Vault helps you manage and organize your design files. It is important that you understand how Vault works before mastering the essential skills.
Once you are comfortable with how Vault works, familiarize yourself with the key terms used throughout the help and how file relationships work. Then proceed with the topics in this Essential Vault Skills section.
Key TermsThese terms are used throughout the Vault help. Familiarize yourself with each of them for a better understanding of Vault and its components.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Clients | Applications that access theVault server. These include stand alone applications, such as Autodesk Vault Explorer, and integrated application add-ins, such as Autodesk Vault for Inventor or Autodesk Vault for Microsoft Office. |
| Data management | A means to organize and track files and design modifications through the design process. |
| Vault server | The server used in conjunction with the Autodesk Vault client and Content Center for storing files and version data. |
| Job Server | Utility which allows users to automatically create and check-in visualization files from their local workstations. |
| Replicated site | The process of copying data from one server to another server usually located in two different physical locations. This process allows the setup of a Vault environment which has two different locations and users will not have to spend time downloading large CAD files across their Wide Area Network (WAN) connection. |
| Autodesk Data Management Server Console | An application that performs vault system administrative tasks, such as data back up and restore. |
| Vault | The logical combination of a vault database and a vault file store that contains all the information managed by Autodesk Vault. Each installation of Autodesk Vault can maintain several independent vaults. A single client can connect to several different vaults, but not simultaneously. |
| Vault Explorer | The standalone client for Autodesk Vault used to organize information in the vault. This interface can be used to manage any Microsoft Windows file in Autodesk Vault. |
| Workgroup | A group of machines in different locations where file stores are replicated from one site to another site. This configuration is managed by the Microsoft SQL database. |
Understand File RelationshipsAutodesk Vault allows you to use file relationships to affect more than one file with a single command. There are two types of file relationships:
Child A child file depends on another file for property or behavior information.
Parent A parent file is a file on which other files depend for property or behavior information.
Use file relationships with commands such as check in, check out, and get latest version to affect one or multiple files at once. You can also modify files and ensure that those changes are inherited based on the file relationship. For example, you can:
You can view different file relationships using view filter buttons. Toggle settings using instant-access buttons.
The Folder View filter shows files in hierarchal position within the vault.
The List View filter shows all files in a flat list without relationships.
The Design View filter shows a subset of files in a design hierarchy.
View Files in a VaultYou can preview files or any version of a file listed in Autodesk Vault before getting the files from the vault.
By default, the double-click action is to open the file. The default action can be changed to view the file when double-clicked.
View File StatisticsThe Vault stand-alone client allows you to examine file details and statistics to better manage your data.
Review Version HistoryIn Autodesk Vault Basic, you can review the version history of a file on the Version tab of the Preview pane. Each version listed displays:
This feature is available in certain editions of Autodesk Vault. Refer to the table below to see if your edition has this feature.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Vault Basic | X | X | X |
| Autodesk Vault Workgroup | |||
| Autodesk Vault Collaboration | |||
| Autodesk Vault Professional |
Where is a File Used?You can see which other files have reference a particular file on the Where is a File Used tab of the Preview pane. The following information is displayed:
A version slider allows you to see where the file has been used throughout its history. You can also see the versions of the parent files as well.
Which Files Does the Current File Use?You can view which files the current file references on the Uses tab of the Preview pane. The following information is displayed:
You can also use the version slider to see which files have been used through the history of the selected file.
View Which Files the Current File Uses
Which Change Orders Does a File Use?In Vault Professional, you can view the change orders that are associated with a selected file on the Change Order tab in the Main view. You can also view the change orders that have been associated historically with the selected file.
The change orders listed are displayed with this information:
You can customize which fields are displayed on the Customize Fields dialog.
This feature is available in certain editions of Autodesk Vault. Refer to the table below to see if your edition has this feature.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Vault Basic | |||
| Autodesk Vault Workgroup | |||
| Autodesk Vault Collaboration | |||
| Autodesk Vault Professional | X | X | X |
Preview a FileYou can preview a file before you open it for editing by choosing a file and selecting the Preview tab in the Preview pane.
If the selected file has a supported application installed on the system, the document is displayed in the preview.
A warning message is displayed if:
Understand Working FoldersThe files stored in a vault cannot be directly edited. When files are checked out or when you get versions of files from a vault, the files are copied from the vault to a local folder called the working folder. The working folder is the local directory where the files on which you can work on are stored. A working folder location is defined by default, allowing you to begin working with a vault right away. The default working folder is:
If you are using Civil 3D, the default working folder is:
Files checked out to the working directory must always be checked back into the vault from the same working directory. It is important not to move files from the local working directory once they are checked out.
Refer to Manage the Working Folder for more information.