Collaborate with Vault

Autodesk Vault manages your Simulation CFD design study files. You can organize all your files and keep them in one location for easy access. All file versions are retained, so you never misplace or replace past versions. The vault stores each version of a file, along with all the files dependencies, giving you a living history of the project as you work on it. The vault also stores file properties for rapid searching and retrieving.

In a design team, all the files and associated data are stored on the server so all users have access to the information and its history. Each member of a team must have a unique login name and password. Team members check out files to prevent more than one member from editing the same file at the same time. Once a file is checked back into the vault, team members can refresh their local copies of the model file to get the latest version from the vault, so all members of the design team work together.

Simulation CFD includes a Vault connection for storing design study share files. A share file is a compressed version of the files that make up the design study.

The Simulation CFD Vault connection is not designed to archive geometry files, but you can create a reference link between your CFD share file and geometry in the Vault archive. Additionally, you can create a new Simulation CFD design study or update an existing Simulation CFD design by selecting geometry files archived in Vault.

To use the Simulation CFD Vault client, you must have Vault installed and running on your network. If you have questions, please consult your CAD administrator.

Use the commands from the Vault ribbon in Simulation CFD to perform the following tasks with Vault:

Access

Autodesk Vault

Open the standalone client application to browse for files on the server. If a client application is not found, the Autodesk Vault command opens the Vault explorer.

Log In

Before you can log into a Vault in Autodesk Simulation CFD, you must establish an account. Use a unique user name and password assigned by the server administrator. Contact the administrator of your server for your account information and server location.

After you have established an account use Log In to connect to your vault. To avoid having to log in every time, check Automatically log in to next session on the Vault Log In dialog box.

Log Out

Closes your connection to a vault. You can log back in to the same vault using the same account or a different account, or log in to a different vault.

Workspace

With the Simulation CFD Vault client, you access data stored in the Vault from a working folder on your computer/network. This folder is called the Workspace. Use the controls in Vault > Workspace to manage the workspace folder and to access it.

Set Workspace

When files are checked out from Vault, they are saved to a local folder on your machine or network. Use this control to define that folder.

Go to Workspace

Opens the local Workspace folder in a file browser.

File Status

New Design Study

To create a design study by selecting a geometry file saved in Vault, click New Design Study from the File Status panel.

To add a design variation or to modify an existing design with a geometry file saved in Vault, click Add/Update Design. This process is the same for geometry that is saved to a local folder.

Note: It is not possible to create or update a design by selecting an assembly file. The reason is that assembly files require part files. When you select an assembly file, the part files are not read, and the model will not load or update.

Check In Share File

Instead of checking in the entire design study folder structure, this command compresses the design study into a share file. You can select from several options to define how much of the design study is saved in Vault. Use the option called "Everything" to archive the entire design study.

When you check a file in, include a comment to describe the changes made to the version. You can also select an geometry file to associate with the simulation. This is geometry that has already been checked in through a different Vault client. This does not combine the share file and the geometry file. Instead, it serves as a reference between the CAD model and the simulation.

Open Share File

Check out a Simulation CFD share file from the vault. Click this command to automatically unpack the share file into the design study folder structure and open the study in Simulation CFD. Additionally, this command changes the read-only attribute of the local copy of the share file to read/write so you can edit it.

Hide the Vault Tab (for non-Vault users)

If your facility does not use Vault, you can remove the Vault tab from the ribbon:

  1. Right click on the Vault tab.
  2. Click Show Tabs.
  3. Uncheck Vault.

For more about Vault

Click here.