how to copy a folder with assembly and parts

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I often want to copy a design (assembly plus used parts) to some other folder as a quick start for some derived work.

I  want to be able to work on this copy without influencing the original and visa versa.

The problem is when copying with the windows copy command, the references to the parts point to the original folder.

I read that you can use the Copy feature of the Vault for this. But I'm not using the Vault and don't want to.

Pack and Go is also not a good solution because it copies a lot of other stuff and makes a new project file.

How can I do this. It seems so a simple operation. But I can not figure out how to do that!

[Steve_Bahr]

Windows "Copy" does not understand the links between parts like Inventor's "Save Copy As".  Give that a shot.

[Anonymous]

No, Save As Copy does only copy the assembly and the links to the parts will point to the original parts (parts are not copied).

I can not believe that there is no way to copy an assembly plus its parts.

[Anonymous]

Do a search on "CopyDesign". This is an Add-In available in Program Files/Autodesk/Inventor(xx)/SDK/UserTools.

Copy Design is also a Vault function.

You can create the UserTools folder by launching UserTools.msi in the SDK folder. Read the SDK_Readme.htm first.

[PaulMunford · Accepted solution]

You can right click on a Sub Assembly and chose:

Component > Copy.

The Copy Components command gives you a pretty neat dialogue that allows you to copy the components, and re-path them at the same time. You can also use a 'Find and replace' on text strings, which makes the whole thing pretty quick.

The one issue is that it doesn't seem to pick up derived parts.

So the next option is to use the Design assistant, which is more long winded and no find/replace, but it does allow you to copy and rename parts that have derived features in them.

Finally, If you need to copy an Assembly a lot, I would look into iCopy.

I hope that that helps!

[PaulMunford]

I almost forgot! You could also use 'pack and go' to copy all the parts into another project entirely, then re-name with the design center, then copy them back into the correct project...

[Anonymous]

---

@PaulMunford wrote:

So the next option is to use the Design assistant, which is more long winded and no find/replace, but it does allow you to copy and rename parts that have derived features in them.

---

I can not see a possibility to use the Design Assistant to copy a design.

I can open an assembly and see all the parts it uses. but I do not see a copy function.

How can I do that?

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Do a search on "CopyDesign". This is an Add-In available in Program Files/Autodesk/Inventor(xx)/SDK/UserTools.

Copy Design is also a Vault function.

You can create the UserTools folder by launching UserTools.msi in the SDK folder. Read the SDK_Readme.htm first.

---

Thanks. According the readme file that belongs to CopyDesign it does exactly what I want.

I can run the CopyDesign.exe and it shows the dialog. I can browse to a directory of a existing design and define a new design path and prefix.

When clicking OK it says that it finished copying, but the new folder is empty!

Any advice?

[Anonymous]

I know it worked in the past, but I have the same experience with 2012. Is that the version you are running?

[PaulMunford]

Go to Help > Contents

and read 'Use Design Assistant'.

If there is anything you don't understand, or it doesn't do what you are expecting it to do come back and ask again!

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

Thanks. According the readme file that belongs to CopyDesign it does exactly what I want.

I can run the CopyDesign.exe and it shows the dialog. I can browse to a directory of a existing design and define a new design path and prefix.

When clicking OK it says that it finished copying, but the new folder is empty!

Any advice?

---

Hi melomania,

In order to use the Copy Design utility you will need to have a drawing that has a view (or reference) of the top level assembly in that folder. The Copy Design utility looks at that drawing file and copies all files that are referenced downstream of it.  So, if you create a quick drawing of your top level drawing and put it in that folder, I think you'll find that it works unless there is some issue with it on your OS, etc.

I hope this helps.

Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,

Curtis

http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I know it worked in the past, but I have the same experience with 2012. Is that the version you are running?

---

Yes, I'm using 2012.

[Anonymous]

---

@PaulMunford wrote:

Go to Help > Contents

and read 'Use Design Assistant'.

---

---

---

I did

But I do not see a method to do what I want.

I see you can save a copy of your design (assembly plus used parts) by renaming all files individually.

But I just want a one to one copy of the design in some other folder.

It can be a design with hundreds of parts. So renaming each part individually is not usefull for me.

I do not see how to do that with Design Assistant. but maybe I'm overlooking something. I hope so.

[PaulMunford]

If you don't rename each individual part the Assembly file will continue to look for the origional set of parts and won't use your new copies (Unless you move your copied parts and assemblies out of the project).

If you don't use Derived components the copy assembly route might work better for you, because the renamng can be automated.

Is that helpful?

[Anonymous]

I used the Design Manager a few times now to make the copy and I'm getting used to it.

You have to do some renaming work  but when your assembly is not to complex it is doable.

Thanks all.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, It is the Design Assistnat off course.

[PaulMunford]

Yes, copying assemblies with the Design Assistant can be painful! If you don't have the Vault (I don't) It can be the only way...

[Anonymous]

Copying the Assemblies and part s is possibloe with pak and go.

But can anyone tell me why the Detail drawings ore not copied in the new folder

[PaulMunford]

You need to start pack and go by picking the drawing file in the first place.

There is also an option to 'search for referincing files' which should pick up any Drawings or Presentation files which are referencing the component you picked.

I wish it had a option to add your own files (such as PDF's) as well!

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks. According the readme file that belongs to CopyDesign it does exactly what I want.

I can run the CopyDesign.exe and it shows the dialog. I can browse to a directory of a existing design and define a new design path and prefix.

When clicking OK it says that it finished copying, but the new folder is empty!

Any advice?

---

Have you migrated your existing design to 2012 ?