Content Center not found

[Anonymous]

Newbie, taking over a project.  Inventor 2013.

I want to place a screw in an assembly.  I right-click the field >> Place Component.  Over on the left is a little browser containing Libraries\Content Center Files.   The folder that points to is in the root of my project directory.

How can I place parts from the Content Center?  My Content Center appears to be in the default location.  

From Mange >> Projects, under Folder Options\Content Center File, I see a pointer to the Content Center Files folder in my project.  No mention of the Content Center.   I click on Configure Content Center Libraries, and there they are:  I can see them, almost all with green check marks.  But I can't access them.

If, from Place Component,  I navigate by hand to the default Content Center, I can get to the library files, select one, and click Open.  That results first in "Failed to Open Document", and then "C:\Documents and Settings\Application Data [...] \Libraries\AI2013_Inventor ANSI.idcl is not valid for placement in an assembly.

Maybe I should have asked:  How do I place a screw in an assembly.

Thanks for your help.

[solson]

I think you are confusing the Content Center Files (Project Designation) and the Content Center Libraries.  

When you place components from the Content Center, you will want to use either Place from Content Center or the Favorites View of the browser.  Wehn you Place from Content Center, it should open a browser for you to find the part you need.  When you use the Favorites, you can click and drag the needed part into the model window.

If, for some reason, you cannot connect to the Content Center, check your Application Options, Content Center tab, to see where Inventor is looking for your libraries.  You may be set to Vault or Desktop.  In the case of Desktop, you will need to make sure the asklib files are in that directory.

The Content Center Files location designated by your project is where the Content Center saves the IPTs it generates when you place a part from the Content Center.  If you browse to that location, you will probably find files, but it only files that someone has placed in an assembly.

[Cadmanto]

If you look in the application options under the files tab, what is your pathing.

Also, under the Content Center tab as well what is your path there as well.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help.

I may be confusing Content Center Files with Content Center Libraries.  Not sure yet.

In Application Options / Files,  Default Content Center files was pointing to my local working directory.  I changed it to what I think is  the location of the Content Center Libraries:   %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Autodesk\Inventor 2013\Content Center\Libraries\

In Application Options / Content Center, 

1. Refresh out-of-date standard parts is not checked
2. Custom Family Default:  As Standard is checked
3. Inventor Desktop Content:  is checked
4. Inventor Desktop Content / Location of Libraries:  C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Inventor 2013\Content Center\Libraries\

I quit Inventor and restarted.  All of those settings remained as above, but still I see no standard parts.

When I click on Place, the following window opens.  The Content Center in the Look In: field is the "local" Content Center Files

I can navigate to the "global" Content Center Libraries, and see a list of files:

But these don't open.  I first get an error window "Failed to open document"

closely followed by

[long path]\Libararies\AI2013_Inventor ANSI.idcl is not valid for placement in an assembly."

[solson · Accepted solution]

You are using the Place command, which will not look at the Content Center databases.  It will only look at parts you have saved or generated from the Content Center previously.  You need to use Place from Content Center (see screen shot).

[Anonymous]

That's it.  Thanks everyone.  I'm tasked with learning Inventor all at once.   🙂