ipj project files

[MikeKovacik4928]

Hi All

I am starting a new contract today with a new company. Am deciding how to work with .ipj files.

With my freelance draughting I was only using one ipj file to cover everything, and with previous companies I have also done that.

With my last company, we had separate project file for each set of drawings for each different product (Agricultural Implements and trailers) and that too worked like a dream, I think even better than having one project file for everything.

Because of that experience, I am wandering whether to do it now with this new company.

Can I have feedback from  everybody on their experiences and what everybody thinks would be better.

ie the advantages and disadvantages of each method, so I can make a decision based on that.

Michael Kovacik

South Africa

Inventor Pro 2023

[MikeKovacik4928]

Hi All

I am starting a new contract today with a new company. Am deciding how to work with .ipj files.

With my freelance draughting I was only using one ipj file to cover everything, and with previous companies I have also done that.

With my last company, we had separate project file for each set of drawings for each different product (Agricultural Implements and trailers) and that too worked like a dream, I think even better than having one project file for everything.

Because of that experience, I am wandering whether to do it now with this new company.

Can I have feedback from  everybody on their experiences and what everybody thinks would be better.

ie the advantages and disadvantages of each method, so I can make a decision based on that.

Michael Kovacik

South Africa

Inventor Pro 2023

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

• I use projects for each specific jobs mostly. This is very important for me, mainly if the job has linked files (assemblies, parts, drawings, etc).

• Furthermore, i can have also project files dedicated to specific customers or other special tasks.
  For example: i have a dedicated project file only to use for this forum.

Beside this, i have other project files to do specific tasks:

• Edit the styles templates (the styles library must ne in the state of read/Write, all the other projects must be in the Read only mode to prevent changes in the style library by accident). I can only change and save the changes with this project active.
• I have another specific project to create/edit library parts. 

It's really a question of management, and depends on the way you want or need to manage your work.

I don't like the "one project for all". It's not the better way to work, As an example, If you need to change folders, servers, etc, most probably you will loose all the links between files, also the management for parts with the same name will be tricky, content center parts missing, etc etc.

The only case i could think about using only one project file, it would be if i only work with singular parts... ex: to create CAM jobs, etc.

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

• I use projects for each specific jobs mostly. This is very important for me, mainly if the job has linked files (assemblies, parts, drawings, etc).

• Furthermore, i can have also project files dedicated to specific customers or other special tasks.
  For example: i have a dedicated project file only to use for this forum.

Beside this, i have other project files to do specific tasks:

• Edit the styles templates (the styles library must ne in the state of read/Write, all the other projects must be in the Read only mode to prevent changes in the style library by accident). I can only change and save the changes with this project active.
• I have another specific project to create/edit library parts. 

It's really a question of management, and depends on the way you want or need to manage your work.

I don't like the "one project for all". It's not the better way to work, As an example, If you need to change folders, servers, etc, most probably you will loose all the links between files, also the management for parts with the same name will be tricky, content center parts missing, etc etc.

The only case i could think about using only one project file, it would be if i only work with singular parts... ex: to create CAM jobs, etc.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks for that reply

Yes I have seen from my last company how useful it is to have dedicated project files for each

specific case whatever it is (customer ; product ; topic etc), rather than one project file for all.

Will probably go that way in future.

Looking forward to hearing everybody else's reply

Mike Kovacik

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks for that reply

Yes I have seen from my last company how useful it is to have dedicated project files for each

specific case whatever it is (customer ; product ; topic etc), rather than one project file for all.

Will probably go that way in future.

Looking forward to hearing everybody else's reply

Mike Kovacik

[LeanderTorres]

Personally I use seperate project files for every job just because not having to deal with unique filenames for everything. 

I would love to try vault professional with auto numbering but the entry cost is to steep since you cant install it locally and it needs windows server licences. (1 user environment)

[LeanderTorres]

Personally I use seperate project files for every job just because not having to deal with unique filenames for everything. 

I would love to try vault professional with auto numbering but the entry cost is to steep since you cant install it locally and it needs windows server licences. (1 user environment)

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks

Yes another good reason to use separate ipj's.

I don't have vault either. I have used it briefly before.

I don't think I need much more persuasion, but would still 

like to hear everyone else's opinion anyway.

Mike Kovacik

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks

Yes another good reason to use separate ipj's.

I don't have vault either. I have used it briefly before.

I don't think I need much more persuasion, but would still 

like to hear everyone else's opinion anyway.

Mike Kovacik

[johan.degreef]

We have worked with separate project files in the past (without Vault), and it was a burden to switch between, and only have files available in a specific project. Now we have Vault pro and 1 project file. All project fall under the same project file, but is differentiated upon folders and iproperties. Much easier, but it comes indeed with a cost (950€/yr/user?). Also our content center is now centralised and the same for everybody, and the copy design function is a great +++

[johan.degreef]

We have worked with separate project files in the past (without Vault), and it was a burden to switch between, and only have files available in a specific project. Now we have Vault pro and 1 project file. All project fall under the same project file, but is differentiated upon folders and iproperties. Much easier, but it comes indeed with a cost (950€/yr/user?). Also our content center is now centralised and the same for everybody, and the copy design function is a great +++

[LeanderTorres]

So you can give files in vault the same name as long as they are in diffrent subfolders?

[LeanderTorres]

So you can give files in vault the same name as long as they are in diffrent subfolders?

[johan.degreef]

@LeanderTorres 

---

@LeanderTorres wrote:

So you can give files in vault the same name as long as they are in diffrent subfolders?

---

No we have unique filenames checked on. Our project number is included in the filename.

[johan.degreef]

@LeanderTorres 

---

@LeanderTorres wrote:

So you can give files in vault the same name as long as they are in diffrent subfolders?

---

No we have unique filenames checked on. Our project number is included in the filename.

[swalton]

Back in my consulting days, we used different project files for each customer.  That way we could use their templates, content center, and folder structure.  If we had several design contracts for a single customer, we used the same project file for all the work.  It also helped us avoid using models or data from one customer on another customer's contract.

We have always enforced a model filename=part number=drawing filename workflow.  It makes it easy to find and open any file we have ever created.

We used an excel sheet to track the part numbers, descriptions, and customer info.  Once we had access to Vault Pro (Inventor clients) and Windchill (Creo clients) we created new data store instances for each client. 

[swalton]

Back in my consulting days, we used different project files for each customer.  That way we could use their templates, content center, and folder structure.  If we had several design contracts for a single customer, we used the same project file for all the work.  It also helped us avoid using models or data from one customer on another customer's contract.

We have always enforced a model filename=part number=drawing filename workflow.  It makes it easy to find and open any file we have ever created.

We used an excel sheet to track the part numbers, descriptions, and customer info.  Once we had access to Vault Pro (Inventor clients) and Windchill (Creo clients) we created new data store instances for each client.