Is there a way to create an assembly where the next person that uses it can only add to but not edit the initial part? What I'm trying to do is create a working assembly line with inventor. I build the initial part x and place it inside an assembly. The next person builds part y and constrains it to part x as necessary. I want to do something like this so that the person down the line cant change my parts and I cant change theirs while my part drives the position of theirs through changes without reconstraining their parts. Also if they have to change their part, it updates theirs in the assembly without the initial part being affected. Can this be done? If so I need a little guidance from those who've done something like this or more experienced with the software.
Solved! Go to Solution.
Solved by blair. Go to Solution.
Vault uses Windows File Permissions. Any file that is not checked-out is set to read only.
You might be able to use the file permissions and set it so that only the person that "owns" the file is allowed to edit it. I have not tried this; it may be too cumbersome for production work. This assumes that you are storing your files on a common network directory.
If you are using individual working directories on each user's workstation, you might be able to hack something together with RoboCopy to move the proper files around.
At that point though, I would just install free Vault.
Steve Walton
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
Just tell the next guy "Hey..don't mess with my parts and I won't mess with yours"
Thanks for the input guys. Swalton a file permission was along the lines of what I was looking for. I can edit this part, he can edit that part, and we both have assembly access. I was just trying to find a way to do this without vault. Normally we work in two different network directories and I've been trying to find a way to get around that to work in mine and reference it in our 3D directory but it gets pretty tricky working from different places with project files. I've explained the situation to people further up the chain and hopefully we can get vault but for now we're going to use the mcgyver way and try not to edit eachother's parts involuntarily.
Hi deondres034,
To expand on blair's suggestion, you would create a project file that includes your colleague's folder path as a library (so that their work is always read only to you), and your colleague would create another project file that includes your folder path as a library path (so that your work is always read only to them).
So you will both work using different active project files.
Manage and configure libraries
http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2014/ENU/?guid=GUID-D80F7A70-77AF-4F08-8BAE-6DD8E48F491A
I think that setup might be a bit of uncharted territory, as it would not be a typical set up, but it might be a clever fix for your situation. If so kudos to blair.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com
Big kudos to Blair for the excellent suggestion. Thankyou Curtis as well for the starting point. I've never dealt with libraries before so I was a bit lost when I was trying to get a mental picture of how it would all tie together. Uncharted territories yes, but not difficult to work with. My part files are driven by a form i created using ilogic. I had it triggered to open when a new similar part is created from a template and when the part file is reopened. I found out that you can still edit it via the ilogic form even working under the main project file even if its read only so I just turned that event trigger off. Thanks again.