Manage links between Autodesk Inventor files

Autodesk Inventor files have a linkage relationship to the files that they reference. You can use the Design Assistant Manager to track and maintain those relationships.

Maintain referenced files with Design Assistant Manager

1. Open Microsoft Windows Explorer and browse to the Autodesk Inventor file you want.
2. Right-click the file, and select then Design Assistant.
3. In the Design Assistant window, click the Manage icon.

Note: Do not use Design Assistant Manager to make changes to files that are checked out in a semi-isolated or shared project.

If you must use Design Assistant Manager for semi-isolated or shared projects, be sure that all files are checked in. For master and shared project types, you can then use the Project Editor to change the project type to single user, and then use Design Manager to make desired changes. When finished, edit the project type back to semi-isolated master or shared.

Rename file referenced in assembly, drawing, or presentation

When you rename a file, links to the file are updated in all the files that reference it.

1. Open the topmost file in the hierarchy in Design Assistant.
2. In the Manage browser, click to select the component to be renamed.
3. Right-click the Action cell for the component, and then select Rename. All occurrences of the component are highlighted.
4. Right-click the Name cell for the component, and then select Change Name.
5. In the dialog box, enter the new file name.

Note: When a new file name is specified, the part number updates automatically. If this is not appropriate, select the part number, right-click, and then select Reset. The changes do not take effect until you click Save.

Copy file referenced in assembly or drawing

When you copy a file, links to the original file are updated. The files that referenced the original file now reference the copy. The original file is no longer referenced by this assembly or drawing. However, it may still be used in other assemblies or drawings.

1. Open the topmost file in the hierarchy in Design Assistant.
2. In the Manage browser, click to select the component to copy.
3. Right-click the Action cell for the component, and then select Copy. All occurrences of the component are highlighted.
   Note: To copy the files to a different path, right-click the File Locations cell, and then specify the new path in the Select File Locations dialog box.
4. Right-click the Name cell for the component, and then select Change Name.
5. In the dialog box, enter the new file name.
6. If needed, edit the Part Number, revision, or other file attributes.

Note: If the new file path is not included in the current project file, it is automatically added as a workgroup. The changes do not take effect until you click Save.

Replace file referenced in assembly

When you replace a file within an assembly, links to the original file are updated. The files that referenced the original file now reference the new file. The original file is no longer referenced by this assembly. However, it may still be used in other assemblies or drawings.

1. Open the topmost file in the hierarchy in Design Assistant.
2. In the Manage browser, click to select the component to be replaced.
3. Right-click the Action cell for the component, and select then Replace. All occurrences of the component are highlighted.
4. Right-click the Name cell for the component, and then select Change Name.
5. In the dialog box, select the replacement file. Files can only be replaced with files of the same file type.

Note: Changes take effect after you click Save.

Create new assembly with Design Assistant

You can use the Copy option to create a new assembly when the new assembly uses many of the same components as the existing one.

1. Open the topmost file in the hierarchy in Design Assistant.
2. In the Manage browser, select all components to be changed for the new assembly.
3. Right-click the Action cell for any of the selected components, and then select Copy. The Modified cell for each selected component shows that it must be edited.
4. Right-click the Name cell for each component, and then select Change Name.
5. In the dialog box, enter the new file name.
6. Select the highlighted assemblies and subassemblies that contain the copied files, and repeat the copy steps to create the new assemblies.

Note: The changes do not take effect until you click Save. Finish copying all highlighted assembly files before you save the changes so that you do not replace your existing assemblies.

Update additional referencing files

When you replace, rename, or copy a file, other files that reference the original file must be updated. You can use the Update option to update referencing files.

1. Open the topmost file in the hierarchy in Design Assistant.
2. In the Manage browser, select the files that are being modified from the upper browser.
3. In the lower browser, select the file types you wish to include in the update.
4. Click Find Files. The list of referencing files is displayed in the lower browser.
5. In the lower browser, select the file types you want to include in the update.

Note: Changes take effect after you click Save.