Custom Objects Definition Administration

Custom Object Definition

• The Custom Object definition is the type of entity that is being created. For example, an administrator can create a custom object definition called Contacts or Tasks.

  Custom Object Definitions are created, edited, and deleted on the Configure Custom Objects Dialog. You can access the Configure Custom Objects Dialog through the Custom Objects Tab on the Vault Settings dialog. You must be an administrator to create and modify custom object definitions.

Custom Object Instance

• When the user creates a new custom object based on a definition, this is considered an instance. For example, an administrator creates a custom object definition called Contact. A user could then create an instance of that custom object called Bob Smith.
• Users can attach files, folders, and other Vault entities to a custom object with a link.

  For example, if a custom object definition has been created called Tasks and a user has created a task called Review John's Design, the task (Review John's Design) can be linked to John's design in the vault.

• Custom Object instances can be checked in, checked out, undergo a change state, and managed with many common Vault commands. Similarly, linked objects are also affected, depending on the user's settings for the Vault function.

  For example, if a user wants to check out a custom object and the custom object has links to files, folders, items, or change orders; the files associated with that linked data are gathered and checked out as well.

In the Vault Settings dialog of the Vault client, the administrator can create, edit, and delete custom object definitions from the Custom Objects tab.

Access

1. Click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab.
   

3. Choose the Configure button to open the Configure Custom Objects dialog.
   

Follow these steps to create a new custom object definition.

1. In the Autodesk Vault Client, click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab and click Configure.
3. On the Configure Custom Objects dialog, click New.
4. Enter a new Display name for a Custom Object. This name is used in the Vault User Interface when the new Custom Object is displayed.

5. By default new custom objects use role-based security. This can be customized by configuring different permissions for individual users and groups. For more information, see Custom Object Security.
6. New Custom Objects can use any icon file (*.ico). Defining four different sizes of the icon will provide the best looking icons throughout the Vault interface (16x16 , 32x32, 64x64, or 128x128). If only one size is defined, it is stretched or compressed to fit each size. If no icon is available, the Use default Custom Object icon should be selected.

Preview a Custom Object Definition

• Hover the cursor over preview field to preview how the icons appear in the Vault interface. If the images do not show up as clearly as desired, reconfigure the .ico file for a more appropriate image size.

Once a custom object definition is created, the administrator can navigate back to the Configure Custom Objects dialog and modify the existing settings.

Edit Name

1. In the Autodesk Vault Client, click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab and click Configure.
3. Select a custom object definition and click Edit.
4. Modify the value in the Display Name and Plural Display Name fields.
5. Click OK.

Note The changes made to the custom object name are seen after logging out and logging back into the Vault client.

Edit Security

1. In the Autodesk Vault Client, click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab and click Configure.
3. Select a custom object definition and click Edit.
4. Click Security. .
5. Make edits to the existing access control entry list.
6. Select OK.

Edits to the security are made immediately to all instances of the custom object definition.

Edit Icon

The icon associated with a custom object definition can be changed after the definition is created.

1. In the Autodesk Vault Client, click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab and click Configure.
3. Select a custom object definition and click Edit.
4. Change the icon by either choosing to use the default icon or browsing to a new .ico file.
5. Click OK.

Note​ The changes made to the custom object icon are seen after logging out and logging back into the Vault client.

A user can delete an existing Custom Object at any time using the Configure Custom Objects dialog. As long as the custom object is not in use, the definition can be deleted from the Vault.

1. In the Autodesk Vault Client, click Tools Administration Vault Settings.
2. In the Vault Settings dialog box, select the Custom Objects tab and click Configure.
3. On the Configure Custom Objects dialog, select the Custom Object to delete.
4. Click delete.
5. Perform one of these tasks:
   If no instances of the custom object were created in the Vault:

   • Choose Yes on the Confirm Deletion dialog.
   If there are instances of the custom object in the Vault:

   1. Click OK on the dialog that says the definition is in use.
   2. Search the Vault for the custom object instances.
   3. Delete the instances.
   4. Navigate back to the custom object configuration dialog and select the definition.
   5. Click Delete.
   6. Click Yes on the Confirm Deletion dialog.

The custom object definition is deleted. A new definition can be created using the same name if desired.

Custom objects can be assigned categories, lifecycle states, and properties.

Categories

Categories can be assigned to custom objects in two ways: when the custom object is created and when the user performs a change category event on the custom object. By assigning custom object instances to a category, properties and lifecycle definitions associated with the category are automatically applied to the instance.

See Work with User-Defined Properties for more information.

Lifecycles

Just like files and folders, when a custom object is assigned a category, it automatically inherits the associated lifecycle definition. Lifecycles can be configured to automate certain behaviors based on the custom object's status in the lifecycle. Lifecycle settings are configured by the administrator.

See Lifecycles Administration for more information.

Properties

Categories can also be used to assign user-defined properties to Custom Objects. There are also out-of-the-box properties specific to custom objects, such as Custom Object Name and Custom Object System Name.

See Work with User-Defined Properties for more information.