runs on a click.

Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/script.py View on GitHub

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""Shows the selected item's model file, or this document's file, in Windows Explorer."""
import os

from pynavis import forms, toast

from namo import data_common, inspect, items, ui


def show(path):
    ui.show_in_explorer(path)
    toast.success('Opened in Explorer', path)


def document_file(doc):
    path = str(doc.FileName or '')
    if not path:
        toast.info('This document is not saved yet', 'Save it, or select an item to find its model file.')
        return
    if not os.path.exists(path):
        toast.warning('The document file is gone', path)
        return
    show(path)


def run():
    doc = data_common.active_doc()
    selected = items.selected(doc) if data_common.has_models(doc) else []
    if not selected:
        document_file(doc)
        return
    model = items.model_of(selected[0])
    if model is None:
        toast.info('No model file for this item', 'Select an item inside an appended model.')
        return
    targets = inspect.explorer_targets(model.FileName, model.SourceFileName, os.path.exists)
    if not targets:
        toast.info('No model file for this item', 'Its model carries no file name.')
        return
    present = [t for t in targets if t[2]]
    if not present:
        toast.warning('The model file is gone', targets[0][1])
        return
    if len(present) == 1:
        gone = [t for t in targets if not t[2]]
        ui.show_in_explorer(present[0][1])
        if gone:
            toast.warning('Opened the %s' % present[0][0].lower(), '%s is gone: %s' % (gone[0][0], gone[0][1]))
        else:
            toast.success('Opened in Explorer', present[0][1])
        return
    if ui.is_runner():
        show(present[0][1])
        return
    labels = ['%s: %s' % (label, os.path.basename(path)) for label, path, _present in present]
    choice = forms.ask_options('Show which file in Explorer?', labels, title='Open in Explorer')
    if choice is None:
        return
    show(present[labels.index(choice)][1])


run()

Library modules this tool uses

From the shared namo library, which installs with every tool. Each name opens the module on GitHub.

namo.data_commonShared plumbing for the Inspect and Data panel tools: progress stages, where files go by default, the scope dialog fields, and the small checks every button starts with.
namo.inspectInspecting single items: What Is It, Copy IDs, Open in Explorer, Properties Plus.
namo.itemsModel items: walking, collecting, identifying, measuring and showing them.
namo.uiWPF building blocks for Playground tools, themed from the pyNavis design system.

bundle.yaml

The bundle contract: the keys pyNavis reads for this tool.

Model.tab/Inspect.panel/Inspect_Tools.stack/Open_in_Explorer.pushbutton/bundle.yaml View on GitHub

title: Open in Explorer
tooltip: Shows the selected item's model file in Windows Explorer: the source file it was appended from, or its Navisworks cache file (asks when both exist). With nothing selected, shows this document's own file.
context: doc

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