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Content Center files

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
rnewcomb
690 Views, 8 Replies

Content Center files

I inserted bolts and dowel pins into a assembly at home and at work and now when I pull up the assembly it shows some of them with question marks and don't show them in the model, I then went to replace from content center and replaced them with no problem now when I get to work some of them are like that again????

8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
cbenner
in reply to: rnewcomb

You are working from two different Content Center libraries, one at home and one at the office?  or are you using some sort of VPN or remote access to grab from one central CC library from both locations?

Message 3 of 9
rnewcomb
in reply to: cbenner

no, The same Content files were loaded from the same install flash drive, why would Inventor not know a 5/16" x 1" bolt would be the same, no matter what computer I pull it from. UGH! 

Message 4 of 9
rnewcomb
in reply to: cbenner

Is there a way to have Inventor recognize the items from the content center on both computers?

Message 5 of 9
pcrawley
in reply to: rnewcomb

I don't think it's to do with the library - it's where you are putting the Content Center files (the IPT's) once you've placed them.  Just right-click one, open the iProperties and have a look at the path.

 

When you place a CC file, Inventor reads the library file.  Most people think this is a folder full of parts.  It's not.  It's a database.

Then Inventor checks the folder you specified for CC part files (this is set by your current Project file, or in Application Options > Files > CC files.)

If the IPT of the thing you placed already exists in the CC folder location, then Inventor uses it.  (This means you only ever get one copy of the file that is shared by all your designs... Inventor is smart enough not to make hundreds of copies of the same thing.)  If the IPT is not in the folder location, Inventor makes it from the 'recipe' in the database.

 

It's really common to see users place CC parts in assemblies - but have absolutely no idea where those IPT files are on their hard drive.  The default location is burried in your My Documents folder under a directory whose name ends with the version of Inventor you are using.  Consequently, when you update to the next version and open your assembly - all your CC files are missing and you get lots of "?" icons.  

 

Suggest a quick lesson on the importance of Project files and file management.

Peter
Message 6 of 9
dan_inv09
in reply to: rnewcomb

How are you getting the files from home to work and vice versa?

 

On the Tools tab go to Application Options and on the File tab the line Default Content Center files shows where you are saving the files.

The Content Center does not have all the parts, it just has what it needs to make them - why have files for all those parts you never use? It creates a part file for each thing you use and stores it where Default Content Center files tells it to. We have a place on the network where they go (a guy who used to work here did not have his set to the same place and it's a real pain when you open up any of his assemblies - sometimes when we upgrade Inventor we get some assemblies like that, then you have to go around and make sure everyone gets theirs back to the network).

 

If you are the only one working on your assemblies you could set Default Content Center files to the drive you take back and forth. Or just do that for home and copy them to the location at work.

 

You may want to go to the IdeaStation and suggest something like, "Option in the resolve link dialog for assemblies to have missing Content Center parts created" or whatever; if I could figure out how to word it correctly I'd do it myself.

Message 7 of 9
cbenner
in reply to: pcrawley

Great answer Pete, this is exactly what I was thinking.  Some of the CC part files may be on your computer at home, while the rest are on your computer at the office.  Neither one sees all of them.

Message 8 of 9
rnewcomb
in reply to: dan_inv09

Thank you, I think I will copy the content center to my flash drive and use it from there, Will this work?

Message 9 of 9
dan_inv09
in reply to: rnewcomb

The files that get created from the content center are what the assemblies use. (It kind of sounds like you want to do an install of the content center on the flash drive.) You need to direct it to put the parts on the flash drive - and then you need the other computer to look for them there, and put its content center part files there. And unless you move or copy all the previously used content center parts to the same place it's not going to find them. And anyone else who might open your assemblies is also going to need access to them.

 

So you have to copy the files from the location specified in the application options on both computers to the flash drive (overwrite or discard the duplicates, they are supposed to be identical) and then change the location specified in application options on both computers to the flash drive. (And then you'll have problems if you try to open an assembly with any content center parts if the flash drive isn't installed.)

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