Vault & Inventor Workflow

[Anonymous]

My company is making the transition from 2d to 3d and I'm getting everything set up for this transition. I'm new to Vault and Inventor (tinkering for 2 months and received training on Inventor) and I have run into a scenario that I'm not sure how to resolve. Here is the workflow...
1) I started a vault enabled project called "Test"
2) Set the Inventor project (Test) workspace folder to be the same as the Vault "Working Folder" (created a folder under the Vault Root folder to match the name of the Inventor Project = Vault ($)/Test)
3) Created a couple of basic .ipt files and created an assembly with those two files.
4) Mapped the project root to the vault "Test" folder and added (checked in) both .ipt files and the .iam file.
5) Went into Vault Explorer and renamed the parts (as an experiment) and proceeded to "Get Latest Version".
6) Went back into Inventor and went to the "Open File" dialogue box (located from the "What to do" browser) and saw both the newly renamed files were there as well as the original version there. And that's the problem

Ultimately, if I rename a vaulted file (be it an .ipt or .iam) how do I get the "latest version" to replace the original version inside inventor. I'm probably over complicating things, so a little guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Greetings,

This falls under the wishlist category called Workspace Synchronization. We
are aware of this and it is a priority for a future release. Your workflow
above is a good example of where a synch tool is needed. Other commands
would benefit as well (Move, File Replace, Edit Property, Delete, etc.). For
the interim, consider upon Check In, clicking the Delete Local Copy check
box. This will clean your workspace out. Note: make sure the files are not
being used in another open window at check in time. BTW, with Vault 5 you
can set an option to default to Deleting local copies on checkin.

Another suggestion I would make is to use Open From Vault and Place From
Vault command to ensure you always are working with the proper Vaulted
files. Inventor will open the latest version and load the modified files,
ignoring the old ones. Hope this helps.


--
Brian Schanen
Product Designer - Data Management
Manufacturing Solutions Division
Autodesk, Inc.

wrote in message news:5128520@discussion.autodesk.com...
My company is making the transition from 2d to 3d and I'm getting everything
set up for this transition. I'm new to Vault and Inventor (tinkering for 2
months and received training on Inventor) and I have run into a scenario
that I'm not sure how to resolve. Here is the workflow...
1) I started a vault enabled project called "Test"
2) Set the Inventor project (Test) workspace folder to be the same as the
Vault "Working Folder" (created a folder under the Vault Root folder to
match the name of the Inventor Project = Vault ($)/Test)
3) Created a couple of basic .ipt files and created an assembly with those
two files.
4) Mapped the project root to the vault "Test" folder and added (checked in)
both .ipt files and the .iam file.
5) Went into Vault Explorer and renamed the parts (as an experiment) and
proceeded to "Get Latest Version".
6) Went back into Inventor and went to the "Open File" dialogue box (located
from the "What to do" browser) and saw both the newly renamed files were
there as well as the original version there. And that's the problem

Ultimately, if I rename a vaulted file (be it an .ipt or .iam) how do I get
the "latest version" to replace the original version inside inventor. I'm
probably over complicating things, so a little guidance would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Thank-you Brian!!
Another question...

Is it good practice to set the Inventor "Workspace" folder to be the same folder off the Vault Root folder? In example, like I stated in Step #2 in the original thread. I've been doing a ton of reading these last few weeks and I think I read that somewhere, but I haven't had someone (with experience) tell me definitively that I should or should not do it.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

With Vault 4, per your step 2 in the original email, this is a good
practice. Be sure to set the Vault Working Folder to something like
C:\AutodeskVaultWork, but not to a drive letter like C, D. Then add your
Test folder as a subfolder (I suggest calling it 'Designs'). The only file
in the Test folder in Vault should be your single project file. Inside
Inventor's Project Editor, Workspace will = (.) Under the Test folder
ideally you'll have subfolders that reflect jobs, customers, projects, etc.
with your CAD files.

Mapping the project root in step 4 is correct as well. Think of this as
"where is the ipj?"

Good luck with your transition from 2D to 3D and Vault. Question for you,
will you be Vaulting your 2D data as well? There is a client for AutoCAD as
well. Post back with any questions.


--
Brian Schanen
Product Designer - Data Management
Manufacturing Solutions Division
Autodesk, Inc.

wrote in message news:5128649@discussion.autodesk.com...
Thank-you Brian!!
Another question...

Is it good practice to set the Inventor "Workspace" folder to be the same
folder off the Vault Root folder? In example, like I stated in Step #2 in
the original thread. I've been doing a ton of reading these last few weeks
and I think I read that somewhere, but I haven't had someone (with
experience) tell me definitively that I should or should not do it.

