Multiple instances/sessions of Inventor when opening from Vault

[dtompsett]

So a quick search came up with "don't open from the Vault; open from within Inventor."

Lets not have that arguement.

My office just upgraded from Inventor 2009 to Inventor 2010. 3 seats, all installed the same way. When the other two users open something from the Vault, and then open a 2nd file (be it a drawing/part/assembly), it opens as a new window within the same Inventor session. (Just like it used to in .../2008/2009).

When I open from the Vault, it starts a new session of Inventor. This is frustrating, when you have an assembly open, modify a bunch of components, and then want to open their respective drawings to update them... the drawings will open in new sessions when opened from the Vault.

Obviously I've got something changed somewhere. Quick search through the Inventor options came up with nothing. Vault options?

Is this a Windows thing?

Please don't tell me to start opening files from inside Inventor... that's a waste of my time... and everything has worked fine until this fresh install of 2010.

[Anonymous]

OK, I won't argue with the proper workflow of opening from inside Inventor
instead of opening from Vault Explorer. I think you may be on your own on
this problem.

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr. Tel. (260) 399-6615
AIP 2008 SP3, AIP 2009-SP2, IV2010 ProPcCillin AV
AMD 64 x2 3.0 Ghz, 8GB RAM GeForce 9800GT 512MB
XP Pro SP3, XP Pro64 SP2, Windows XP Silver Theme
http://teknigroup.com

[dtompsett]

I would like to know how it's proper workflow to have to increase the number of clicks/key commands to start the 'open file from vault' dialog box, then search through multiple levels of folders to find the drawing you want... instead of having the Vault Explorer sitting open to the directory you need, and simply hitting "alt-tab" to bring up the window, RMB-OPEN on the file you want, and then having it open in Inventor.

I've read arguements that opening from the Vault can cause constraints to mess up. Nobody I work with has had that problem in the several years we have been using Vault. And being able to quickly browse through the explorer-type folder view makes working much faster; easier to find the files you need.


And in regards to my original question, I've seen someone with a similar issue (http://discussion.autodesk.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=5842515:pisces:) , however, I checked, and I do have DDE enabled on my Inventor files.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

[Paradiang]

So, why give the option to open from Vault if it's not the proper workflow?  In addition, why does it only happen in 2012?  I did not have this problem with the 2011 version?  We are looking for answers and most of the users have their own preferences and that is the advantage of Autodesk products and to reply smugly about what is proper and what is not is very unprofessional.

[Steve_Bahr]

Dennis passed away recently.

[Mike_Maenpaa]

---

@Paradiang wrote:

So, why give the option to open from Vault if it's not the proper workflow?  In addition, why does it only happen in 2012?  I did not have this problem with the 2011 version?  We are looking for answers and most of the users have their own preferences and that is the advantage of Autodesk products and to reply smugly about what is proper and what is not is very unprofessional.

---

I think there may be a misunderstanding with the terminology "Open from Vault."

If you are in Inventor and have clicked the icon Open from Vault, this activates a dialog which Opens a file from the Vault Server. This is the correct workflow.

If you are in Vault Explorer and click on Open, this is considered the wrong workflow.

Mike

[cliff.haynes]

We are experiencing the same problem where I work. We haven't updated inventor or vault, and when we open files from Vault Explorer they open in a new instance of inventor. This does not happen if we open a file from Windows Explorer, and when checking the registry like described in TS19171496 my registry settings appear to be correct.

This occurs with both Windows 7 and XP, both are 64 bit, installed on Dell 4500 laptops. Inventor 2012 SP1 and Vault Explorer 2012.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi everyone,

The guys at the Being Inventive blog have posted some information on this:

http://beinginventive.typepad.com/being-inventive/2012/04/opening-inventor-file-opens-new-instance-o...

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[cliff.haynes]

I'm experiencing a variation of this problem. When I open a file from Vault Explorer, it opens a new instance of Inventor. This occurs each time I open a part, assembly, or drawing from vault. When I open a file directly from Windows Explorer, it will open in the already existing instance of Inventor.
Registry is as shown in the post above.

This isn't a show stopper, it is just very annoying to us when we are used to being able to open files directly from vault without hassle.

[mas5]

Double check file associations.

[miechh]

We are having this problem occasionally. Most of the time doubleclicking on a file in Vault Explorer to open it in Inventor brings up the file in the active instance of Inventor. But sometimes it doesn't; another instance of Inventor starts up. I can't reproduce this behaviour, so I don't know the background reason for this.

[JamieVJohnson2]

I can't believe everybody in this argument.  Opening from Vault Explorer and Opening from Inventor's Vault-Add in does the same thing both ways.  The program talks to vault server utilizing the web services, and downloads the files to your working folder, then calls windows to get access to the Inventor application (there is the only perceivable difference), then once it has control over that Inventor Application, it has the document collection to open said document.

About that perceivable difference, an application Add-In should already have an Instance of Inventor handy.  the Vault Explorer has to ask windows to marshal up an Inventor application.  Because windows application handler it uses a hashtable of open applications, and because hashtables are notorious for only replying with the first item in the stack, you get always the top Inventor and never any others, this is why you get many external applications complaining about having multiple Inventor's open.  The concept in itself isn't a problem because each Inventor application thread can handle its own collection of files. The only real issue is when multiple Inventor applications attempt to edit the same one document, as with all programs.  

That said, the Vault Explorer may fail to get the Instance of Inventor and be forced to open a new one (window's fault for not supplying it properly, usually because one program is asking for a certain GUID, and another program has a different GUID, this is where asking for a program by Name sometimes helps, but multiple program versions can get in the way too). 

However, if Vault Explorer has any unhandled program errors, it doesn't take Inventor down with it.  The Inventor Vault Add-In, works INSIDE the Inventor Application thread (apartment of threads really), and if it has any unhandled program errors (and it does often) the error bubbles up to Inventor application, and if there is not a handler for that error (and there usually isn't for its add-ins) the error bubbles up to Windows.  Windows not designed to handle that error any further than, close program.  Hence 'Sudden Unexpected Exits'.  So for those of you who use the Inventor Vault Add-In exclusively, its your funeral!

So you see there are direct pro's and con's to both methods.  So Autodesk developers made both methods available for you to choose your own pleasure and poison.

[jeffsteiger6735]

I open my Inventor files directly from Vault which is always open on my second screen. Perhaps about once a day I get that "multiple instance" error. While it's a nuisance it's still much faster than browsing through Inventor for the file(s) I want.

I'll try that fix posted in the blog above and see if that makes a difference.