Inventor Content Center Management: How to Manage, Customize, and Create a New Family with No Problems

HUGO TREPANIER: Thank you to access to this session, Inventory Content Center Management-- How to Manage, Customize, and Create a New Family with No Problem, or without problem. This is the goal of this session. So my name is Hugo Trepanier. I'm Technical Consultant in manufacturing and at SolidCAD Canada, more than 15 years of experience in 3D mechanical designs, in the heavy equipment and mechanical system industry.

This is my third AU this year as primary speaker, Las Vegas in 2019, the virtual during the COVID time in 2021, and now in San Diego 2024, specializing with Autodesk software for nearly 30 years. I'm working as technical consultant since 2005. I leverage my experience in CAD, PDM, and PLM software to help customers improving their manufacturing processes. I have a lot of hobbies, but my passion after work is biking, mountain or road biking. I traveling around the world and discover new country, new landscape, and new place to visit and also do biking.

So the agenda today. First, quick Content Center introduction. Learn how to customize the Inventor Content Center. Learn how to create a new family from scratch and publish it into the Content Center, and discover how to manage and refresh how outdated existing Content Center libraries.

So first, quick Content Center introduction. A lot of people using Inventor and using templates, design data, and the Content Center files is in big part of Inventor, but it's not only Content Center files. It's also Content Center generator. A big mistake by user is just Content Center files contain all. No, it's Content Center files are only generated file.

And the IDCL-- we'll talk a lot about this today-- it's your principal library. It's like your templates. You need to back up this and make sure that your IDCL is in perfect condition and also back up every day if possible, or every month. It's depending your backup data. So what is IDCL? It's a Inventor Desktop Content Library.

It's also desktop. So you have two different access option. The desktop content, it's the base one when you install Inventor. And also Autodesk Vault server is more usable if you need to share across the company the Content Center.

You could share the IDCL to, for example, a shared drive on the network, but it's not the best way to copy the Content Center IDCL, this folder, inside a other drive. The best way is using Vault server to have a best performance and also more security about the IDCL file convert to the Vault.

So learn how to customize the inventory content center. So today, I will talk a lot about manage and also customize. The step one of Content Center, it's create a read and write library. Autodesk supply a lot of Content center. You have different [INAUDIBLE] features. You have a lot of IDCL file.

But what you need, it's create your IDCL because it's only in read only. You cannot change the IDCL provided by Autodesk. It's generic. If you have a company, you need to have a specific description, specific iProperties for ERP system, for example. You could also add 3D information inside the Steel Shape, for example, publish, for example, a new profile, like a Steel Shape or a new elbow, tube, and pipe inside the piping industry.

And you need to understand what is the difference between the two big category inside the Content Center. You have a place as custom and place as standard. So prior this, you need to create a new library.

And the step 2, it's create a new family. You need to modify first. Today, I will talk about how to modify the generic supply by Autodesk because it's in read only. You need to make a change. It's possible. And you could also access easily to your family inside the Content Center and just give you some tips about this.

Also, when you create not change, but when you need to create your family, you have three different options. The first is Copy To. Copy To allow you to override the Autodesk.

How do I explain this? Because you have a read only, it's impossible to change this, but I would like to change the description. How to doing this as the Copy To.

The Save Copy As it's simple. It's just a brand new copy for you. It's totally independent of Autodesk. You have two options, with link or independent. The with link, create the link with, for example, the 3D template supplied by Autodesk and you remain attached to the Autodesk. If Autodesk make some change, it will have also change inside your.

Personally, like the independent because it's totally independent. If I just delete all this stuff from Autodesk, I have one library. It's mine. I don't have a link with the Autodesk.

You will understand also the workflow, how to redissolve this. But take care about the Content Center refresh. I will show you because if you use the Copy To, you could have a problem if you don't do the right thing.

So first, create a library and customize the generic library. We're going inside Inventor. So you just go in the place from Content Center.

So this is place from Content Center. You have probably here a filter. OK I will talk about the filter also. And for today, I will just use a bolt, so a hex bolt, for example. Why not use my filter, and see hex bolt inches.

This is the Content Center database. This is the IDCL file. Now we're choosing a bolt size and insert as standard or as custom.

