Working on a file from two different computers NOT on the same network?

[JasonCSC]

Hi everyone,

I’m a new Inventor user, and I want to know what would be the best way to pull project files off of one computer and edit on another without creating all kinds of file association nightmares.  So I have a couple of questions about this:

1)  Is there a “pack and go” function similar to Solidworks that will create a zip folder of all of the necessary files needed for a project?

2)  If not, what files do I need to save in order to work on a project?  In other words, for someone else to open and work on a project on another computer, do I need to save EVERYTHING in the folder, i.e. assembly files, part files, etc. or does the project file or assembly file actually embed everything necessary?

3)  Once I’ve worked on the file externally and I want to bring it back onto it’s proper network path, is it a simple matter of overwriting the old project folder, or is there more to it then that?

Any other general advice for this?

[BMiller63]

this PDF is a bit old, but not much has changed:

http://download.autodesk.com/WebPub/inventor/training/skill_builder-pack_and_go1.pdf

also:

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Product_Help/Autodesk_Inventor/Autodesk_Inventor_2011/107Collaborationa...

[JasonCSC]

Thanks!

I have one more question still as far as how I bring these files back to the original network location. 

From what I gather, Pack and Go creates a completely seperate copy of all of the orginal files, including the project file, in it's own folder. 

Is there an easy and/or logical way to Bring the Pack and Go back to the original network location and assuming the place of that 1st file?

Or, am I pretty much going to have to place the file where I want it and locate the project folder and do this every subsequent time I transfer the files to another computer?

In other words, I place my revised Pack and Go back onto the network and locate it again and now I work off of Pack and Go 1?  And if I transfer the files again I am subsquently going to work on Pack and Go 2, 3, 4, etc? 

If it's the latter I'm afraid this will get to be a pretty big PIA.  I might just end up asking them to set me up on a VPN network if I have to do this frequently. 

[BMiller63]

I map my external drive on my home machine to match the network drive on my work machine. Then at home I just work off of the extrenal drive. So my two setups mimic each other. It seems to work fine, but our project setup is very simple and we use just a single project for all of our work. Other more complex setups might present issues I've not run into, so there very well could be a better way?

Also, I don't do this all that often, so again there may be issues with it that I havn't discovered. My reccomendation is to just setup a test project, and do some testing.

[blair]

Similar approach, single user without Vault. I use a sync software (ViceVersa) and use an external USB drive which updates the USB-Drive with any files that have been modified. I use the same directory and project set-up on both machines. When I get back to my home-office I run the same sync software to update all modified files (data-base based on last date).

This gives me a additional level of Back-Up. All machines/files are backup up on the network each night. My work-station also has a dedicated HD for back-up and system recovery disc, as well as copies of all my work on the USB drive as well as my machine at home that is off-site.

If it's worth doing, it's worth saving and backing up.