You can work with Content Center as a stand-alone user (libraries are saved in the Desktop Content location on your computer) or as a member of a workgroup (libraries are shared on a Vault server).
If you select the Desktop Content option in the installation, Content Center libraries are installed to the folder specified in the installation configuration. After the installation, the Desktop Content environment is set up and Content Center is ready for use. If you select the Vault Server option in the installation, Content Center libraries are not installed on your computer. You must install Content Center libraries on the server, and log in to the server to use Content Center.
TipMigrate your legacy user libraries to use them with the new version of Autodesk Inventor.Before you start using Content Center, set up Autodesk Inventor and Content Center libraries to correspond with your needs:
- Set the Application Options. The Content Center tab in the Application Options dialog box sets the storage location of Content Center libraries and refreshing of standard parts on instancing. The File tab in the Application Options dialog box specifies the default Content Center Files folder where instanced Content Center parts are saved.
- Set Content Center options in the Autodesk Inventor project. Use the Configure Libraries dialog box to configure Content Center libraries. If appropriate, change the Content Center Files folder.
After a successful installation and configuration of Autodesk Inventor Content Center, the following components are available:
- Standard Content Center libraries installed in the Desktop Content folder or on an Autodesk Vault Server and configured in the project.
- One or more user libraries located in the Desktop Content folder or on an Autodesk Vault Server and configured in the project.
Content Center environment for a stand-alone user
If you want to work as a stand-alone user, perform the following steps to set up Content Center:
- Select the Desktop Content option in the Autodesk Inventor installation.
- If your legacy user libraries reside on the server, transfer them to Desktop Content location. Autodesk Inventor can do the transfer automatically on the first startup. Click Yes in the Content Center Library Migration dialog box.
- If appropriate, copy user libraries from an external Desktop Content location to your Desktop Content folder.
- Set up the configuration of Content Center libraries in the project:
- Transfer user libraries from a server by using Library Transfer guide.
- Select the In Use box to add libraries in the configuration.
- Migrate and synchronize legacy user libraries by using the Update Tool.
TipLegacy and new version of Autodesk Inventor on the same computer: Use separate folders for old and new Desktop Content libraries. Remember that migration in Update Tool irreversibly changes user libraries. You cannot use migrated Desktop Content libraries in an old version of Autodesk Inventor.
Content Center environment for a design workgroup
You can eliminate the need for each member of a design workgroup to install and synchronize their own Content Center libraries by installing Content Center libraries on a Vault server.
Local settings for workgroup members
After Content Center libraries are set up on the server, members of the workgroups configure their local settings.
We recommend that you designate an administrator to install the server, set up projects and predefine the standard set of libraries to use in a design project. The administrator can create a common project and add shared libraries to the Content Center configuration, and then share the common project file (.ipj) with the other team members.
To log into the server within Autodesk Inventor, you specify the location (or name) of the remote server in the Log In dialog box.
Storage folder for instanced standard components
When you insert a Content Center library part in an assembly, the library part is copied from the server to the Content Center Files folder. The configuration of the Default Content Center Files folder is saved in Application Options, and the setting can be overridden in the project.
Set the Content Center Files folder depending on how you want to consume changes to the Content Center libraries:
- Specify a network location of the Default Content Center Files folder on each of the local computers for each user to get the most recent library content automatically.
- Specify a location on the local computers for users to decide when to update their libraries. In this scenario, use the Refresh Standard Components command to get the latest content.
Separate servers for Content Center and Vault
The Vault server manages libraries for Content Center and file databases for Autodesk Vault. If needed, you can use two separate servers for Content Center libraries and Autodesk Vault files. Install the server on two computers, and then use one as a Vault server and the other as a Content server:
Comparing Desktop Content and Vault Server
| Desktop Content | Autodesk Vault Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Autodesk Inventor installation includes Desktop Content libraries | Autodesk Inventor without libraries installed on client computers, Vault Server and libraries installed on the server |
| Additional software needed | No | IIS or AWS, SQL Server |
| User accounts and permissions | No (can be added on the file access level of the operation system, if appropriate) | Yes (managed by Vault Server) |
| Supports multiple Autodesk Inventor versions on one computer | Yes (with no limitations) | Yes, with limitations (one version of Vault Server, the corresponding and two previous versions of Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Inventor Client Update installed for legacy Autodesk Inventor versions) |
| Management of Content Center libraries | In Autodesk Inventor, by using the Configure Libraries dialog | External, by using Vault Server Console |
| Work with Content Center | No log-in or permissions needed, all Content Center functionality available | Connection and log-in to the server required, editing permissions needed to perform editing tasks |
| Migration of legacy user libraries | Yes (transfer from ADMS or copying from a legacy Desktop Content folder and migration by Update Tool) | Yes (migration and set up on the Vault Server, then migration by Update Tool) |
Working with Autodesk Inventor 2009 , 2010, and 2011 libraries on the same server
Autodesk Inventor 2012, the Autodesk server 2011, and the server Client Update installation for Autodesk Inventor 2009 and 2010 enable you to access Autodesk Inventor 2009, Autodesk Inventor 2010 and Autodesk Inventor 2011 libraries on one library server.
To support Side-by-Side installation, the Autodesk server maintains Content Center libraries that were built for different Autodesk Inventor versions. Libraries are saved in the corresponding Partition of the Autodesk server. Libraries in Autodesk Inventor 2008 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2009 with Client Update patch. Libraries in Autodesk Inventor 2010 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2011 with Client Update patch. Libraries in Autodesk Inventor 2012 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2012.
The default prefix of the library name is determined by the partition where the library is saved. You can copy user libraries from Autodesk Inventor 2009 or 2010 partition into Autodesk Inventor 2012 partition. Copying from Autodesk Inventor 2012 partition to Autodesk Inventor 2009 or 2010 partition is not supported.