Please use as standard. It's simple because it's a library. It's generate and managed by the Content Center. Custom is managed by you, but you will see some difference.

Personally, I like standard because you are not prompt for defining. It's already defined by your library. And what I will do is just insert three bolts for now. So we have three same files inside the browser, and you have a library like this. It's not the same symbol.

I will just left pick, right click, and make a change on this bolt, for example, just to increase the size for this one. It will generate a new file. So again, this one, I could right click, change the size, and I will just make it longer and a little bit bigger on this.

So we have three bolt, and the three bolt is different size inside the iProperties, you see here the location of the file is always in Content Center files defined by your project. If I'm going inside the IPJ, so the project inside Inventor, I use AU for today. And this project gave [INAUDIBLE] the Content Center files generate here. It's why you see my boat generate at this place.

And where's the generator? The generator is here because this generator provide by Autodesk during the default install. This shortcut gives you the IDCL file.

Actually, I just have the generic supply by Autodesk. It's a read only. So read only for all.

What I will need now, it's create a new library because I need to make a change. I will name AU 2024. So now I have a read and write library ready to be used.

So go back here. You will see a brand new library, 300 kilobyte. It's very small. It's the startup, and it will be increased with the time because I will add some change now.

So click OK. Save, and I have my new generator ready to be used. If I'm going back into my assembly, just to show you what's happened, I will just create a small drawing view here. I will save my assembly would be better for me.

So start a [? drawing. ?] Yeah, just increase the size here. And insert here a parts list. A lot of users [INAUDIBLE] I'm using, for example, my bolt. But what you have a description, it's this. I'll just move-- sorry, I move here and part number I'm moving. You see this description.

So it's bad. I don't like this description. It's not represent my bolt size. It's only a boat. Some people that, hey, I would like just to make a change.

It's an [? impossible ?] because if you are going inside the properties, inside the project description, for example, what I will need is just, OK, I will just using this, and Control-C for this is the size, apply. You are [? like, ?] it's a library. And what some people did is just I will just override inside my part list and-- no, please.

So if you go in place from Command Center and return here, some user will, hey, I would need to make a change and what we use as custom and create a new bolt. You are prompt now for the file name. So it could be just a bolt for today, and the bolt, it generate. And yes, it's not a library. It's your bolt.

Yeah, you could go in iProperties and make a change if you need. I could do again here Control-C and just paste here. Anyway, just to show you that it's possible now. OK, so I have my home bolt now, and you see what's happened now. I have two bolt, but this one, it's custom.

Don't use custom to change the description. You could use custom to add all, add some drilling, machining because you need to cut the bolt. But if you need to have a predefined description, don't waste time here because you could waste time.

For example, if I right click here and use the change size, and for example, again, go inside, just change the length, it would be just changed. But what's happened now? Hey, I lost my description any time, because the Content Center IDCL pushed the description inside this part, even if the part is in custom.

So I will delete this and take care to change the description of this bolt now. What you need to do, inside the Manage tab, you have the editor. The editor gives you the tool to change the bolt.

The problem with this is to try to find the right family. What I suggest is just click your bolt and right click, go in Component, and just the tool is find in Editor. They will find the right family inside the Editor. You are going directly to the right family inside the Content Center.

I will right click, and here you have the three options, Copy To, Save Copy As, With Independent totally for your company, and link with parent family. I like for today just to using Copy To, just to understand the technical behind the Content Center and how it's working. Copy To here, in my personal library, will be enable me to simply override and bypass the Autodesk generic.

Now, you see all your IDCL here. This is mine. You see the bolt. I have a filter. If I remove the filter, it's working again.

But if I'm going back inside the Merge view, this is all the IDCL in same time, I see my bolt here. What I suggest, anytime you create a new family, right click and go inside the Family Properties.

So inside the Family Properties, you have some interesting thing. One here, do you remember the description of all my bolts? It's family description. Its for all the bolt size. I need a specific description for each bolt.

So how would doing this? But two interesting option is the standard organization and also manufacturer. Please feel this. It will help you, for example, AU 2024 for today and in [? year. ?] It's a dropdown list. But if you don't find this, just add your.

