Single .ipj vs. Multiple .ipj's

[Anonymous]

I know this can be a touchy subject and the last I've seen on here was from 2007 timeframe. But I'd like your take on the pros/cons of using a single .ipj versus multiple .ipjs.

Personally, I've always, always been sold on the practice of one .ipj and all jobs fall under such. This offers parts/assemblies/etc. being shared across jobs easily. It also allows for the ease of being able to call up/activate a file in a different job than what you might be working on at the given time just to name a couple.

There's been a few "arguments" for using multiple .ipjs but I've never been able to see the benefit over one .ipj in my case.

In my case we work on numerous jobs, share files and work in a Vault environment.

What's your take? What do you prefer and why?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

For me..  Standard workflow if you're using Vault, single project and properly organize your Vault structure.

Outside of Vault or not using Vault..  Its how you want to configure your Inventor infrastructure..  I have no opinion on that matter since I've seen and done it both ways.  But here's something that I pass along when users are debating to use a single project file or mutiple project files for Inventor..

Many times users create mutiple project files for every project/design/job they do...  But..

1.  When you look at the given project file for every job..  They are the same settings except for the name of the project.   So I ask why create the same project configuration over and over and over..  Make one..

2.  Too many projects in the project editor dialog may lead to Inventor performance issues..  Although there's no guidelines, its recommended to keep less than 30 in that list and archive the rest.

3.  I'm a big fan of keeping projects very simple and organize in Inventor.  If the information is the same, make one like a Vault project as your standard and create custom ones when the project information is not-standard..

4.  Continuation of item #1.  Even if the workspace changes, a lot of times a new project file is created.  But even under that condition, make your standard project file generic enough to point to all locations.  I was taught many years ago with Inventor project files...  The IPJ is the flashlight body..  Its settings is the beam of light..  If a single project file can beam the light to all your necessary information or standards, well you can control it with a single IPJ.

Now it may sound like I lean toward the single IPJ approach..  That may be the case in most situation where I've come across...  However there's case (outside of Vault), where its mandatory to create a special IPJ for a given job.

[SBix26]

In my years of working with Inventor, we always used a project file for each project, simply to avoid any possibility of unintended changes.  Our work was one-of-a-kind custom machinery, and we never ever shared parts between projects.  If we wanted a purchased part that was used in a previous project, we copied it to the new one.  Each project was entirely self-contained, including Content Library items, which were placed within the project folder structure.

Yes, each project file was identical except for the file name, but that simply means that starting a new project was purely a matter of copying our "template" folder with the .ipj in it, then changing the name of the folder and copying that to the name of the project file; ready to roll.

The advantages are simply that there are no possibilities of tangling with another project's files accidentally named the same; searches are really quick; organization is simple.

When we implemented Vault, we continued with multiple project files, but all under a master project.  Standard Content Library components had to move outside the individual project structure to a shared location, which prompted us to standardize the numbering of fasteners; customized CL parts still remain within individual project.

For many kinds of work, a single project file offers the advantages that you describe.  But there are other kinds of work where keeping a tight wrapper around each project is a very convenient and efficient way to work.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2019.0.1 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[PaulMunford]

My understanding is that multiple project files were helpful when lans were slower, and you didn't want Inventor crawling the whole server to find a lost part.

Nowerdays (particularly with vault) no advantage that I can see.

This might be helpful:
https://designandmotion.net/autodesk/autodesk-vault-single-multiple-project-files/

[Anonymous]

We work with mutiple project files and even then Inventor sometimes find 2 or more ipt files that he has to choose from to resolve. What should it be if only 1 project file is used for 100 projects? OK, that was maybe bad practice in designing when those multiple instance were created, but...

[swalton]

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@Anonymous wrote:

We work with mutiple project files and even then Inventor sometimes find 2 or more ipt files that he has to choose from to resolve. What should it be if only 1 project file is used for 100 projects? OK, that was maybe bad practice in designing when those multiple instance were created, but...

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We use a part number database to generate unique file names for each CAD model to avoid this issue.

Back to the thread topic:

I work for a consulting engineering firm.  Our product is the 3d designs, 2d drawings, and related manufacturing files.

We use several .ipj files to separate the custom work we do for each client.  It lets us set custom templates and working directories and search paths.  We use a single .ipj file for our Vault client.  

If we sold physical objects, not designs, I'd use a single .ipj file and Vault for all work.