Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

We need to standardize our styles library across our company.  The way I see it, there are two options:

1. Place the styles library in a network folder

2. Place the styles in the Vault (as described in this blog post)

I have tested both of these methods on a very small scale, and it seems there are some pros & cons with either approach:

1. Pro--Updates to styles are immediately available.

    Con--There might be some issues with modifying files that are already being used by other users (i.e. would I have to boot all of my users before I can make any updates to styles?) 

    Con--Write permission must be handled at the network user account level, which can be inconvenient for a non-IT CAD admin.

    Pro--Difficult to subvert write permission.

2. Pro--Write permission can be controlled by CAD admin (keeping files checked out).

    Pro--Does not suffer from potential issues with modifying files that are open by another user. 

    Con--Any updates to styles must be manually pushed out to each user.

    Con--Write permission can be easily subverted by a knowledgeable user.

How does your company handle the styles library?  Any pros or cons that you have found that I haven't thought of?

[#2]

We have our syles library on a network folder.

The project file is set to Read-Only for the users.

I have another project that is basically identical, with style library set to Read-Write.

I have never had a problem updating the styles.

[#3]

from my experience, i would also use the network location as per your method no. 1 if all users were on just one site.

with 2 or 3 sites all accessing one set of  data (up until now) i have been copying the style library to each site whenever i make a change because the time ot transfer data between sites is quite bad & not practical for access from remote users.

to date i have never had to get users to shut down before i write back to the style library or copy the style data to another plant.

presently, we are moving to a replicated vault server setup and i have switched to your no. 2 method. (as per the blog you referred to). i will see how this goes for a while.

[#4]

Thanks for chiming in John and Mark.  I appreciate your input.  It's good to know you haven't had any write-access issues with the network location.

Anyone else out there have any experience with a multi-user styles library?

[#5]

I use John's method. No problems.

[#6]

I use the vault method like is described in the blog.  This is the way I have been doing it and when there is a change, I just tell everyone to do a "Get Latest".  Works really well for us.

Windows 7 x64 -12 GB Ram
Intel i7-930 @ 3.60ghz
nVidia GTS 250 -1GB (Driver 301.42)
INV Pro R2013, SP1.1
Vault 2013

[#7]

Thanks Jeff and karthur.

karthur, how many people do you have to notify when you make a change?  And are they all pretty knowledgeable about how vault works?  I wonder because we have about 50 designers that would need to do a "get latest", and their individual skill levels with vault vary quite a bit.  It seems like it would be more work this way, but maybe I'm overthinking it.

[#8]

Have abt 10 ppl that I have to notify. All of them are pretty know how vault works. I just have all the files in one folder and have them get latest in the entire folder. I manage the templates the same way.
One thing abt vault is you can always get a prior version if something gets hosed (which I had to do lately with the appearances library) and save it as the latest. Hopefully you won't have to do that.

[#9]

That's a good point.  I have had my styles library break before, and I had to restore it from the default one and rebuild my custom stuff.  Not fun.  Since then I have kept a regular backup of the library, but Vault would do that for me.

Good stuff.  If anyone else has any insight, lay it on me.

[#10]

We have 50+ users in three geographic regions of the country.

We started with a shared network drive, but access times for some of our remote locations were rather poor.

We now use Vault to house our styles, templates and libraries.

All styles files and templates remain checked out to me at all times, as well as the project file, to prevent anyone else from making unauthorized changes. 

Users know to check Vault to see if their styles are up-to-date (or many simply do a get of the folder every morning as a habit).

Obviously if a critical update occurs during the day, an email is sent out instructing everyone to update their styles.

So far everything has been working quite well, with no complaints from the users.