This is my family, and it would help me if I just apply the change to create a filter a little bit later. So now the My Family, it's have a new info. And inside the filter, I could add Edit Filter.

So I create one. It will remove. So anyway, it's just add is very simple, AU 2024. And you see here, manufacturer and standard organization. You could filter your library with show me only this, and same here, show me only this one.

If you don't fill the info, the filter will work bad. And now in Merge, you have also only my bolt. So every time you make a change, make a filter with the family properties.

My goal Family Table. If I'm going in the Family Table now, you will see inside the Family Table all bolt size. Just a quick intro, the black, it's entered by Autodesk This is all the info for to fill the bolt size.

The blue is a reference. Sometimes it's also probably just a divider that divide this by this or multiplication. It's more an expression column. And you will see sometimes the red. The red header, it's the key.

When you insert the bolt, you have different question. So question 1, 2, 3. This is the red header.

So for me, for today, I need to add a description because you don't have a specific description, right click, Add Column and add-- the name of the [INAUDIBLE] is not important. So I will just-- oops-- Control-C, it's [? Enter, ?] and paste. You could use the same.

And now we'll use an expression for today. So hex bolt, and you could add comma, space comma, to add the space because you have a choice here to add any column. If you take time to see the column, you could see a lot of info. And one, I like to use it. It's the size designation.

This column gives you all the info for the bolt size. So if I click OK, you will see my new column fill with a new info with the specific description. It's very quick to hex bolt with different size.

But what you need to do, right click, Column Properties. Just go back inside the Column Properties, Map to Inventor Properties. This is the way to push the info inside the project description. You could also using for a personal custom properties.

So that's it. It's done. You could take just a few minutes and you have all description for all your bolts. It take probably the same time to modify just one bolt. So I would close now my Content Center.

So what's happened? I will save my SMB, and I have a bad description here. And it's why I like to using the Copy To in this case because this is the bolt could be used since a two years, and it's always the same generic, and I need to change this. So the iProperties, it's impossible to change here.

But because you create a new info, you have the refresh tool. Refresh, you see out of date description of the bolt. I will refresh now, so the description will be pushed by the IDCL inside your Content Center files. You cannot do this refresh with the custom part because they need to know exactly where is the part.

You are not prompt for the file naming. It's why they find this without problem. And the description inside the iProperties, it's now changed. I'm going back inside the drawing. It's done. It's very quick.

So it's interesting tool, but take care because it's not the Save Copy As. It's not my library. It's in Autodesk.

And what's happened? Sometime people that don't work correctly with the project and also with here, the AU 2024 read and write. If I uncheck this, my library now, it's not check.

What's happened? Or I don't send my IDCL to my partner. They don't have the same IDCL, and they open the same SMB with the same generic bolt. I will save and refresh. I will lost my change.

So take care. It's very important that your project have the correct IDCL prior refresh. Interesting to know. This is a great tool, but take care. So I would go back inside.

The next, you do the change for the description. So also other thing, it's interesting. It's change the 3D template. You change the properties, you add properties, but you need now to make a 3D change, for example.

You see this inside, for example, Steel Shape to add 3D feature, like midplane or notch profile. And why not use iLogic. So I will show you inside Inventor other great interesting thing. It's when you using place from Content Center and using a other type of shape.

For example, angle, it's not the bolt. For example, if I'm using this, the angle is more, yes, it's a standard, but not standard because I have multiple options to change the size. That's why it's custom by default.

You are prompt for the file name. It's more generate a 3D, but you need to add all, you need to notch, or you need to add, for example, chamfer on this. It's possible because this only the Steel Shape it's standard. It's not like a library like this.

But if you need to save time, you could also make change on this because you see here, my angle don't have a midplane, and I need to upgrade this. For today, what I do, it's some small change. Sorry, I will go back inside my Content Center, because if you need to change this, you need to have a copy. You don't have the choice.

So inside the Editor, you need to make a change inside the 3D template. Just right click, Copy To or Save Copy As. I prefer to use Save Copy As [? if ?] at all because it totally independent than Autodesk.

