Working offsite

[drspringer]

I need to spend a few days working on an assembly at a different office. I am working on their machine accesing my assembly from a thumb drive. The problem is with the content center files. When I open my assembly on the offsite computer it can't find any of the screws that I put in using the content center.

Is there something that I'm missing?

[jtylerbc]

Yes - you're missing the Content Center files.  They're most likely sitting on your hard drive back at the office.

By default, Inventor is set up to save the CC parts to a folder in your My Documents folder (see Application Options - File tab, Default Content Center files).  Since you've moved your stuff temporarily, you likely forgot to copy that stuff to the drive.

The same thing often occurs when files are stored on a network drive, and someone other than the original creator opens them.  In this form, we commonly have the same problem at my company.  In our case, I prevent the problem on new projects by setting Inventor up to store the CC files in a subfolder of the workspace, instead of a seperate location on the hard drive.

[drspringer]

That's eaxactly what I want to do, how do I do that?

[jtylerbc · Accepted solution]

Keep in mind that my suggested solution is a PREVENTATIVE measure, not a fix for the assembly you're already missing files for.  To fix the one you've got already, you'll either need those files, to try to work with them skipped until you get back, or delete them and re-add them when you get back to the office.

If you normally work under a single project file and workspace, in the future you can just change that default path I described earlier to be inside the workspace.

If you use different project files for different projects you are working on, there is a Content Center file path in the project file that can override the default.  Since each of our pieces of equipment has its own project file, this is the method I use, since the CC files need to be stored with the rest of the model.

[symdraft]

You should not need to delete all the CC parts & replace them.

1.  Do a Pack n Go on your model which will collect all the CC parts used

2. Make sure you've changed the project file to point at the CC parts folder (as described previously)

3. Use the Pack n Go version of your model to replace the existing model OR copy the CC folder created with the Pack n Go to a new CC location in the original workspace.

Critical point is to redirect your project file CC location to the new CC location in your model file structure.

BeeDub 

[drspringer]

I uderstand what you're saying. For this project I will take the CC file directory with me on the thumb drive.

I work the same way where each project is it's own job and often for a different customer so having everything in the same folder, even though duplicate CC files may be on my drive, would be the best option.

If I have this right, for the future I need to change the directory for the "Content Center Files" in the Folder Options when I create a new project. Is there a way to get this to mimic the workspace folder? When I tried to do that in the Application Options it said the Default Content Center folder must be a full path. I can cut and paste easy enough but the key will be remembering to do it.

[symdraft]

The CC settings in Application Options is the default, or what Inventor will use if the user does not specify via the project file.

You will need to set the CC path in the Project File. See attachment.  You need to do this for each new job you start.  My company's typical folder structure attached too - note the folder for CC files.

BeeDub

[drspringer]

I hate it when I open a screen capture and repeatedly try clicking on it's done button to close it.....duh!

I tested moving the CC to the directory on my thumb drive and pointing the project file to it and it worked perfectly. In the future I'll change that directory for each project so I can keep it all together.

Problem solved.

Thanks for the help.

[jtylerbc]

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@symdraft wrote:

You should not need to delete all the CC parts & replace them.

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Agreed - I made that comment based on a misunderstanding, believing he was already offsite and might not have access to the files.  I was suggesting that as a last resort measure to get the assembly open if that was the case.  And by the way, your setup is very similar to mine - nice to see that I'm not the only one doing it that way.

You're welcome - glad you got it sorted out.

[jtylerbc]

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@symdraft wrote:

You will need to set the CC path in the Project File. See attachment.  You need to do this for each new job you start.  My company's typical folder structure attached too - note the folder for CC files.

BeeDub

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Actually, if you're always placing a workspace and CC path in the same relative locations (ex.  PROJECT NAME\Workspace\Content Center, where the only thing that changes is PROJECT NAME), you can get one set right, then copy that project file to each new job setup.  It will adjust the path and create the Content Center folder itself when you activate the copied project file.

To make that process even easier, I keep a "template project file" that I just copy around as needed and rename the copies for new jobs.

[symdraft]

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jtylerbc wrote:  copy that project file to each new job setup.  It will adjust the path and create the Content Center folder itself when you activate the copied project file.

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Good tip, thanks.

Also good to know that we are not trailblazing some weird method of project setup!

BeeDub