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.
Before you start using Content Center, set up Autodesk Inventor and Content Center libraries to correspond with your needs:
After a successful installation and configuration of Autodesk Inventor Content Center, the following components are available:
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:
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:
Separate servers for Content Center and Vault
The Vault server manages libraries for Content Center and file databases for Autodesk Vault Basic. If needed, you can use two separate servers for Content Center libraries and Autodesk Vault Basic 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
Working with Autodesk Inventor 2011 , 2012, and 2013 libraries on the same server
Autodesk Inventor 2013, the Autodesk server 2013, and the server Client Update installation for Autodesk Inventor 2011 and 2012 enable you to access Autodesk Inventor 2009, Autodesk Inventor 2011 and Autodesk Inventor 2012 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 2011 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2011 with Client Update patch. Libraries in Autodesk Inventor 2012 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2012 with Client Update patch. Libraries in Autodesk Inventor 2013 partition are used by Autodesk Inventor 2013.
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 2011 or 2012 partition into Autodesk Inventor 2013 partition. Copying from Autodesk Inventor 2013 partition to Autodesk Inventor 2011 or 2012 partition is not supported.
Set up the Content Center environment for a stand-alone user
If you work as a standalone user, we recommend you to work in the Desktop Content environment. You do not need to log in to a server or set any user permissions. Libraries are treated as files in the Desktop Content folder on your hard disc. Work with libraries, for example creating, deleting, moving, or copying libraries, is more convenient.
Step 1: Install Autodesk Inventor
Select the Desktop Content option in the Autodesk Inventor installation. Then select Standard Content Center libraries to install. Libraries are installed in the Desktop Content folder on your computer.
Step 2: If appropriate, transfer legacy user libraries on the first startup
When you first run Autodesk Inventor, Content Center looks for legacy user libraries saved on your computer. If a legacy ADM Server is installed on your computer and legacy user libraries are found, Content Center automatically starts transfer of legacy libraries into the Desktop Content location. Click Yes in the Content Center Library Migration dialog box to perform the transfer.
Step 3: Configure Content Center libraries in the project
Step 4: If needed, change the folder where standard components are saved
To change the Content Center Files folder in Autodesk Inventor project:
If appropriate, change the default folder where standard components are created:
Share libraries across design workgroups
Before beginning, designate an administrator who installs and manages Content Center libraries on the Autodesk data management server.
Library configurations for team members are saved in the Autodesk Inventor project and can be edited in Project Editor. Each team member can create a personal project using the project file (.ipj) as a template, or include a common project (.ipj) file that is configured with the shared libraries. This enables each team member to have the same configuration.
If you are connecting to a vault database and the Content Center libraries database, the administrator creates the vault project file first and makes it the active project. Then the administrator configures the Content Center libraries in the Configure Libraries dialog box.
Install Content Center libraries on the server. For installation details, please refer to the Autodesk Vault Server Implementation Guide. The guide is installed as a PDF in Program Files Autodesk
ADMS [version]
Help.
Use the server console to configure libraries on the server
Before you start using Content Center, set up Content Center libraries to correspond with your needs. Use the server console to create, attach, import, export, detach, and delete Content Center libraries, and to change a library status.
Create Content Center Editor user accounts in the server console
Create Content Center Editor user accounts for anyone requiring editing permissions.
On the local computers, install Autodesk Inventor. Select the Use Vault Server option to skip installing Content Center libraries.
Connect to the server from Autodesk Inventor
Create a project file (.ipj) and configure Content Center libraries
Library configurations are saved in the Autodesk Inventor project and edited in Project Editor.
After the common project is configured, copy the project file (.ipj) to a shared location. Request each team member to use the project as a template or as an included project.
Configure Content Center libraries
Optionally, change the folder where standard components are created.
When Content Center creates a component, it first searches a cache of previously utilized content located in the Content Center Files location to improve access time to commonly used components. Although it is possible to set different Content Center Files location, we recommend that you use the same Content Center File location for all projects to optimize the performance.
Configure local project settings
Connect to the server to change the library configuration in the Autodesk Inventor project.
Use one of the following methods to create a local project:
Create a local project which uses the common project as an included file
Use the common project as a template for a local project
If you create a personal project file with the shared project as a template, you can save filters and favorites locally.