Style Libraries

Autodesk Inventor LT installs with a default style library designed to leverage of all new capabilities of styles.

You can create your own style libraries in two different ways: Copy an existing style library or create an empty style library. The target directory for the new library cannot include other style library.

After you create a style library, use Style Library Manager or Style and Standard Editor to add or remove particular styles.

Use Style Library Manager to rename styles inside of a library. Renaming a style in the library does not rename the same style in any other library or document. Once a style is renamed, all document copies of the style loose their name match and are considered locally cached style.

The only way to delete a style from a library is through the Style Library Manager.

Styles are copied between libraries using the Style Library Manager. To copy a style from one library to another, load the source library into Style Library Manager and click the Copy Selected Styles command between the Style Library 1 and Style Library 2 panes. See the Style Library Manager Help for more details.

A style library is a group of named XML files in a directory. There is one XML file per style type (for example: color.xml, text.xml). Since the names of the XML files must be the same for each style library, only one library can exist in a directory.

To be considered a valid style library, all predefined XML files must be present in the directory.

The best way to share a subset of styles from a library (for example, a single standard or all materials form a specific library) is to use the Import/Export styles function in the Style and Standard Editor, or create an empty style library and copy the desired styles using the Style Library Manager.

Incomplete Style Libraries

Though a style library is made up of several separate XML files, Autodesk Inventor LT and the Style Library Manager treat the library as a single entity. If some of the predefined XML files required for a style library are missing from a directory, Autodesk Inventor LT displays an error message indicating files are missing and cannot be loaded.

Restoring the Autodesk Inventor LT Default Style Library

A utility for restoring the default Design Data directory files is located on the Autodesk Inventor LT Install CD in the Support directory. This utility replaces the original default style library that ships with Autodesk Inventor LT, as well as the Thread.xls and Clearance.xls spreadsheets.

In a multi-user environment, CAD administrators may want to prevent users from changing a style library.

• Use a Microsoft Windows file property setting. In Microsoft Windows Explorer, select all the XML files that make up the library or the library directory folder itself, right-click, select Properties, and set to Read Only.

If a single XML file is read-only, the entire library is treated as read-only.

The Autodesk Inventor LT Pack and Go utility optionally includes a style library. It is included in the Design Data subdirectory.

You can develop style libraries that are specific to a given design document. This procedure copies styles you have already defined in one style library to another style library.

1. Click Start menu Programs Autodesk Autodesk Inventor LT Tools Style Library Manager.
2. In Styles Library 1, click the down arrow to select or click Browse to locate the style library whose styles you want to copy.
3. In the Choose Style Type column, click a style type to list all defined styles in Style Library 1.
4. In Style Library 2, click the down arrow to select or click Browse to locate a style library.

   If appropriate, click Create New Style Library:

   • In Creation Method, select Copy Existing Style Library or Create Empty Style Library.
   • Browse to the folder where the library is located.
   • If copying a style library, click the arrow or browse to select the Source Library for Copy. The existing styles are listed in the Style Library 2 window.
5. Click one or more styles, and then click to add them to Style Library 2.
6. Continue to click style types to add to Style Library 1, and then select and add them to Style Library 2.
7. Styles in one library might not match the styles in another library. Compare the styles in both libraries.

   	Click Show All Styles to list all styles in both style libraries.
   	Click Show Mismatched Styles to show styles whose definitions are different in the two libraries. Mismatched styles are shown in red.
   	Click Show Unique Styles to show styles that exist in one library but not the other. Unique styles are shown in blue.

8. Click the right and left arrows to add or remove styles as desired.

   If mismatched substyles are detected, the Manage Styles dialog box opens. Indicate to overwrite the version of the substyle in the destination library or retain the current version.

9. Click Close to save the libraries.

A style name can change in the style library, but all documents that reference the old name lose their association to that style.

1. Click Start menu Programs Autodesk Autodesk Inventor LT Tools Style Library Manager.
2. Click the arrow or browse to the library whose style you want to rename.
3. In the Style Library 1 or 2 window, right-click a style name and select Rename.

   A warning asks you to confirm that documents links to the style will be broken. Click Yes to continue or No to cancel renaming. If Yes, enter the new style name.

4. Continue renaming as needed, and then click Close to save the changes.

A style can be deleted from a style library, but all documents that reference the old name lose their association to that style.

1. Click Start menu Programs Autodesk Autodesk Inventor LT Tools Style Library Manager.
2. In the Style Library 1 or 2 window, click the arrow or browse to the library whose styles you want to delete.
3. Select a style type in the Choose Style Type list. Then right-click a style name in the Style Library 1 or 2 window and select Delete.

   A warning asks you to confirm that the style will be permanently deleted from the style library. Click Yes to delete the style or No to cancel delete.

   NoteYou cannot use Undo to reverse a deletion.
4. Continue deleting as needed. When finished, click Exit to close the Style Library Manager dialog box.

TipUse Manage tab Styles and Standards panel Purge to remove unused styles from the current document, and optionally, all referenced documents.