duplicate parts allowed?

[Anonymous]

I was convinced that 2 identical filenames/partnumbers in 1 ipj project was not allowed. Inventor asks what instance of the part to use, when more than 1 found if so.

Now I just copied a complete subfolder inside my project (<Folder a> & <Folder A - Copy>). When i openend the assembly in <Folder a>, no questions asked... both folder contain excatly the same parts/assemblies

Is this normal?

[mcgyvr · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I was convinced that 2 identical filenames/partnumbers in 1 ipj project was not allowed. Inventor asks what instance of the part to use, when more than 1 found if so.

Now I just copied a complete subfolder inside my project (<Folder a> & <Folder A - Copy>). When i openend the assembly in <Folder a>, no questions asked... both folder contain excatly the same parts/assemblies

Is this normal?

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You cannot have 2 identical filenames with the same path in Windows..

A copy is not an "identical" path as the folders are different due to the added copy..

I read nothing out of normal in your post..

What setting do you have for "Using Unique File Names" in the Options of your Project File?

Autodesks help system seems to be down/messed up for me today or I would include a link to that specific section of the project file settings..

I'll post the link..maybe it works for you https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/product-design-suite/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcar...

[jtylerbc · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Is this normal?

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Totally normal, but a terrible idea.  The only reason you didn't get the messages asking which duplicate file to use is that the original set hasn't moved.  Because the files are still where they were last time, Inventor hasn't searched the project folder, and hasn't discovered that the duplicates exist. 

If you were to move the <Folder a> parts to a different subfolder, or even rename the subfolder they are in, Inventor will suddenly find all the duplicates exactly as you expected.