Use Design Assistant

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Table of contents No headers Procedures | References Design Assistant is a tool that can help you find, track, and maintain your Autodesk Inventor files and related word processing, spreadsheet, or text files. You can perform searches based on the relationships between files, create file reports, and work with the links between Autodesk Inventor files. You can open Design Assistant from Autodesk Inventor or from Microsoft Windows Explorer. Using Design Assistant inside Autodesk Inventor Open Design Assistant from Autodesk Inventor to work with the properties of files that are currently open in Autodesk Inventor. You cannot work with linkage relationships between files. Design Assistant opens with the active file and its referenced files displayed in the Properties browser. You cannot work with files other than the ones you used to open Design Assistant. When you make changes to properties of a file that is open in Autodesk Inventor, you must save the file to incorporate the changes into the file. Using Design Assistant outside Autodesk Inventor There are two ways to open Design Assistant outside of Inventor: Open Design Assistant from the Windows Start menu and add files to the active browser. Open Design Assistant from Microsoft Windows Explorer with pre-selected files displayed in the active browser.

Design Assistant allows you to edit many different files or groups of files in the same session, or to work with the links between files. You can work with the displayed files, and then use the available options to locate and work with other groups of files. Use Properties to work with the properties of the selected files. When you make changes to properties, they are saved automatically. Note: If you open Design Assistant outside Inventor and change the properties of a file that is open in Autodesk Inventor, you risk losing unsaved changes to properties. Always save an open Autodesk Inventor file before using Design Assistant to change its properties.

Use the Manager to work with linkage relationships between Autodesk Inventor files. Changes to links between files are not saved until you click Save.

Setting design properties Every Autodesk Inventor file contains a set of design properties (iProperties) that you can use in a variety of ways. Some properties, such as author and creation date, are set automatically when a file is created. You must specifically set other properties, such as cost center, manager, or status. Some Design Assistant search options use design properties to find files. You can also use Design Assistant to set design properties and copy design properties from one file to another. If the active project is set to shared or semi-isolated, you cannot edit the iProperties on a file that is checked out to someone else or on the workgroup version of the file. Previewing design images You can select Preview to view thumbnail images of selected Autodesk Inventor files open in the current session of Design Assistant. Preview is not available unless Autodesk Inventor is running. Managing file relationships The Design Assistant Manager can maintain links between Autodesk Inventor files. You can change the file relationships four ways: rename files, revise files, replace files, and create product configurations. You cannot manage links for semi-isolate projects, released files, files you have not checked out, workgroup copies of files, and read-only files.

Procedures: Initiate work sessions in Design Assistant Design Assistant is a tool to find, track, and maintain Autodesk Inventor files and related word processing, spreadsheet or text files. Open Design Assistant from Autodesk Inventor to work with files currently open in Autodesk Inventor. Open Design Assistant from Windows Explorer to work with many files or groups of files in the same session. The Design Assistant Manager provides a way to manage linkage relationships between Autodesk Inventor files, such as rename files, revise files, replace files, and create product configurations. To initiate a Design Assistant work session from Autodesk Inventor You can initiate a Design Assistant session from Autodesk Inventor to work with the properties of the active file. If the file is an assembly, you can also work with the properties of its referenced component files.

1. Open the Autodesk Inventor file.

2. Click

Manage

Design Assistant.

Note: When you initiate Design Assistant from Autodesk Inventor you cannot work with links between files or with files other than the active file and its components. To initiate a Design Assistant work session outside Autodesk Inventor There are two ways you can initiate a Design Assistant session outside Autodesk Inventor to work with the properties of files and manage the relationships between files. Open from the Windows Start menu 1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start. 2. Select Programs>Autodesk>Autodesk Inventor <version)>Design Assistant <version>. Open from Microsoft Windows Explorer 1. Open Microsoft Windows Explorer and browse to the folder that contains Autodesk Inventor files. 2. Select a file, a group of files, or a folder, right-click, and then select Design Assistant from the menu.

Set file locations for sessions in Design Assistant Design Assistant uses the project currently active in Autodesk Inventor to specify search paths. You can change the active project or create a new project. Note: In the Project wizard, Semi-isolated and Shared project types are unavailable by default. It is recommended that you use Autodesk Vault to manage multi-user projects. If you have a requirement to create legacy projects types, in Autodesk Inventor, click Options check box. General tab. Select the "Enable creation of legacy project types"

If the check box is not selected, and Autodesk Vault is not installed, only a Single User project can be created with the Project wizard. 1. Open Design Assistant from Microsoft Windows Explorer. 2. Click File Projects to open the Project Editor. 3. Click the Project in the top section of the dialog box. 4. Click Apply to apply the specified project, and then click Close to close the Project Editor. Note: Changing the project file also changes the active project for subsequent sessions of Autodesk Inventor.

Create reports on hierarchy, design properties

Use the report options in Design Assistant to create reports to help you track and manage Autodesk Inventor files and other related files. Reports are saved as text files that you can view, edit, or print. To create a hierarchy report A hierarchy report shows the hierarchy within the selected folder or for an Autodesk Inventor file. For example, it can provide a list of all component files for an assembly. It does not show properties or other information about the files in the hierarchy. 1. Open Design Assistant, either within Autodesk Inventor or from Microsoft Windows Explorer. 2. Select Tools Reports Hierarchy to open the dialog box. 3. Set the number of levels on which to report. 4. Click Next to open the Report Location dialog box. 5. Specify the location and file name for the report. The report is saved to the specified file. To create a design property report A design property report shows the hierarchy within the selected file or group of files, and the specified properties for each file. Before creating a design property report, use View Customize, and then set the properties to include on the Select Properties to View dialog box. 1. Open Design Assistant, either within Autodesk Inventor or from Microsoft Windows Explorer. 2. Select Tools Reports Properties to open the dialog box. 3. Set the number of levels on which to report. 4. Click Next to open the Report Location dialog box. 5. Specify the location and file name for the report. The report is saved to the specified file.

