Copy Design

Create new design objects by copying existing data within a vault. Depending on which design application you are using, copying a design involves copying a drawing and its related files, or copying an entire design structure along with the related 2D drawings for 3D models.

The Copy Design feature creates a copy of the design in the same cone of influence as the source files. In the Copy Design dialog box, you can selectively choose which parts of an existing design to copy, reuse, exclude, or replace. The actions that can be performed are restricted based on the application and the type of file selected.

General Rules for Copying a Design

• Changing the action for a parent file does not change the children. Changing the child does not change the parent file. To change the action of the children with the parent, press Ctrl and change the action of the parent.
• If the file relationships are set to include all related documentation, the presentations and drawings of children are set to Copy if the child is set to Copy.
• The file history is not copied. The original file name and the version number are added to the comments field of the new file.
• File attachments are maintained.
• Automatically published .dwf files are not directly supported.

The new file has the same name as the original file with "Copy of" in front of it. You can edit the name of the copied file. If the new file name matches an existing file in the same folder as the original file, the existing file is replaced with the renamed file.

The following sections provide additional help for using Autodesk Vault with different design applications.

Autodesk Inventor

Additional rules for copying a design

• By default, all Inventor files are set to Reuse except for the file initially selected to be copied.
• Shared files, content center files, and files outside the project structure can be changed to Copy or Replace. When a outside file or a Content Center file is set to Copy, it is copied into the same folder as the new design.
• When an Inventor .dwg file is selected, it is treated like an Inventor .idw file. The dependent Inventor files that can be copied, reused, or replaced are.
• When Inventor files with iLogic rules is set to Copy, the files could be detected and shown in the dialog 'Remove iLogic Files' after click OK button.  User can remove the ilogic rules by turn on the checkbox. 

 Copy

When setting Autodesk Inventor assembly and part files to Copy in the Copy Design dialog box, the related parent assembly files, presentation files, and drawing files are also automatically set to Copy.

In addition to .dwg files, the following file types can be copied:

• .iam (assembly files)
• .ipt (part files)
• .idw (drawing files)
• .ipn (presentation files)

 Reuse

When setting Autodesk Inventor assembly and part files to Reuse in the Copy Design dialog box, the related parent presentation files and drawing files are also automatically set to Reuse.

In addition to .dwg files, the following file types can be reused:

• .iam (assembly f iles)
• .ipt (part files)
• .idw (drawing files)
• .ipn (presentation files)

 Exclude

Autodesk Inventor files can only be excluded from the Where Used view in the Copy Design dialog box. If the Autodesk Inventor file is listed in the Uses view, then it can not be excluded. If an AutoCAD DWG file is selected for exclusion, then all of its children are excluded.

In addition to .dwg files, the following file types can be excluded:

• .idw (drawing files)
• .ipn (presentation files)

 Replace

In addition to .dwg files, the following file types can be reused:

• .iam (assembly files)
• .ipt (part files)

An existing assembly can replace a part file and an existing part file can replace an assembly file.

Note: While a file can be replaced using the Copy setting and naming the new file the same as an existing file, the best practice is to use the Replace setting in the Copy Design dialog box.

Reuse Library Files

When CTRL click and copy all files, library files are set to copy as well. You can right click the assmebly file, apply command Reuse Library Files from context menu, then all Library Files under this assembly will be set Reuse.

AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Mechanical

When copying a design, by default all files are set to Copy. The new design is created in a new vault folder.

AutoCAD Civil 3D

The copy design operation can be used only with drawing (DWG) files. Related files such as imported surfaces can be copied or reused from their original source.

Users of Vault Professional or an ERP solution

In Autodesk Vault Professional or an ERP solution, file names often reflect the part or item number assigned to the component. By default, files set to be copied are indicated by the addition of (2), for example, Dial (2).ipt. A naming scheme can be defined for the files being copied to the new design. A prefix and a suffix can optionally be added to the files automatically. The new files can also be automatically incremented if the original file names end in an integer. This is useful for when CAD files are named using item or part numbers. Autodesk Inventor presentation files and drawing files can be automatically named to match the names of their direct part or assembly child.