For today, I use the Copy To simply because I need to change the Autodesk. So my original write property is not configured. You see? It's impossible.

And it's normal because my project don't have a read and write library. I just uncheck prior just to reset my properties. But yeah, AU 2024, please give me a chance just to publish inside this. So go back inside the Editor, and I will be able to right click and Copy To.

So why use this? Because I changed the 3D template of the generic, not from a new one. So if you create your Copy To, they will create a unique file name, unique ID, and you need to start with this ID. So my AU 2024 here, this is my shape need to be changed.

I did, for the presentation today, a small change inside their 3D. To modify this 3D, what you need to do is simple key. You see, I add a midplane between this plane and this plane because it's not existing. I had all here.

I also using iLogic. I have a form inside this shape. I could check or uncheck. Hey, I need a bolt this size or other size, both size. I have also offset bolt. This is my standard.

Every time I'm using the Content Center, I need this type of shape. So this is a big upgrade. But if you need to change this, the tips, it's File, Open, from Content Center. You are go inside the Content Center, take the correct family, and take the size, generate one.

It's all this shape using the same 3D template. [INAUDIBLE] Yeah. It's like Open, Open will create the IPT and you are inside the template. You modify here, and you will add the info. So I will just close and using this.

So what we'll do now is going back inside my Content Center, so inside the Content Center Editor. This is my library. Right click on the family, and replace the family template.

So you see here the template is with the generic one. You are linked. You see the link here, it's linked with Autodesk. So because you are linked with Autodesk, you will probably need to replace the template again in the future if you migrate Inventor in 2026, 2027. It's why I suggest to use the Save Copy As and create a brand new family to have a different template totally independent of Autodesk.

In this case, if you decide this, keep your 3D modify in the secure place. It could be interesting to replace again in the future. So I will accept for today. And hey, I need now, so will just go in my [? C ?] AU, because I'm inside my AU project for today.

And this is my change with my all, with my iLogic and my midplane. You just replace the template. If you take the wrong template, you will not be able to change. It will fail.

So now my assembly, if I'm using assemble place from Content Center, what will have now, my angle with different size. Prompt for the file name, and yeah, I have it all inside.

Double click. I'm inside this. I use the iLogic. I have my form, and you will save a lot of time just to change your 3D because you have a new 3D feature inside a standard. Now it's your custom. So great thing to know is changing the 3D template to add some info.

Please add. Don't try to remove. You could corrupt the 3D, so you could add feature with normally without problem.

So now, the next, learn how to create a new family from scratch and publish it into the Content Center. So I need to start from zero. So the best practices to doing this, it's make sure to using not a static part, like a step file, using an iPart.

The goal today is not to explain what is an iPart. Just talk with your Autodesk provider and make a training how to doing an iPart. but yeah, iPart, it's, anyway, all your content center and part are [INAUDIBLE] by iPart in the past by Autodesk. Others don't give you the iPart, just won't give you the publish it.

So in my case, I will start with an iPart, and make sure to keep secure your master part after publish it. It's not possible to recover, so you keep this secure inside the folder or inside the server using a Unique File Naming, UFN. You cannot have two part with the same file name. Make sure to don't have this problem.

And test this. Every time you make a new iPart inside the Content Center, it's like convert to the Content Center, test this prior using with the entire business. And what is interesting, because you know inside the Inventor, you have the frame generator, for example, for a Steel Shape. The bolt connection for the bolt using all the bolt and Steel Shape from the Content Center.

Using tube and pipe is the same. You need to match your iPart with the correct Inventor-specific module. It's like the [INAUDIBLE] inside the Inventor works with the Content Center.

Take care, again, when you publish to fill the standard organization, manufacturer just to have your Steel Shape or your parts inside the Content Center to be able to using the filter. So also set the Content Center filter. Personally, it's impossible actually inside Inventor to export and import to other system, so just take a screenshot sometime if you migrate Inventor to a newer version, just to remember which filter you create.

So how it's working, it's pretty simple. I create an iPart for today. So I have a Steel Shape. I will just [? regain ?] my workspace here.

It's an iPart with the table with different size. And you see the value here, it's just because it's the Steel Shape. It's an iPart with a custom length. So we have a different thickness and also different size inside this iPart.

