Advice on setting up new project files with libraries

[BrennanJWilkie]

Hi folks!

Some of you might have seen some of my previous posts and how I've had issues with using projects that are pulling parts from libraries.

TL;DR: I have lots of base components (like valve stems, bodies, handles, etc.) stored on a server (note: not vault). Base components sometimes need to get changed or updated. In the past, I'd copy the Assembly file onto Desktop, make changes, then Save As back to the server. This was necessary because changes can't be made when the part I was working on was referenced in a library. This library also contains the place that I was saving the file to, if that makes a difference.

I've heard that some people will have 2 project files for this circumstance: one for regular work that references all the parts on the server used for making new products, and a second one for when changes need to be made to an existing assembly/part. What do you guys normally do?

[Anonymous]

I copy my library parts to my project folder (no links to parts outside the project folder), so I can make changes to part when I want.

[SBix26]

I use a project file specifically for editing library files. 

I do the same thing for templates-- my ordinary project files have the Styles Library as read-only, but I have a project specifically for editing templates which has the Styles Library as read-write.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2019.3 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[BrennanJWilkie]

For the project you use specifically for editing libraries, do you just not have anything set up in terms of pre-configured filepaths? I guess this makes sense, since you will only have to open the files used in an assembly once, if you have to bring anything new in at all.

If possible, could I see a screenshot of what your project file edit screen looks like for the project file for editing libraries?

[Anonymous]

We have two project files. First project file is the common for all projects. This project file contains info in Workgroup Search Paths: purchased components folder with vendors' subfolders, our company standard components, templates, materials, appearance, etc. Second project file "Workgroup Search Paths"contains: customer product(s) folders, other job folders if project is done by several designers, etc. In some cases, it has our customer's templates for drawings. First common project file is INCLUDED in second project file so second project file inherits all setting from common project file (minus material and appearance). First file is located on Z drive for every designer to be avaiable as included file, while second file is saved in current project folder. We do not use Vault.

[BrennanJWilkie]

Thanks for your response! 

If the standard parts that your company uses are referenced in the first project folder, and therefore the second project folder, how do you go about editing them if a change happens?

[Anonymous]

If company standard part has to be altered, first it gets saved under project folder with current project number, just as any new file for that project. Then it gets altered and placed in place of standard part. Same goes for assembly, if that altered part resides within. For example, standard assembly has one altered part. Assembly gets new project number plus standard part gets replaced with altered one.

[BrennanJWilkie]

Ok it sounds like you do something similar to what I do now then. Instead of saving it onto your desktop, you are saving it into another location that is not referenced in the libraries of the project files. Once done, you then save it over the previous version?

[Anonymous]

Standard file, for ex. S-001-0520 is saved in current job folder (which location is specified in Workspace section under second project file) as 190225-01-0405, and then it gets altered and placed in place of standard part. If assembly where standard part resides is also standard assembly, we copy file to project folder and rename that file from S-001-0500 to 190225-01-0400. Then we replace standard assembly with this new assembly file.

[Anonymous]

We also have some standard assembly/parts that have names like: XXXXXX-05-0400 and we know that it has to be job specific everytime, so we just use Design Assistant and make new assm/part files names with this format (190225-05-0400, 190225-05-0401, 190225-05-0402, etc.). All new files are saved in new job folder.

[SBix26 · Accepted solution]

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@BrennanJWilkie wrote:

For the project you use specifically for editing libraries, do you just not have anything set up in terms of pre-configured filepaths?

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Correct, just the workspace, which is the root folder of your library structure.  It can be a bit more complex if you wish, by adding Frequently Used Subfolders for different parts of your library.  The important thing, though, is that the library folder is not designated as a library, which would make it read-only.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2019.3 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn