Replace Family Template - Import Part is Invalid

[planglais75]

Hi all,

I've got an error everytime I try to replace a Family template in my Content Center (I work with Inventor 2011).

I try with a simple part.  Here's the steps:

1- Create a simple part (cube with Width, Height and Depth parameters)

2- Create an iPart with 12 members

3- Publish the part in the Content Center

4- Modify the part (add a column in table)

5- Save

6- Open Content Center Editor and click on Replace Family Template

Got the error: "Import Part is Invalid".

I tried "Save As" instead of "Save" and got the same result.

What I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,

Pascal Langlais

[SKinzel]

BUMP.  I see that this has been asked several times but never answered.  I have a custom content center and I copied one of the retaining ring families to it.  I found the template that it referred to (which was located in 4 different locations on my hard drive, why so many places?) and changed the template so that the ring would agree with Waldes Truarc dimensions.  The thickest section and the thinnest sections of the retaining ring aren't in agreement between the sketch and the information in the table.  I then saved this file as a new IPT and tried to change the template by right clicking on the family in the Editor and choosing "Change Family Template".   I get the same error everybody seems to be getting, "Import file is invalid".

I even deleted the family and re-copied it from the original Inventor content center but no luck.  Anybody ever done this successfully?

[ljordan]

I was having the same problem.

Check out this document on pages 17-19:

http://www.imaginit.com/ImaginIt/media/PDF/Custom-Inventor-Content-Center-Libraries.pdf?ext=.pdf

Mark as "Solution" if this fixes it for you.

[planglais75 · Accepted solution]

Hi ljordan,

Your link is invalid.

I found the reason a year ago:

1. Create a new Assembly document
2. Add part from Content Center you want to modify
3. Do change to the part
4. Save add the part
5. Go to Manage - Editor
6. Right clic on part and select 'Replace Family Template'
7. Browse to select previous saved part

That's it ! 

[ljordan · Accepted solution]

Yep!

That's the same thing the document says too.

For some reason the colon was lost during copy and paste after "http".

http://www.imaginit.com/ImaginIt/media/PDF/Custom-Inventor-Content-Center-Libraries.pdf?ext=.pdf

There it is again if anyone wants to see it. This one should work.  It has some other things about content center in it that may be of interest.  I haven't studied it in its entirety as I wanted a solution to the template not working.

[ljordan]

Also, for others reading this, when inserting into assembly, make sure you insert as "Custom" so that you can make changes.

[HPsteam]

I need to bump this thread . 

I have a pipe and tube CC part that needs to be updated. I am changing part with new points and axis - basically redefining the part to be used in routing. Since i need to publish the part first, this method, as describe in the solution does not work for me.

Since i am changing functionality of the part i need to author it first. then i need to save it somewhere (local drive in my case) and then when i tr to update the family i still get the "Import Part is Invalid" message. 

help is appreciated. 

EDIT:

* part is completely custom - there are no links to any other family in any other libraries

* It is located in a custom read/write library.

[HPsteam]

EDIT #2

Something else came to my mind. You can't modify the CC part, unless it is saved elsewhere. How can this solution work ?

[rui_wang]

HI HPsteam, 

Here are steps which were suggested from my side. Please have a try and let me know if you have any questions about this. Here is my email, rui.wang@autodesk.com. 

1. Go to File tab -> Open -> Open from content center, select the family, As Custom -> select folder to save this
2. Modify this part as you need and save it
3. In your case, please authoring this part. Go to Manage tab-> Author -> Tube and Pipe, authoring this part and save
4. Go to Manage tab ->  Editor -> select the custom library -> right click the family, Replace Family Template, click Yes button. Select the part which was saved in Step#3. Now, it should work. 

Please feel free to let me know if you have more comments about this. Thanks. 

Thanks,

-Rui

[HPsteam]

When i open from CC, i am prompted to select a single "configuration". Once the part is saved to the local folder, all of the other iPart table entries are deleted. before publishing i need to recreate the entire table. Not a complicated thing to do, but having 50+ rows, do not want to make a mistake...

this is not good. any other way ?

[SBix26]

No need to re-create the table, that's still in the Content Library.  Just make the changes, then Replace Family template.

If the situation is more complicated than that, and you actually do need to create a new iPart for authoring a new Content family, then edit the table in the Content Library editor and save as an Excel file.  Then you can edit (in Excel) your new iPart table with one row in it, and copy and paste from the saved file.

Sam B

Inventor Professional 2018.2
Vault Workgroup 2018.0
Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit, SP1

[HPsteam]

Change affected only the "configuration" that was exported and saved on local harddrive... i guess the long way is the best way here...

EDIT:

Actually, i think that is working, but it will not reflect in my library. If i take a part and insert it into assembly, it does not show any changes. But if i access it through "open from content center" changes are there... i have refreshed & updated the library, restarted inventor and i will restart computer now to see if this makes any difference..

EDIT #2:

No changes after computer restart. i have refreshed and updated library many times and no changes..... help here... I will work on screencast for easier reference.

[HPsteam]

Actually i have to return to my previous statement. It changed only in the configuration that I used to make the change.

Here is the screen cast.

I created a part called "test" and authored it as a gasket. Simple disc, which was published to my custom library. Then i have extruded another piece on top of it, just to change it visually, after which i did "replaced family template" . I have skipped everything up to this part in my screencast as there were no any errors reported by Inventor. So i am starting my screencast with creating new assembly to import my newly altered library part..

http://autode.sk/2AKWH7F

[rui_wang]

HI!

After Replace Family Template, please exit Inventor Application. Delete below folder and start Inventor, then try to place the family again. 

• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Autodesk\Inventor 2018\Content Center

Thanks,

-Rui

[JBEDsol]

I've been trying this but it only changes the part opened, not the entire family.  I'm trying to update an elbow where I created it with the document BOM settings to a parameter rather than each.  When I tried to follow these steps I get a rollup error in my parts list and only the part I changed updated rather than the family template.