Inventor Allows Me To Modify Parts Inside The Library Location

[howardlee306]

This has to be something dumb I'm doing and I feel like an idiot for asking about something so simple and first day. I tried doing a search but all the results I got back said "CAN'T" modify when I need to know about "CAN" modify. One letter makes a big difference.

We're not using Vault yet (soon) Inventor 2016 Pro. SP1 Build 210.

I create a project, create a library path to a folder with parts and assemblies in it. Start a new assembly file, place one of the parts from the library location and save. For some reason I can modify, change, reshape, apply styles, etc to that part and Inventor WILL allow me to save my changes to the actual part in the library location affecting everyone else using that part. I do not want to be able to do that. I thought the point of the library was to open the parts within it as read only. Am I wrong? I'm okay with being wrong just trying to figure this out.

Thanks,

Ray

[CCarreiras]

Well, maybe a dumb question, but...

Are you sure you have the proper project active?

If so, have you the proper Library path in the active project?

With the new interface, sometimes the active project isn't what we see in the Inventor Home Page.

Open the Manage Projects interface and check which project is really active.

Also you can check if the project is in "read/write" mode instead only "read only mode. I believe this only take action in styles... but i'm not 100% sure of that.

[mcgyvr]

The "library" aspect of Inventor project files is read only..

Don't use library if you need to modify,etc.. those files..

Utilizing the library path is good when you have employees that can build assemblies but are not allowed to modify files.. Thats it.. 

[howardlee306]

Thank you very much for the responses guys.

ccarreiras,

I have verified the active project is the one I am working out of and that the library path is the one I've set. Yes it seems the read only options only applied to styles libraries.

mcgyver,

Read Only is exactly what I would like to do. We have parts and assemblies that we use over and over and there's no need to change them so I would like to set it up so that when working on a project we just pop open the library and drop them in, then we can standardize on the drawings, etc. Problem is they are not read only. Below is the library showing the path. Within this project with this library set I am able to open, place, modify and save all components within that library folder path. (ignore my folder naming convention this is just a test in a safe location).

[jaybowser38]

I ran the same searches you did and as I thought everything indicates that setting it as a Library should make it Read Only.  I checked the help and noticed this line:

In a project file, you right-click the Libraries location, and then use menu options to browse to a folder. By assigning the folder as a library, you indicate that the files are no longer editable using Inventor. In Microsoft Windows Explorer, set your library folders and files as read-only.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-3C72B1C2-72BC-4CD4-A2F4-66228DC2DB73

I have never known this to be a necessary step but the help is telling me that you should set the folder/files to Read Only.  The only issue I can foresee is being able to add files later.  You may be able to avoid this by only setting the files as read only.  

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@jaybowser38 wrote:

I ran the same searches you did and as I thought everything indicates that setting it as a Library should make it Read Only.  I checked the help and noticed this line:

In a project file, you right-click the Libraries location, and then use menu options to browse to a folder. By assigning the folder as a library, you indicate that the files are no longer editable using Inventor. In Microsoft Windows Explorer, set your library folders and files as read-only.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2016/ENU/?guid=GUID-3C72B1C2-72BC-4CD4-A2F4-66228DC2DB73

I have never known this to be a necessary step but the help is telling me that you should set the folder/files to Read Only.  The only issue I can foresee is being able to add files later.  You may be able to avoid this by only setting the files as read only.  

---

Also at that link I just saw this:

Note: When you install Inventor, you can set an option so that you can edit content library files. Use caution, because other designs that reference the edited library file are affected. You must reinstall Inventor to reset this option.

I wonder if this is for CC libraries and regular libraries?

[howardlee306]

Jbowser23,

Thanks for the link. I wonder if they changed something in the newer versions. I have a Mastering Autodesk Inventor book for 2013 and it says:

"When a folder is configured to be used as a library in an IPJ file, Inventor sees all of the files in that folder (and itssubfolders) as read-only."

but there is a line in that help link you posted:

"Standard content library

Contains Inventor parts or component libraries, such as:

• Inventor Content Library.
• Third-party components.
• Company collections of commonly used components or other design elements, such as color and texture.

Note: When you install Inventor, you can set an option so that you can edit content library files. Use caution, because other designs that reference the edited library file are affected. You must reinstall Inventor to reset this option."

I wonder if when these where installed if this was selected? Our IT has us locked down so I can't do anything to test it however.

[howardlee306]

Curtis,

Looks like we posted at the same time. I'm actually reading your book right now. What a coincidence.

[jaybowser38]

I assume that the "Content Library Files" installation setting is referring to Content Center Libraries but I havent found anything to back that up yet.

[howardlee306]

Thanks Guys,

I am thinking this section in bold has something to do with it:

"Standard content library

Contains Inventor parts or component libraries, such as:

• Inventor Content Library.
• Third-party components.
• Company collections of commonly used components or other design elements, such as color and texture.

Looks like I'll have to see if on a fresh install that makes a difference. I'm at least glad I wasn't going completely crazy. AT least not yet anyway...give it time.

[Mark.Lancaster]

To add to this posting..

I think the wording about setting the read (file) attributes using Windows Explorer is telling the user if they want true read-only access then you have to do that if you don't have Vault.   Meaning without that read-only set, someone can still open them up using a different project file in Inventor.

Secondly I have never seen an option under installation that allows you to edit the read-only content center libraries and then resinstall to change it... 

Fiinally you have a UNC path liste for your library..  Can you path that to a network drive mapping and try it again...

[drobbie98]

Network drive shouldn't matter. I tested this on a local drive and a network share. I get this meesage:

My next question is what revision of Inventor are you running? Also what service pack? I am currently running Build 210, 2016 SP1. Ensuring you have all hoxfixes and service pack installed is never a bad thing.

Regards,

Douglas Robbie  

Design Process Improvement Expert

M2 Technologies | www.m2t.com | [email protected]

Main: 877.311.6284

[Mark.Lancaster]

@drobbie98   Yes it shouldn't matter but I have seen cases where a UNC path is not working and when it was changed to a network drive/shared mapping it started working...

[howardlee306]

drobbie,

I'm running the same version as you. 2016, SP1, Build 210.

PC Specs,

Windows 7 64, Xeon E5-1620, 3.6 GHz, 32 gig Ram

What you have above is the behavior I would have expected.

Edit: I should be running the latest hotfixes, but I'll check.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@howardlee306   Have you tested using a local path (on your hard drive)?   If that works can you try a network drive mapping instead of a UNC path?

[drobbie98]

Can you either share or expand your project files paths to see if there is something within the pathing that may be allowing you to save to a library?

Regards,

Douglas Robbie  

Design Process Improvement Expert

M2 Technologies | www.m2t.com | [email protected]

Main: 877.311.6284

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[jaybowser38]

I played around with an existing project that I have on my machine.  It has a library file set up that works (as in, unable to modify the files within).  I set the library path as a library and a workgroup search path.  Inventor did not like this.  I also moved the library folder to the workspace which Inventor really didn't like.  Basically, I did everything I could think of to break it so that I could edit the library files with no luck.  

I then created a new project and a new library folder on my machine.  I added some parts to it and verified that the read only setting of the files and folder was off.  I then set that library folder as a library in my Inventor project.  As soon as I did that I checked the folder settings and saw that the folder is set to "Read-Only (Only applies to files in folder)". I even tried turning the Read-Only off, which worked until I went back into Inventor.  As soon as I did anything in that project it reset the folder to read only.

Can you verify in your folder properties that it is indeed set to Read-Only (Only applies to files in folder)?