Preview files using Design Assistant You can select Preview to view thumbnail images of selected Autodesk Inventor files open in the current session of Design Assistant. 1. Open Design Assistant, either within Autodesk Inventor or from Microsoft Windows Explorer. 2. Click the Preview icon. 3. Select the file to preview.

Purge files in Autodesk Inventor Autodesk Inventor saves one or more versions of each file, depending on the application option for number of versions to keep. The versions of a file are saved in the Old Versions subfolder of the folder containing the file.

You can purge individual files, all the files in a folder, or all the component files in an assembly. The Purge All operation purges files in the top-level folder as well as files in subfolders within that folder. Before purging, close the files in Autodesk Inventor. 1. In Microsoft Windows Explorer or a Design Assistant session, select an individual file or the folder containing the files to purge. 2. Right-click and select Purge or Purge All from the menu. A message box displays the status of the purge operation.

References Purge files reference Shows the progress of a file purge operation. Purging a file removes all previous versions of an Autodesk Inventor file. Access: From Microsoft Windows Explorer or a Design Assistant session, select an Autodesk Inventor file, right-click, and select Purge. To purge all the files in a folder or all component files in an assembly, select the folder or assembly, right-click, and select Purge All. The Purge All operation affects all files in the folder hierarchy. For example, the purge operation on any files in the top-level folder also purges files in subfolders within that folder.

Design Assistant Preview Shows the thumbnail image associated to the selected Autodesk Inventor file. If the file does not have a thumbnail image, select iProperties or right-click a file name, and then select iProperties. Click the Save tab and then select the Save Preview Picture check box. Access: Click Manage Design Assistant, and then click Preview.

From Microsoft Windows Explorer, select one or more Autodesk Inventor files, right-click, and then select Design Assistant from the menu and then click Preview. Note: If you drag an Autodesk Inventor file from Microsoft Windows Explorer into an active Design Assistant session, the file in the active session is replaced with the new file. Unsaved changes in the current file are lost.

Select File Location

Sets the file location for an assembly or part that is copied using the Design Assistant Manager. Access: Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to select the assembly file, right-click, and then select Design Assistant. Click the Manage icon, and then select the file or files to copy. Click the Action cell for one the selected files, and then select Copy. Right-click the File Location cell for one of the selected files, and then select Change Location. Name Lists the directories and named libraries in the project. Click to specify the destination for the copies of the selected files. Path Shows the path for each of the listed directories or named libraries. Note: You cannot move files to a location that is not part of the active project.

Hierarchy and Design Property Reports Creates reports and saves them as text files so that you can view them or print them using a text editor. Access: In the Design Assistant window, select Tools desired report type. Hierarchy Report Creates a report that shows the hierarchy within the selected folder or assembly. If the selected item is a folder, the report shows the subfolders that it contains. If the selected item is an assembly file, the report shows the paths for the files referenced by the assembly. Expand Hierarchy to Specifies the number of levels to show in the report. Click the Level arrow and select from the list. Next Opens the Report Location dialog box so that you can specify the path and file name for the report. Design Property Report Creates a report that shows values of the specified properties for the files in the selected file or group of files. If the selected item is a folder, the report shows the files that it contains. If the selected item is an assembly file, the report shows the files referenced by the assembly. Note: To change the properties included in the report, select View Customize, and then select the properties before running the report. Expand Hierarchy to Specifies the number of levels to show in the report. Click the Level arrow and select from the list. Next Opens the Report Location dialog box so that you can specify the path and file name for the report. Reports, and then select the

Design Assistant Properties Use Design Assistant Properties to help find, track, maintain, and report on the Autodesk Inventor files, using iProperties as the key to the files. You can also work with other files, such as word processing or spreadsheet documents, that are referenced by Autodesk Inventor files. Access: Click Manage Design Assistant, and then click Properties.

From Microsoft Windows Explorer, select one or more Autodesk Inventor files or a folder containing Autodesk Inventor files, right-click, select Design Assistant from the menu, and then click Properties. Note: If you drag an Autodesk Inventor file from Microsoft Windows Explorer into an active Design Assistant session, the file in the active session is replaced with the new file. Unsaved changes in the current file are lost. The Properties browser contains two sections: Folders and files The left section of the Properties browser shows the folders and files available to the active Design Assistant session. If you initiated the session from within Autodesk Inventor, you cannot work with other files. If you initiated the session from Microsoft Windows Explorer, you can select File Open from the menu to load other folders or files. When you select a folder in the list, the files within the folder are displayed in the right section of the browser. When you select a file in the list, all referenced files are displayed in the right section of the browser. For example, if the file is an assembly, all the component files are listed.

Properties The right section of the Properties browser shows the files with which you are working and the specified properties for each file. The display is limited to ten columns. To change the properties that display in the browser or print on reports, select View Customize. To create a report, select Tools Reports and choose the report type. To copy properties from a file to another file or group of files, select Tools Copy Design Properties. To Find files, select Tools Find and choose the search method.

Design Assistant Design Assistant maintains links between Autodesk Inventor files, locates referenced files in folders, previews files with a thumbnail sketch, and manages file properties. Access: Click Manage Design Assistant, and then click Properties.

From Microsoft Windows Explorer, select one or more Autodesk Inventor files or a folder containing Autodesk Inventor files, right-click, and then select Design Assistant from the menu, and click Properties. Note: If you drag an Autodesk Inventor file from Microsoft Windows Explorer into an active Design Assistant session, the file in the active session is replaced with the new file. Unsaved changes in the current file are lost. Properties Preview Manager