Now, what I need to do is make sure this iPart could be used by the frame generator, and you have inside the Manage tab prior publish it inside the Content Center here, match with the correct add in inside Inventor. Take care when you create an iPart, [INAUDIBLE] you could, hey, I would like to create a bolt, for example. I will use a component, and you create a bolt not-- you have a specific criteria to be sure to be inside your iPart table, for example.

If you need, for example, have a socket head screw, this is one part. But the parameters mapping, you need this yellow line. You don't have a choice. If you have all of this, this one is optional, but create-- it's just to give you an idea what I need to have inside my iPart.

And the name, it's not important, but you could use the same name. In my case, it's simple. For today, it's a Steel Shape, so I will convert this part to be compatible with the structural shape. You have different category here.

Honestly, you can also create your own category inside the Content Center. So you could go inside the Editor. I could just show you. It's very quick.

I have a structural shape. Right click, Create Category, and you could use it, for example, AU. This is my new category name. It's under the Steel Shape that you were using, the same parameters, the same options.

So it could be like this. So when you are going to Structural Shape, you will see now your category. For me, for today, I will use Other, so Other Shape.

But you have a lot of info out to publish. I don't have time to explain how publish for both for not for its. Please take care and take your training about this. But yeah, it's pretty quick because now inside the parameter mapping, the base length is the only one need to be mapped.

And the name of the parameter, you could use D1, D2. But personally, I prefer to using the one it's already name and it's simple. It's length.

I could publish now I will just click OK for now. And take a look on my browser at the left. There will be converted with a star plane and plane. and why not add my midplane now between this and this? Because I need a midplane, too.

But it's now compatible with the Inventor frame generator, Inventor component. So for example, mid. This is mid. I would just add invisible, for example.

I will save my part and it's ready to publish now. So Manage, Content Center here, and you have here the tool to publish part inside the Content Center. So it just inside the only read and write library I have now in English, you see that it's already set because I have access to publish now. But I just click, No, not now. It's already done.

And you see now the key column, the iPart. Choose your model, the length. You could add the length here as a second question, because I need to specify. Because it's a requirement, it's a minimum requirement, you could only use the key. Anyway, the length would be add for you.

And you are here. It's not an error. It's just make sure to have a unique file naming. And it's possible for now to have a multiple size with the same file name. You need to correct this.

It's not very complex. I will show you why. And you name your family. You could add a family description.

You could also add your-- remember your filter. I would add my AU, AU, Next. Change the thumbnail if you need. I will use the generic here.

It's now done. It's published inside my Content Center. It's very quick.

So inside the Content Center Editor, inside the Order, I have my shape now. OK what you need to do, right click, Family Table, because you have a file name, and the file name need to be different. You see, the length here could be different, 1 inch to 10, and the file name remain the same. This is why I have the problem-- not a problem that advise. Just please, go in Current Properties, and do the same than Autodesk generic because dash, length, it's always the length include inside the file name.

So this is my, honestly, what I suggest to do. It's now you have your personal Steel Shape. If I'm going back inside the assembly, place from Content Center, you will choose your Steel Shape. You could use your iFilter-- your filter, sorry. And you see only your.

And you will be prompt to see the model. And you see the second question. It's automatic. I need 25 inches as custom by default. It's correct.

The file name include now the size, so the length. And yeah, my Steel Shape, it's now done. And if I click, right click, Change Size, you have access to the same option than the generic Autodesk. It's very quick and easy to change.

And if you are using, for example, the Frame Generator, you have here a skeleton model. You could use without problem inside the design, insert frame. And you see my filter now because I use AU, and I have my new Steel Shape, my new size. And I click here, and you see now your steel shape with your size inside also the add in, inside Inventor. So very nice to publish a shape from scratch.

So now to continue and conclude today, it's discover how to manage and refresh all outdated existing Content Center Library. So the management of the Content Center, if you remember, you have two option with Vault and also an IDCL. And make sure to back up in IDCL. If you're using Vault, you can transfer from Vault into IDCL, too.

