What is an Item Library?

An Item Library is an operating-system directory that you specify to use to store the associated item files, including the required level of protection. You can assign a default item library for all the items in a product and define an item library that overrides the default for a specific item type. The latter is recommended for an item type where you anticipate that there will be a substantial number of items of that type created.

Item libraries can be stored on remote servers accessed using UNC path names, or via mapped drives. These could be a Windows Network Access Storage (NAS) a fibre connected storage area network (SAN) or a network share on a PC.

NOTE It is strongly recommended on UNIX platforms that the Item Libraries are owned by the Admin account and not by root.

When you define item libraries, Dimensions CM creates any directories and subdirectories which do not already exist.

Generally, items that are machine-readable entities, such as software or documentation, are stored directly in the item libraries under the control of Dimensions CM. When an item is not a machine-readable entity—for example, hardware that has design parts represented by part numbers—then a documentary control record must be created and maintained. This is a placeholder item file that represents and documents the existence of the physical item.

Defining an item library involves specifying:

- The Host machine, see About the Host Node.

- The Directory path, see About the Directory Path.

- Protection, see About Protection.

- Whether to use Delta Storage, see About Delta Storage.

Related Topics

About Item Libraries