Imported Components Default Save Location

[iamerm]

Is there a way to change the default save location for imported componets?  I can't stand the default "Save in Workspace" option which creates the dreaded & useless (IMHO) "Imported Components" folder.

I know how to change it during an import by clicking the "Options..." button.  But if I or another one of our users forgets to do that, then things get saved to the "Imported Components" folder.  This becomes particularly annoying with library files.

Anyway, any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

[SBix26]

What version of Inventor are you using (always include this information to avoid having to go through this each time)?

In Inventor 2013, as with several previous versions, if you select "Save at Import File Location" the file is saved in the same folder as the original file, and Inventor remembers this setting for subsequent file imports, at least of the same file type.

[iamerm]

Thanks for your reply.

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@sbixler wrote:

What version of Inventor are you using (always include this information to avoid having to go through this each time)?

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2013 (sorry)

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@sbixler wrote:

In Inventor 2013, as with several previous versions, if you select "Save at Import File Location" the file is saved in the same folder as the original file, and Inventor remembers this setting for subsequent file imports, at least of the same file type.

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I'm aware of that - I don't think I explained clearly. I was looking for a way to change this setting BEFORE an import is initiated. For example, could this setting be adjusted in Application Options or in the project file?

[SBix26]

I haven't noticed any way to do that.  If you could change it, what would you change it to?

[iamerm]

I would change it to "Save at Import File Location" just like you said.  What inevitably happens, though, is that someone forgets to do this DURING an import, & then files get inadvertently saved to the wrong location.  If the setting could be changed ahead of time, though, that would prevent this problem.  Better yet, if it could be changed in the project file, it would guarantee that all users would have identical import settings

[SBix26]

That would be useful.  Fortunately, once you make the change it stays that way, but each user has to do it the first time.

Add it to Autodesk's enhancement request list.

[ukocad]

We use Inventor 2013 and Vault workgroup 2013.

When I set the "Imported components file location" to "Same as import location" or Imported components" the .ipt file ends up in "C:\Users\xxx\Documents\Inventor!?

This is when opening a *.stp file, already checked in to Vault, from Inventor.

On the other hand if we select the *.stp file directly in Vault workgroup and choose "open", the file opens in Inventor and the *.ipt file ends up in the folder described in project file.

Please advice how to force the location of the *.ipt to the location of the *.stp or *.igs file.

[Matt.WestSU7H9]

I've noticed that when you import a .sldprt into a .ipt, it automatically creates a folder named the same as the part. To reduce the folders, especially if they're common parts, is there a way to NOT create a folder and just make the .ipt file? I know you can do the "save as" and go up one level, but then you still have to delete the folder it created. Gets kind of annoying. Should be hit save, done. Send to Vault.

[kacper.suchomski]

I don't have the sldprt file handy, but I think in the import dialog, there is a field at the bottom to define the save path, as well as a prefix and a suffix.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! "Save in subfolder" was added to Inventor 2023 Import dialog since we have some users like to save in a subfolder. Simply uncheck it and no subfolder will be created. It will persist until you change it again.

Many thanks!

[tdswanson]

I don't seem to see the subfolder option.  I commonly have to download files from suppliers, typically in STEP format.  I can't "import" them into a blank IPT file.  So I normally just use the "open" dialog box, then type *.* to view all files, and then click on what I need.  At that point, the "options" button becomes disabled.  When I open the file, it creates the subfolder, which is an inconvenience to deal with.  

Seems like this has just started happening recently.  Was it pushed in through an update?  I've been using v2023 for some time.

[Matt.WestSU7H9]

Drag and drop an dialog box should pop up. There should be a check box that says "Create Sub-Folder".... just un-check it. Make sure all your updates are current too.

[tdswanson]

Maybe I don't understand why this works...  I don't typically use the drag and drop method because my vendor parts are in a different library path than the assembly that I'm working on.

So I can't drag and drop into Inventor without a file open.  I start a blank part file and I can't drag and drop there.  So I start a new assembly file, and THEN I'm allowed to drag the file in.  But then in order to save the component, I have to save this dummy assembly that I won't be using anyway.  And FYI, you're right, a dialog box comes up.  And the "subfolder" check box was already un checked.  But I did it just to see what would happen.

Indeed, it saves the component in the root folder of the imported file, right next to the useless assembly file that I just created.

Am I missing something, or is this the recommended workflow?  All I want is for the IPT file to sit next to the STEP file I started with.

[Matt.WestSU7H9]

You have to minimize all windows to drag/drop. When you drag it on screen it will create the part for you.

[tdswanson]

@Matt.WestSU7H9  - Thank you for that.  After minimizing the home screen, I found that this strategy works.  With STEP files.

However, now I've received a large batch of PRT files from a customer that uses Creo.  So far, I've found no processes that work or bring up the dialog box referred to above.  

What a boondoggle.

[swalton]

Have you tried the Task Scheduler for your batch imports?

https://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-F028FC37-A2DE-4D4E-AAD5-40183F6E7239

[tdswanson]

@swalton - Thanks, I appreciate the offer.  In my case, I have 8 files to take care of.  If I had 200, this would be a no brainer and I'd learn to use another tool.  But for 8 parts, it's just enough repetitive cycles to make it feel really wasteful.

If I could humbly offer, wouldn't it make more sense to just bring the same dialog box up every time, regardless of what sequence the user uses or what file format it is?  Again, I think AD has over tinkered and made a simple thing a big pain.

[swalton]

What happens if you just use the File Open workflow from Inventor?  

I may have to navigate to the source directory, so that can be a bit painful.  Of course, I always save my import files in my project path.

[tdswanson]

Well, you may find this hard to believe....  The other day when I was working with these files and made my post, when I would open a Creo (PRT) file, I would not get the conversion dialog box.  I'd click on the PRT file and then I'd just be looking at the model.  When I went to save it, it automatically created a subfolder and saved the part there.  

This morning, I saw the email notification of the reply, read your post, made a copy of the a PRT file in a temp folder to use as a test, then opened Inventor and went to it.  This time, I got the conversion dialog box just as you had shown. 

So the bottom line is that I seem to get different behaviors at different times and I don't know what all the variables and effects are.

[NigelHay]

Just thought I would note that this post is almost 11 years old, is that a record or am I being naive?