[Anonymous]

Brian,

Yes I will be Vaulting (and all ready have vaulted) my ACAD data. I spent a weekend (14 hours a day) going through the files and checking them in one by one. I went back as far as the beginning of this year and the last quarter of last year. Everything before that is pretty much closed out so there is no real need to vault it.

Another question... My company will complete about 600 or 700 jobs this year. Each of these jobs is a large aluminum frame assembly that contains about 200 to 500 parts in them. Would it be a good idea to organize these assemblies as different Inventor Projects with each Project having it's own separate subfolder in Vault (under the Vault root folder)? This is how I was thinking about doing it. Would you suggest anything different?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

One train of though on Vault folder structure is, when possible, try to
mimic the folder structure that you used in your pre-Vault days. This is to
make the transition to Vault easy and familiar. That said, sometimes it is
time to throw out old habits.

Since you will complete ~600-700 jobs this year, you do not want this many
folders under the root of course. Using the Single Project Method with
Vault, consider breaking them into Customers, Frame Styles, Geo's, or any
logical coarse category. Then you could break it down into purchase order,
sales order, etc. In my travels, depending on the duration of the job, I
have seen this broken down further into quarters. This method make the Label
utility a realistic tool to use for design capture.

For long time Inventor customers that relied on multiple ipj's to make
folders, use this methodology minus the ipj in each folder. Keep only one
Single ipj at the top of the hierarchy.

Just beware of using the Vault folders like a file cabinet. In other words,
a 1000 folder, then a 2000 folder, 3000 folder, and so on to represent a
sequential scheme. This tends to bloat the folder structure and impede
workflow. Also, do not fall into having a separate folder for idw, ipn, iam,
and ipt. With filters and sorting you don't need it. It simply demo's better
that way.

Remember that you can create shortcuts to both files and folders. These
shortcuts are unique to your machine but can be copied to other machines.
Create several saved searches as folders to ease the browsing in the Vault
too.

What method will you be using for Libraries? There are several ways you can
proceed, each has its advantages. Will you use Content Center, iParts,
custom iParts?

My suggestions here are only that, suggestions. I think it would benefit
this newsgroup for all to weigh in on how they set up Vault folder
structure. While each company is different, it would give new users a
direction to go. Let's use this post to reply with screen caps of folder
hierarchy and structure for the benefit of all. I'm sure we'll hear from
some of the usual suspects...


--
Brian Schanen
Product Designer - Data Management
Manufacturing Solutions Division
Autodesk, Inc.

wrote in message news:5130825@discussion.autodesk.com...
Brian,

Yes I will be Vaulting (and all ready have vaulted) my ACAD data. I spent a
weekend (14 hours a day) going through the files and checking them in one by
one. I went back as far as the beginning of this year and the last quarter
of last year. Everything before that is pretty much closed out so there is
no real need to vault it.

Another question... My company will complete about 600 or 700 jobs this
year. Each of these jobs is a large aluminum frame assembly that contains
about 200 to 500 parts in them. Would it be a good idea to organize these
assemblies as different Inventor Projects with each Project having it's own
separate subfolder in Vault (under the Vault root folder)? This is how I
was thinking about doing it. Would you suggest anything different?

[Anonymous]

Brian,

That answers a lot of questions for me. I've been doing a lot of reading lately. From the "Manage Your Data" pdf, to the help menu, to these blogs. I just want to make sure that I plan out the exact (or as close to exact) infrastructure to this before I proceed. First I'll answer your question(s).

You asked...
---What method will you be using for Libraries? There are several ways you can proceed, each has its advantages. Will you use Content Center, iParts, custom iParts?---

I'm still not sure on that one. Especially since Inventor 11 has a frame generator tool now (which is really cool). I went to one of our main extruders/suppliers and acquired all of the ACAD cross section die drawings they had for the parts that we use in our assemblies. I'm currently converting those over to individual (1" extruded) parts inside Inventor. I've taken the "Core Concepts" course through my reseller but that course didn't cover iparts. I know I don't want to make our parts into regular iparts, but rather custom iparts. I'm just trying to figure out which parameters I want to have custom. Either way, I will definitely be using the content center to insert the fasteners that we use in our assemblies.

Now for more questions... LOL
1) The instructor at my class also recommended that I not "Bloat" the vault with tons of subfolders. My company works off of a job number system (i.e. 06-123). The first two numbers represent the year and the last three represents the project number (in the order we received it). In light of your suggestions, I thought about having the job number in front of the .ipt/.iam/.idw file name (i.e. 06-123F1girt1.ipt). The "F1" is a subassembly panel and the "girt1" is a lateral cross member located in that subassembly. Utilizing this system, then I wouldn't have to have 600-700 subfolders (under the Vault root folder) and could easily search for whatever I was looking for by simply typing in the job number in the "Look For" field. What do you think?

