Content Center part numbers - Vault auto numbering scheme?

[BrandonW9]

We have a fairly extensive customized Content center library right now. The part numbers were all manually put in when we published the parts according to an old "smart" part numbering scheme.

The company is now switching to a "dumb" sequential part numbering scheme. This will make things easier for initial numbering/naming of regular parts/assys, but i'm trying to think ahead for re-numbering the content center parts.

I figure i can just leave the filenames as-is, but how can I make them comply to a vault auto-generated numbering scheme?

[jhackney1972]

As custom content center parts are used, the Vault numbering scheme will be offered to apply to them.  For custom content center parts already in the Vault, you can isolate them, hopefully by a category or some other search criteria, the select them, and use the Vault Rename function.  This tool will not only update to the Vault part numbering system of your choice but update the part number in the file, if desired.  Since everything is done inside the Vault there is NO possibility for un-resolved files.  Take a look at my screencast, I place new custom content center steel members and also change some already in the Vault.

[BrandonW9]

@jhackney1972 Thanks for the detailed response!

I have a column in the family table that controls the part number right now, if i just update the part numbers of the generated child files, will it update the family table to match? 

If not, wouldnt the part files then not be in sync with the family table and would be refreshed to match if i ever used the refresh command?

[jhackney1972]

I am afraid that the Vault File Name function does NOT write back to your custom content center.  I wish it did.  You DO NOT have a problem with the Refresh command in Inventor over-writing the part number because the refresh function ONLY affects "Standard" content center components and yousr are "Custom". 

I have noticed an issue I did not see in my first screencast.  The Vault "Rename" function gives you the option to update the part number for existing custom content center parts in the Vault, this is good because the file name is what the Vault Numbering system provides, not the part number.  This brings up the problem of how to get the Vault provided file name into the part number property for newly created custom content center parts.  I am currently scratching my head on this one and will post back when/if I find a solution.

Again, the Automatic Vault Numbering system only supplies the file name not the part number so we have to figure out how to get the file name into the part number property.

[BrandonW9]

I think we may have a bit of a communication error on what type of content center parts i am talking about... i am talking about standard content center parts, from a "custom" content center library.

So the files are all of the standard CC parts in the CC directory, so they would be subject to a refresh. I need to find a way to re-populate all of the family tables "part number" with new auto-generated numbering scheme numbers.

I think we'll be heading towards either a manual transcription route, or some sort of custom macro/add in that will update them for us.

I already have a small piece of code that can find and place all the members of a family, and add a new column to the family and update the column with a new value.

Perhaps we can add to and modify it so that it can edit the part number field and insert a number from an external source or something.

[Anonymous]

Hi There! 

Did you come up with a solution to get the Automatic Vault Numbering scheme to write to your "Part Number" Property when placing a custom CC- Part?

Thanks in advance

[Markus.Koechl]

Vault Data Standard for Inventor does the job: https://autode.sk/2IfzqgR. 

The default file name, location, part number, and other customizations can be set by rules.

Hope this helps to solve your requirements also.

[Anonymous]

Hi Marcus,

The screencast you posted looks like a the solution to making the filename=partnumber but how do you get to this point to have a menu that allows that control?

Regards

Pat

[gconley]

@jhackney1972  I tried to do the same thing in your video, but when I click ok on the Custom Content Center part, it does not bring up the Vault Numbering Scheme box.  I made sure that the Vault Numbering Scheme is set to active, but still doesn't show.  What am I missing?

[jhackney1972]

That video and article were from a few years ago.  I have since retired and lost access to Vault so I do not have the ability to troubleshoot your issue even if I remember all the information I was required to use when I was employed.  I hope someone else will be able to help you.

[Eide_N]

John,

A belated congratulations on retirement! Thanks for being a kind, informative contributor. You helped many people throughout your years and your demeanor was always energetic and uplifting.

Nick

[alex_hiis6PJP6]

I’m asking this again because I’m still running into an issue with getting a unique Vault number written to the Content Center custom part “Part Number” property.

Is there a solution to have the automatic Vault numbering scheme written into the “Part Number” property when placing a custom Content Center part?

I’m using Vault together with Vault Data Standard (VDS). I’ve enabled Vault Data Standard to trigger when custom Content Center parts are saved, following this guide here. 

In Content Center, I created a structural profile and left the “Part Number” property blank. When I place this profile and select the required length, a unique filename is generated, but the “Part Number” property remains blank because it is set that way in the Content Center family mapping.

How can I configure this so that, on the initial save of a custom Content Center part, the filename is written to (or overwrites) the Part Number property?

@Markus.Koechl— I’ve found that VDS has the ability to reserve numbers (sadly not officially supported). Is this something that could be used to solve this problem? Or should I use rules or alter Inventor config files to achieve this? I don't have access to the link you posted in this thread.
Here is a screen record of the problem I'm facing.

[Markus.Koechl · Accepted solution]

@alex_hiis6PJP6 : You can achieve this by writing the retrieved number to the part number property on post-close of the dialog. I demonstrate how to do this in the extended sample configuration available here: VDS-Sample-Configurations-2026/VDS-MFG-Sample/CAD.Custom/addins/ADSK.QS.Default.ps1 at master · koec...

[alex_hiis6PJP6]

Yes! Thank you @Markus.Koechl , that did the trick.

On another topic: from this guide, is it possible to disable Vault numbering and only enable  VDS interaction?

[Markus.Koechl]

Hi @alex_hiis6PJP6, glad to see that you succeeded. Would you mind marking it as a solution, please?
Your "bonus" question: unfortunately, we have only the three documented options. The challenge here is that Inventor needs a location/name to derive the file from CC and would need to do this in memory. That would allow us (Vault add-in) to provide a full name on save rather than via the create event.

[alex_hiis6PJP6]

Thanks for the input.
I think I'm unable to mark it as a solution since I'm not the topic originator.