Changing Projects

[Anonymous]

Maybe someone can help me with a mistake I've been working up for 3 whole years now! That being... I never made project files for my different projects (I'm self taught, heckle away that it should be step #1 but I never realized the importance of it until today trying to use Pack and Go)

I just upgraded to Inventor Pro 2019, all my files are from 2017. I would love to be able to make project files for all of my various projects. Only a few have very complex assemblies, and I'm prepared to put in a little bit of effort for this. Does anyone know a way I can do this without re-making every part?

Thanks

Cade Ciripompa

[jtylerbc]

You don't have to remake anything, just organize your files into folders for each project and put a Project File in each one. 

Inventor model and drawing files don't even remember what Project File they were created under.  The Project File just tells Inventor what folder paths to search to find files, where library paths are, etc.

[Cadmanto]

Take a look at the attached link.  There are pros and cons to having multiple project files versus just one project file.

I personally have always used just one project file with one working folder.  Then in that working folder, create all of my individual project folders.  Managing multiple project files can become very complicated.  Especially when you have to upgrade.  The fact that you are self taught, that is fine.  A lot of us are.  Tutorials and youtube videos are often our teachers.  

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/when-and-why-to-create-projects/td-p/5222223

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[Anonymous]

Thank You Mr. Tyler, 

Can a project file reside in a folder that has sub folders? Ex. "Drone -> Rotor Folder, Frame Folder, Electronics Folder, .IPJ File" or would I put and individual project file in every sub folder?

Thank You!

Cade Ciripompa

[Lewis.Young · Accepted solution]

The project folder must reside at the top level, so in the example you gave you should put the IPJ in, or before, the "Drone" folder. The reason it must be before all the sub folders is because the IPJ defines the folders you're working in, so you could create workspace paths for the subfolders within it.

Here's another link that you may find useful: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016...

Lewis Young
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[jtylerbc]

@Lewis.Young's answer is correct.  The project file should be located at the highest level where files relating to the drone project would be. 

You are free to organize the files into subfolders however you like within the "Drone" folder.  That's actually part of the point of the project file.  The project file directs Inventor on how to search within the context of the workspace when it doesn't see a file in its previous location.  In this case, the workspace is the "Drone" folder, including all subfolders within it.  If you move a file from one subfolder to another, as long as it is still within the workspace, Inventor will still be able to find it.

[Cadmanto]

Cade,

Not to confuse you, we are all saying basically the same thing.  One base project working folder and create sub-folders within that and work from there.  The verbiage maybe a little different, but shakes out to be the same message. 

Windows 10 x64 -16GB Ram
Intel i7-6700 @ 3.41ghz
nVidia GTS 250 - 1 GB
Inventor Pro 2018

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! The problem I'm having with the Pack and Go was that component locations are not in the active project... I put my project in the Documents folder so that every part is within subfolders there and all is well now! Thanks for the help guys!