2) In regards to the labels... it seems to me that the intent behind them is for being able to recall certain milestones in a projects lifecycle. On 80% to 90% of our jobs there are only two milestones... an engineering drawing (to submit to the building department) and a fabrication drawing (to build from). Are there other uses for labels that have been used (creatively or not) that exist out there?

3) All of the documentation that I've been reading has indicated that the preferred method of opening Vaulted files is to open them from with in the application using the Vault add-in tools. Currently, I am fine with doing it that way, but eventually I will have quite a lot of files to scroll through by opening up the files this way. I would prefer if I could do a search on the Vault explorer and open the file from with in Vault (without having to "Go to working folder"). Am I missing something or is this something that should fall under the wishlist category? Then again I could just click inside the windows explorer window (inside Inventor) and start to type the file name in order to jump to the file... duh

That's it for now. LOL Thanks again!!

-Brian- (a.k.a. framedesigner)

[Anonymous]

Hi Brian,

Glad I could help. Here are some thoughts on your questions:

1) This folder naming looks like it will work. It is scalable, which is
always good. Frame Generator will create a subfolder automatically for you
and assign a name for the ipt's, prompting with a dialog box. You can
override names if needed. Be aware of this and having the Enforce Unique
Filename option set in Vault. Also, Frame Generator's Skeletal modeling
method may tend to create many versions of the top level doc. Get to know
the Purge command inside Vault Explorer.

2) You are correct about Labels being a milestone during a project. For
your situation, with only 2 milestones per job, you could create a Label for
submittal to the building dept. Use this if you've ever had to go back to a
design. Remember, you can always delete the Labels when the job is finished.

3) The recommended way of working with Vault is to use the Open From
Vault from that application. I suggest creating Vault Shortcuts and Saved
Searches. These can be leveraged in the Open and Place From Vault dialog
boxes. Also, with Vault 5, you can right click (or double click) on the file
to open directly in Inventor. This will also place an automatic comment when
editing this way.


--
Brian Schanen
Product Designer - Data Management
Manufacturing Solutions Division
Autodesk, Inc.

wrote in message news:5132035@discussion.autodesk.com...
Brian,

That answers a lot of questions for me. I've been doing a lot of reading
lately. From the "Manage Your Data" pdf, to the help menu, to these blogs.
I just want to make sure that I plan out the exact (or as close to exact)
infrastructure to this before I proceed. First I'll answer your
question(s).

You asked...
---What method will you be using for Libraries? There are several ways you
can proceed, each has its advantages. Will you use Content Center, iParts,
custom iParts?---

I'm still not sure on that one. Especially since Inventor 11 has a frame
generator tool now (which is really cool). I went to one of our main
extruders/suppliers and acquired all of the ACAD cross section die drawings
they had for the parts that we use in our assemblies. I'm currently
converting those over to individual (1" extruded) parts inside Inventor.
I've taken the "Core Concepts" course through my reseller but that course
didn't cover iparts. I know I don't want to make our parts into regular
iparts, but rather custom iparts. I'm just trying to figure out which
parameters I want to have custom. Either way, I will definitely be using the
content center to insert the fasteners that we use in our assemblies.

Now for more questions... LOL
1) The instructor at my class also recommended that I not "Bloat" the vault
with tons of subfolders. My company works off of a job number system (i.e.
06-123). The first two numbers represent the year and the last three
represents the project number (in the order we received it). In light of
your suggestions, I thought about having the job number in front of the
.ipt/.iam/.idw file name (i.e. 06-123F1girt1.ipt). The "F1" is a
subassembly panel and the "girt1" is a lateral cross member located in that
subassembly. Utilizing this system, then I wouldn't have to have 600-700
subfolders (under the Vault root folder) and could easily search for
whatever I was looking for by simply typing in the job number in the "Look
For" field. What do you think?

2) In regards to the labels... it seems to me that the intent behind them is
for being able to recall certain milestones in a projects lifecycle. On 80%
to 90% of our jobs there are only two milestones... an engineering drawing
(to submit to the building department) and a fabrication drawing (to build
from). Are there other uses for labels that have been used (creatively or
not) that exist out there?

3) All of the documentation that I've been reading has indicated that the
preferred method of opening Vaulted files is to open them from with in the
application using the Vault add-in tools. Currently, I am fine with doing
it that way, but eventually I will have quite a lot of files to scroll
through by opening up the files this way. I would prefer if I could do a
search on the Vault explorer and open the file from with in Vault (without
having to "Go to working folder"). Am I missing something or is this
something that should fall under the wishlist category? Then again I could
just click inside the windows explorer window (inside Inventor) and start to
type the file name in order to jump to the file... duh

That's it for now. LOL Thanks again!!

-Brian- (a.k.a. framedesigner)

[Anonymous]

Thanks Brian! I think that covers most of my questions. I'll keep checking back to see if anyone else has suggestions on general workflow. This really helped out a lot!!

-Brian-