Hello,
I am trying to use Vault Pro 2011 to manage our Inventor styles library for about 30 users and am finding it to be a very difficult process. Our IT department doesn't want the styles library in a windows folder on the network. Here is how we have set it up. I am very interested to know if there is something I"m missing here which makes the process much simpler.
We have created a library folder in Vault for all of the "design data" style files and the following process is how it currently must be used.
- We had to disable "enforce unique filename" in order to import all the style files into Vault (some styles are duplicated)
- In the beginning all users "Get" the entire folder of over 1,000 files.
- Before an admin changes the styles library, they must check out all style files they "think" will be affected by change
- Admin makes change and saves to styles library (local wokspace files)
- Admin disables" enforce unique filename" option before checking styles back in to keep from having errors
- Admin checks all files back in
- Admin enables "enforce unique filename" option
- Admin checks out all affected Inventor templates and updates them from styles libary
- Admin saves templates and checks them back in
- Users "Get" entire styles library of over 1,000 files again to ensure they have latest of all affected files
- Users "Get" new copies of all Inventor templates.
Please HELP!!!!
When I used to consult,my steps were below. Others may have other workflows to do this. You may want to find one that works best for your situation.
Create an IPJ with the IPJ residing at C:\Vault
Map the following workspace setting as well as
Folder Options Settings to point to C:\Template and C:|Template\Design Data and C:\Content Center Files
Created C:\Vault = $\Vault Explorer
Regular folders:
Designs = workspace
Template\Design Data
Library Folders:
Content Center Files
Library (if necessary. Sometimes customer would ask the library folder to be under designs)
Uncheck Enforce Unique file names
Uncheck Disable Check In of Design Files
I would then drag and drop the design data folder into Vault under $\Template creating a Design Data folder
I would drag and drop my templates in $\Template to add the templates
Check Enforce Unique file names
Check Disable Check In of Design Files
If implementing Workgroup, Collaboration or Professional, I would also set an ACL to these folders so everyone could read, but not write to the folders except administrator.
Check in the IPJ file.
I would then test by going to a user workstation and get latest of the templates folder and the IPJ
I would test to make sure all mappings were set.
Once I was comfortable with the mappings, I would then send an email to the users to log into Vault and use the get latest on the above mentioned file and folders.
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your response. I think we have basically done what you describe. I guess I'm just concerned more about making changes to the styles library going forward and the consdierable effort required to do so.
Is there any way for the admin to get around checking out the design data files in order to save to the styles library and am I correct in my understanding that users will have to GET not only the inventor templates folder after every change, but also the entire design data folder?
It would be nice if when opening an Inventor file it would reference the styles information directly from Vault instead of the local Vault workspace.
Thanks,
Brian
If you announce to the team the file that has been changed, they can simply run a quick search on the file(s) and get the latest on the file(s) changed. There should be no need to have them get the entire folder more than once.
The benefit of having the design data and templates local is if the network goes down, the users will still be able to function in their Inventor environment, until the network comes back up on line.