Change default units of ALL new parts (2018 Pro)

[jjg93]

Hi,

I have created a new standard template so that when I create a new drawing it defaults to my preferred drawing title block layout instead of the default inventor template. When I create a new part however, the units are always in cm, when i desire mm. I have to manually change this in Tools>Document Settings>Units for each part I make. 

Going off previous posts what I have tried is opening my standard template (a dwg file) and going Tools>Application Options>File>Configure Default Template>.. At this point I intended to select mm as the default, but it is already selected. 

I have no idea how to change the default units for all new parts, please can somebody point me in the right direction?

Thanks,

[mcgyvr]

You open the ipt template being used and make the changes to its document settings then save the template..

In general you will have a template for parts (one for regular and one for sheet metal even) , assemblies and drawings.. (then weldments and presentations too if you use that)

The drawing template (idw or dwg) is only used for drawings.. standard part template (ipt)  is used for parts, sheet metal part template (ipt) is used for sheet metal parts.. assembly template (iam) is used for assemblies..

[mcgyvr]

If you are a professional user I HIGHLY suggest attending some professional training as its imperative that you know the basics of how the program functions..

You need to know about templates, style libraries,etc...to use Inventor properly..

Here is the help document on file types/templates..

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/20...

[jjg93]

I opened the .ipt part standard and within the Document Settings the units are already set to mm which I found strange. I hit Applications Options>File and Configure Default Template I changed the drawing standard from ISO to BSI which resolved the issue. This option is now consistent with my drawing standard.

Thanks for the info I am new to Inventor.

[mcgyvr]

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@Anonymous.j.guy wrote:

I opened the .ipt part standard and within the Document Settings the units are already set to mm which I found strange. I hit Applications Options>File and Configure Default Template I changed the drawing standard from ISO to BSI which resolved the issue. This option is now consistent with my drawing standard.

Thanks for the info I am new to Inventor.

---

The template you opened then is not the template you were using and now it is....

I would suggest you learn to work with Inventor properly before accepting what you have done as the proper solution..

Do you have Inventor LT? or full blown Inventor?

You should really be using project files to define your templates,etc....

[jjg93]

Thanks for your advice - I will read up on this subject before considering it resolved. It's working as I'd like it to but I'll revisit this when ready.

[high.lea]

Hello

Also have this problem

I have recently installed Inventor Professional 2018 and initially the templates were set to imperial.

On the 'My Home' tab > New > Advanced > Configure Default Templates I selected Measurement Units as Millimeters and Drawing Standard as ISO

However when I create a new part the units are in Centimeters and has to be changed in document units.

Surely this is a bug?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! The behavior does not sound right to me. I cannot reproduce the behavior on my machine. The Standard template files should honor the default Standard. Could you take snapshots of the workflow you did or record a screencast video? I would like to understand the behavior better.

Many thanks!

[high.lea]

Here is example showing problem

Shows that although templates set to mm, part file starts with cm

[kelly.young]

@high.lea can you try to attach your files or screenshot again?

[high.lea]

Tried attaching the file in e-mail reply to post, but that appears not to work.

The attached file was created using Windows steps recorder. Will try screencast next time.

[kelly.young · Accepted solution]

@high.lea thanks for attaching the images.

It looks like you found the correct location for the changes to the units.

If you want the units you just set to be default for this template you need to either replace or create a new template.

This will make it so the next time you start a new part from that template the units will be as desired. Hope that helps!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[adamM94KS · Accepted solution]

Although I found the description of what to do unclear, I figured out what you meant and hope this post clarifies it.

For a basic Inventor user, the 'Default' project that is used when you start Inventor seems to be set as a 'US' one. While I'm sure that there is a 'correct way to change the Default Project to one the Metric world uses, This seems to become harder and harder to find as new versions progress, so the solution shown is an 'easy' quick fix.

When Inventor opens, the New section of the screen shows the 'Basic' options. To the right of this is a banner labelled 'Advanced' with a small gear button below it that displays "Configure Default Templates" when you hover over this. Clicking on this Gear button allows you set your units and standards as you wish, and retain them between Inventor sessions.

[high.lea]

Hello and thanks for your input.

I did exactly what you describe, but although the default gets set to millimeters, the file opens in centimeters. It is in metric, but the wrong metric units!

If I use the 'new file' button on the toolbar instead of the home screen, I can access the 'standard(mm)' template which has the correct units.

Have tried getting a file into correct units and using 'save as template', but cannot get it to work.

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 2018 contains both a Templates folder and a  Templates.Base folder.

Templates then contains folders for English, Metric, Mold Design and Old Templates. It also contains template files for all Inventor file types called Standard.

The Standard.ipt file opens in mm, so cannot see where the Home gets it's template from.

Thanks, Colin

[kelly.young]

@high.lea I would use the practice of opening your template, changing to whatever unit and settings, Save As > Save Copy As Template and rename to cm-units or something. Then selecting that one from the list.

I always just click the white paper sheet to create a new file of anything so I can be sure I'm using the template I want.

I also turn the Home Screen off but some like it, so I'm not very helpful as far as knowing what's going on with it unfortunately.

Here is a previous thread that might shed some light on what is going on:

Ok color my stumped. Default Templates

[m_plaisier]

Hello,

I have tried al options above but still the same problem.
My template is set to mm and i saved it as a new template. Opening this template by  My Home -> New still gives units in cm!

Looks like a bug to me. Any suggestions?

Regards, Martin

[SBix26]

Looks like a configuration problem, not a bug.

Did you name your saved new template 'Standard.ipt'?  If so, I suspect that Inventor is not looking for templates in the location where you saved that new template.  The list of templates in My Home comes from the location specified in Application Options > File > Default templates, or from the location specified in your active project (Project Editor > Folder Options > Templates).

If you named the template something different, and you see it in My Home and still get the wrong units, then please post your new saved template here.

Sam B

Inventor Professional 2018.2.3
Windows 7 SP1

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Martin,

Do you have Standard.ipt in your template path? Could you attach a template file you are having problem with here?

Many thanks!

[m_plaisier · Accepted solution]

Hello Sam,

Thanks for the reply. Yes i saved the templates as standard.ipt and standard.iam in the folder we always use for our templates.
I also checked the the location specified in Application Options > File > Default templates, and from the location specified in the active project (Project Editor > Folder Options > Templates). They both go to the right location but not in the same way!

See the difference in attached screenshots. After  i made them the same, it solved the problem! Seems the difference in driveletter caused the problem.

Thanks for the help and best regards,

Martin

[m_plaisier]

Hi,

Thanks for you reply. It seems the problem was caused by the diffenence in path to our networkdrive. See attachments and my reply by Sam.

Problem solved!

Thanks and best regards,

Martin