Speed up add component or open component

[Anonymous]

Hi

A feature to save a lot of clicks in the daily work would be to implement the possibility to add customized shortcuts.

When adding a component to an assembly, or opening a component, Inventor remembers the folder location from the last opened or added component, which is good. The problem is when you are looking for files, spread out in a big folder hierarchy.

My idea is to implement a function to add customized shortcuts in the open/place component dialog boxes.

In the 2017 version there is something similar to what I'm after at "My Home" Shortcuts that you could use for open files. But normally you don't want to go via the "My Home" window just to open a file. It should be accessed via the open icon you always have in the top left corner. And it would be even more useful in the Place Component dialog box.

I hope more people see the benefits here!

[Anonymous]

I think this would be a great idea. Especially if someone works off multiple servers.

[jtylerbc]

You can already do something like this on a Project File basis.  You can define "Frequently Used Subfolders" within your workspace, which will then have a shortcut available in the various file dialog boxes.

[Anonymous]

@jtylerbc 

Thank you for the tip. I wasn't aware of that feature. So, that means you have to edit the project file I guess?. We are multiple users tied to a common project file, so my preferences on sub folder shortcuts could vary from someone else. But maybe we can agree on something :).

But wouldn't it be even better for each user to quickly be able to add or remove these shortcuts without manipulating the project file?

[jtylerbc]

Yes, your guesses are correct.  The existing method I described requires you to edit the project file, and would affect all users that use that same project file (which in your case means everyone).

That could be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how you organize the rest of your files.  If there are clear, standard folders that everyone needs shortcuts to, then the project file settings make that very easy to implement.  If those needs change from user to user, obviously it doesn't apply well to that situation.

I have used this method at two companies with very different file structure situations.  The first used a single project file for each user, regardless of how many tasks they were working on.  The second (my current one) uses a project file for each project, regardless of how many engineers are using it.  It works in both of those cases, but may not work as well for yours.

The advantage of the existing method is mostly that it already exists, and you could start using it immediately to resolve at least some of your need.  Maybe you wouldn't have the user-specific customization you'd prefer, but you could at least make shortcuts to common folders that would help all of your users.