It's very simple for people that always start with IDCL because it's a Windows-based no Vault that you will change and create your family and transfer this inside the Vault after it's very quick. And how to refresh? You have some options inside Inventor. So please refresh all out-of-date standard part during [? placement ?] This is a one options.

Uncheck this. You will understand why. It's correct, but it's not the best way.

When you create a change and you need to refresh, please refresh now. Don't wait. You need the new info now for the entire team.

Don't refresh every time you place the part in the future. No, it's waste time for nothing. I will explain how to doing this.

So go back inside Inventor. And just to have a quick for backup in IDCL, when you are inside your project, here you have a Content Center desktop. If you need to be connected with the Vault, to transfer with the Vault, you need first to install Vault. Also, if you are not a Vault user, you could install Vault Basic only to manage the Content Center. It's possible.

Inside the tool application options, Content Center give you to access with desktop or Autodesk Vault. It's why it's very quick to transfer to the Vault or extract to the Vault. If you need to backup in IDCL your file, what you need to do inside the project, click, and only this one is in read and write.

The other is generic. They don't take care about backup. It's a generic. So you have a transfer tool here. So the transfer guide, it's here, and you go to use from Autodesk Vault to IDCL, Inventory Desktop.

Interesting if using Vault, because if you make a change inside the family and, hey, I don't like-- I'm not sure. I could corrupt my family. I could make a bad change. I would backup first. You could make a change and, yeah, the Vault is backup, but sometime it's fun to have other backup.

And in other way, if you work with IDCL and now you need to share across the team, you could push inside the Vault and now using Vault for all the company. It's just faster than copy the IDCL on the drive-- sorry, on the network drive.

So this is for the backup now for the refresh. If you are doing inside your Content Center, so would go back in my Editor. And hey, that bolt I did today, I need to change. And I have a missing info. For example, inside the Family Table, I would like to add a new iProperties, for example.

I have a specific code. I will add the column. I will just add code. And just to be quick today, expression could be just code. This is the same code for all the bolt, just to save time and map to custom properties, name code.

It's a brand new iProperties, brand new info inside this. You could use this for add your PIN number and every bolt have a specific number. I make a change inside the content center.

But what's happened now with my bolt? It's already generate. If you go inside the place from Content Center, I will use [INAUDIBLE] instead because your bolt is generated here. And you see the bolt is here.

If you need to make this change, it's I need to-- for example, you could have, I don't know, 20, 100 bolts already generated, and need to refresh all the bolt. The only way to refresh is using an [? IM ?] file. You just start a new [? IM. ?] And you need to just to push all the part the part here.

[? Tips ?] just to show you where are the bolt now, if you're going inside Family Properties, you will see the folder name inside the Content Center. This family needs to be updated now, so don't take care personally. If you go into Application Options inside the Content Center, refresh every time you place a part. No, refresh now.

I will just uncheck. Go in place from Content-- not from Content Content. Place the Content Center generated part. Normally, you don't use this. So I would use all the [INAUDIBLE] in time. Just place in bunch of part inside the assembly and using simply a save.

If you're using Vault, just get check out, place this inside a dummy assembly, like this. And now my assembly is using [? the ?] refresh to. It's out of date. Refresh.

So again, if you're using Vault, you do this. Check that back in, and just get the file to your local copy. If you are using IDCL like this, it's already done.

And just to show you a iProperties custom, they have all the new properties. So very quick, and refresh please, as soon as possible, your library.

So in conclusion for today, what you learn. It's learn how to customize, create a new and read and write library. Customize the generic Content Center. Remember, the refresh, if you don't have the-- if you don't check your, you could have the reset to the original.

And how to change the 3D template. Learn how to create a new family from 0. So a Steel Shape today, it's very quick. You need to match with the correct module and publish and using the filter. Just remember to add your family properties.

And how to manage and refresh files. So yeah, please take care to backup IDCL using Vault transfer in IDCL. Also, if you plan to upgrade Vault to a newer version, you could only take the IDCL from the Vault with the same version. Inventor 2024, Vault 2024.

Don't wait. If you migrate in 2025, you are not able to extract IDCL in 2024. So important also, prior migration, and don't wait to refresh the content center.

So thank you for today. It was a pleasure to give you this small session with the Content Center.