About Search Paths in Projects

In a project file, search paths point to file locations where components associated with a project are stored.

When the program searches for a file, it looks in the file locations in a project file. To avoid file resolution problems:

File names are stored in a relative path from the project root (".\"). If the file is in a library, the library name is also stored.
A file name stored in the same folder or a subfolder of the file that references it is stored as a relative path.

Nested paths in legacy projects

Some legacy projects contain nested paths, or multiple workgroups or workspaces. In the Project Editor, the nested paths display in red to remind you that they sometimes cause resolution problems.

Avoid nesting search paths, and define only one workgroup or workspace for a project.

Where Used search

In Design Assistant, you can search for all files that reference a specified file.

For example, if a part file is used in multiple assemblies in Inventor, you can view a list of all assemblies.

Where Used search returns only first-level references. For example, if you create a drawing of an assembly in Inventor, the search recognizes that the drawing references the assembly. It does not recognize drawing references the components.

Search for specific objects

You can search for specific objects in all Inventor file types. (In Inventor these objects can include constraints, components, features, sketches, and welds.) You can refine your searches by including additional criteria such as and/or operators, properties, conditions, and values. You can specify the location in which to search.

Find is useful to locate sick constraints, suppressed features, sketch parameter names or values, or references, and any other combination of criteria you select.

Included file

You can include the search path to another project file in the selected project. An included project is often a master workgroup project on the network. Using this method, you can access all file locations from the included file.

Any project type can use an Included file.
You can use only one included file in the project.
The project type in the included file overrides the type in the recipient project file.
For a semi-isolated project, a master project can include the needed workgroup and library search paths and settings for the entire project. Each workgroup member can create a semi-isolated workspace project to set a personal workspace and specify only the Included file. Then workgroup members all have the same project settings and search paths from the Included file.
If you work on a project with files in only a single project, do not use an included file.

Workspace

A personal workspace created in a project is where you create and edit files, and is accessible only by you. In a shared environment, others can see your changes only after you check them back in to the Vault, and they refresh or reload the files.

In most cases, when you create a project, the workspace is already created for you by the Project wizard. The default location is at the root level (where the project file is located).

The workspace can contain only one location.
To maximize portability of your datasets, define only one workspace for the project folder (which contains the .ipj file), in addition to any libraries you use.
If the project type is shared, a workspace is not required.
Do not set up library search paths as subfolders of the workspace, and do not create any other subfolders in the workspace folder.
Maintain the same relative path to a file from the workgroup folder that would first be found when you copy the file to the workspace.
Workspace is the first location searched for non library references.

You use a separate project file for each project, and locate the files specific to that project in the workspace folder, including the project file. Then you can copy the entire project folder back and forth between your local disk and the shared server. If you have sufficient space, you can also copy the necessary or frequently used libraries to your computer. Use Pack and Go to create a local copy of the libraries that contain only the library files referenced from your project.

Workgroup

The number of workgroup search paths defined affects the time it takes to search. If your environment requires the use of Workgroups, limit the number as much as possible.

A workgroup comprises the shared network locations where Inventor searches for nonlibrary files. The workgroup designates the master storage location for data files for both shared and semi-isolated projects, but not single user projects.

Each project has only one workgroup. When you create a shared or semi-isolated master project, a workgroup is automatically designated.

Set up only one workgroup per project. It is adequate for almost all situations. Do not specify its location as a subfolder of the workspace.
You can organize your files into subfolders beneath the workgroup folder. Then, if the path to the new location is specified in the project, you can move the folder without breaking links to referenced files.
If you plan to change the existing workgroup path, add the new one before you delete the old workgroup path.
Workgroup search paths are searched after the workspace is searched.

Libraries

A library is a storage location for read-only files that are referenced. You cannot edit the files in a location that you specify as a library, but you can reference them.

You can specify paths to standard and custom libraries of read-only files for a project. Each project can have multiple libraries.

When you add a library search path, the folder in the path is considered a library.
Any project type can include one or more libraries.
A single library can be used in one or multiple projects.

Libraries for iParts require two folders: one for the iPart factory file and one for a corresponding proxy file that contains linking information. The folder names are the same except that the proxy folder has a leading underscore character (such as iParts and _iParts). Do not make iPart proxy libraries read-only, because the factory has to create new files there.

Mapped Drives

To reference a location on a server or remote workstation, use a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path (such as: \\server_name\our_folders). Ensure that our_folder is shared with everyone who accesses the project location.

Avoid using different drive mappings or different UNC paths to the same file. In the Open and Place Component dialog boxes, you can navigate using arbitrary UNC paths to network locations. Avoid using this general capability. Instead use only the project shortcuts in those dialog boxes to the folders in your project.

Note: Using an alternative UNC or mapped drive path to navigate to a project location manually can confuse the Windows Operating system or the network domain mappings. It can drop the project-based network mappings, resulting in an inability to locate referenced files.

Remove any mapped drives that no longer exist.

Tips for creating search paths

To increase performance when you work with large assemblies, create libraries for read-only parts such as fasteners, or purchased parts.
Assign a meaningful unique name to each search path and library. Unique names avoid confusion when using File Open and Save, and maximize the usability of your data sets.

Note: If using unique file names, set the project option Using Unique File Names to Yes. Inventor automatically searches all locations in the project. If the file cannot be located, the Resolve Link dialog box opens and you locate the file manually.