Manage Content Center Libraries

Install, Add, and Remove Content Center Libraries

Your installation of Autodesk Inventor comes with the following default content libraries:

• Inventor Standard Content: These contains a variety of standard parts, such as bolts, steel shapes, and bearings.
  • ANSI
  • DIN
  • ISO
  • JIS and GB
  • Other International Standards
• Parker library: Contains Standard Content used by Parker for tube and pipe fittings.

To remove a default (or user-created) library after installation, you must use the server console.

Content Center Libraries and the Server Console

The server console manages Content Center libraries. The server console is installed when the Autodesk data management server is installed.

Use the server console to:

1. Create new read/write or read-only libraries when you need to modify the Content Center standard parts to meet the requirements of your company's standards. Then use the Copy to command in Autodesk Inventor to copy the read-only library families to a writable library, so that you can modify per your Company's standards.

   Additionally, you can only publish to a read/write library. If you created standard parts for your Company that you want to add to the Content Center, you must use the server console to create a read-only library that you can publish to.

2. Delete a library that is not being used by your company from the server.
3. Detach a library from the Content Center dialog box and from the Configuration dialog box when you do not want to make a particular library available to users.
4. Attach an existing library and make it available within the Configuration dialog box in Autodesk Inventor.
5. Import a library from another source and make it available within the Configuration dialog box in Autodesk Inventor.
6. Export a library for use elsewhere.
7. Copy a library.

You can see the list of libraries on a local machine that are being managed by the server console in the Content Center Libraries Configuration dialog box in Autodesk Inventor.

An .mdf and an .ldf file comprise one library. They must be maintained as a pair for both Import and Export.

You must be a Content Center Editor to make edits to Content Center libraries in Autodesk Inventor.

You must be a Content Center Administrator to perform Content Center administrative task in the server console.

Access the Server Console

Content Center administrative tasks are performed in the server console.

You must access the server console on the machine hosting your Content Center libraries to perform administrative tasks.

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

Access: Start  Programs  Autodesk  Autodesk Data Management  Autodesk Data Management Server Console.

Topics in this Section

Create a Library

You must access the server console on the machine hosting your Content Center libraries to perform administrative tasks.

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

Tip: The Content Center libraries installed by default are read-only and cannot be modified. Use Create Library to create a new read/write library and then use the Copy to command in Autodesk Inventor to copy read-only library parts into the new read/write library. The new library can then be modified to meet your needs.

You can only publish to a read/write library. If you created standard parts for your company that you want to add to the Content Center, use the server console to create a read/write library that you can publish to.

1. In the navigation pane, right-click the Libraries folder and then select Create Library.
2. In the Create Library dialog box, enter a display name for the new library.
3. From the Partition drop-down list, select a partition for the new library. The partition associates the library with a particular release of Autodesk Inventor. Only Inventor users using the corresponding version of Inventor can access the libraries in the matching partition.
4. Enter a name for the library database .mdf file.
5. Click OK

Delete a Library

Use Delete to permanently remove a library from the SQL server hosting the libraries.

A library cannot be deleted if it is currently being replicated.

You must access the server console on the machine hosting your Content Center libraries to perform administrative tasks.

Access the Autodesk Data Management Server Console

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

1. In the navigation pane, expand the Libraries folder.
2. Select the library to delete. Right-click the library and then select Delete.
3. You are prompted to confirm the deletion of the selected library. Click Yes to delete the library from the server.

Copy a Library

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

1. In the navigation pane, expand the Libraries folder.
2. In the Libraries folder, right-click the library to copy and then select Copy.
3. In the Copy Library dialog box, the display name, partition, and database name associated with the library to copy are displayed.
   • Enter a name for the new copy of the library.
   • From the Partition drop-down list, select a partition for the new copy of the library. The partition associates the copied library with a particular release of Autodesk Inventor. Only Inventor users using the corresponding version of Inventor can access the libraries in the matching partition.
   • Enter the database name for the copy of the library.
4. Click OK.

Copy Libraries During Migration

If you have chosen to migrate existing libraries, the Copy Libraries dialog is displayed. The Copy Libraries dialog lists the custom and standard libraries that require migration. Standard content libraries can be either kept and migrated for use with the new version of the data management server or deleted. Custom content libraries can be kept and migrated for use with the new version of the data management server, deleted, or copied forward for use with a newer version of Autodesk Inventor. By default, all libraries are set to be kept and migrated for use with the new version of the server and custom libraries are set to be copied forward to the latest version of Autodesk Inventor.

Copy Libraries During Migration

1. To delete either a standard library or a custom library, turn off all of the check boxes for the corresponding library. If all check boxes for a library are turned off, the library will be deleted during migration.
2. To copy a custom library forward to a new version of Autodesk Inventor, turn on the check box for the library corresponding to the new version of Inventor.
   • If the current version of the custom library is also checked, the existing library will both be migrated for use with the new version of the server and copied forward for use with the new version of Autodesk Inventor. Choosing to keep the original library and copy the library forward requires additional disk space. The amount of disk space required and the amount of disk space available is displayed in the dialog.
   • If the current version of the current library is turned off, the existing library will be copied forward for use with the new version of Autodesk Inventor and then the original library will be deleted.
   Note: To return the dialog to the default settings, click Reset.
3. Click OK. A summary of the migration operations to be performed is presented. If the summary matches your expectations, click Yes to proceed with library migration or click No to return to the Copy Libraries dialog and change the migration settings.

Attach a Library

Use Attach to reattach a library database file to the SQL server hosting the libraries.

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

You must be a Content Center Editor to make edits to Content Center libraries in Autodesk Inventor.

You must be a Content Center Administrator to perform Content Center administrative task in the server console.

Detach a Library

Use Detach to disconnect a library .mdf file from the SQL server hosting the libraries. Detached libraries are no longer displayed in the Libraries. Detached libraries can be re-attached at a later date.

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

1. In the navigation pane, expand the Libraries folder.
2. In the Libraries folder, right-click the library to detach and then select Detach.
3. You are prompted to confirm the detachment of the selected library. Click Yes to detach the library from the SQL server.

Export a Library

You can export a library to share the contents with other sites or divisions. When a library is exported, a copy of the library is made in a local folder. The exported library can then be imported to another Autodesk data management server.

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

1. In the navigation pane, expand the Libraries folder.
2. In the Libraries folder, right-click the library to export and then select Export.
3. In the Browse for Folder dialog, select the target location to which the library will be exported.
4. Click OK.
5. A message is displayed stating that library was exported successfully. Click OK.

Import a Library

Access the server console:

• On the local machine if the Content Center libraries are installed locally.
• On the remote server if the Content Center libraries are being hosted by a remote server.

Tip: Use the import command to add and automatically attach an exported library (a pair of .mdf and .ldf files) to the SQL server. For example: A vendor can create content for your use and export the .mdf and .ldf files to a CD. Use the Import command to copy these files from the CD to your Autodesk data management server.

1. In the navigation pane, right-click the Libraries folder and then select Import.
2. In the Import Library dialog box, specify the library database .mdf file to import or click the browse button to locate the library file to import.
3. Enter a display name for the imported library.
4. Click OK.
5. A message is displayed stating that library was imported successfully. Click OK.

Move a Library

A Library can be moved by moving the corresponding MDF, LDF files from their existing location to another location on the same computer.

MS SQL requires that the user under which SQL service is running have Full Control to the location to which the database is moved.

It is not necessary that both the MDF and LDF of a given library be at the same location.