Skip to content
CAD UNIVERSITY
Introduction to Model Based Definition with Creo Parametric 7.0
GitHub

Analyzing the Publishing Process

The publishing process enables a user to capture the MBD model geometry, annotations, and parameters in a small transportable managed file.

  • Specifically, publishing will: Convert combination states: View orientations

  • Simplified representations

  • Cross-sections

  • Layer states

  • Appearance states

  • Publishing uses an object adapter. Recipe file determines publishing options.

  • Different file types generated.

  • Publishing methods: File > Save As > Save a Copy

  • Creo View tab (Pro/TOOLKIT app)

  • WVS — Activated when a user checks in a model to PDMLink

Figure

Figure 1 - Comparing Creo Parametric Combination State to Published Combination State

Figure

Figure 2 - Publishing from Object Adapter

Figure

Figure 3 - Viewing a Recipe File

Analyzing the Publishing Process

Figure

Figure 1 - Comparing Creo Parametric Combination State to Published Combination State

The publishing process enables a user to capture the following information from the Creo Parametric model and include it in the published model:

  • Model 3-D geometry — The model geometry is published into the Creo View file as a b-rep, or boundary representation. This geometry is more accurate than tessellated geometry.

  • Annotations — Dimensions, symbols, and notes created in the MBD model are published into the Creo View file.

  • Parameters — All metadata from the Creo Parametric model is published into the Creo View file.

  • Combination States — Views of the model and specific features with the appropriate annotations. This includes the items defined in the All tab for the combination view: View orientations, including the zoom factor of the geometry.

  • Simplified representations.

  • Cross-sections for interior views.

  • Layer states to hide and display specific datum features.

  • Appearance states to control the model color and display.

The Object Adapter and Recipe File

Figure

Figure 3 - Viewing a Recipe File

The publishing process is controlled by the object adapter. The object adapter is initiated either by a publish command at the desktop level within Creo Parametric (a Pro/TOOLKIT application), or from the Windchill Visualization Services (WVS) within Windchill PDMLink.

The object adapter is a piece of middleware that opens the model in Creo Parametric (if not already open in Creo Parametric) and reads the settings defined in the recipe file. The object adapter then writes out numerous files which are typically combined into a single file that can be read by the Creo View application.

The recipe file controls which of the following to publish:

  • Datum entitles, including datum planes, datum points, datum axes, datum coordinate systems, and curves.

  • Model annotation information, including 3-D notes, surface finishes, symbols, geometric tolerances and various reference, driven, and driving dimensions related to the model.

  • Model view states, including explode states, simplified representations, cross-sections, and appearance states.

  • Output options to zip the entire group of files and rename to the *.pvz extension.

  • Tessellation of surfaces.

  • Creo View launch conditions, such as copyright display.

Publishing Methods

Figure

Figure 2 - Publishing from Object Adapter

You can publish Creo View viewables using any of the following methods:

  • Directly from Creo Parametric — You can publish MBD models directly from Creo Parametric by clicking File > Save As > Save a Copy . Select one of four different Creo View file types to export from the Type drop-down list. The system uses the following recipe file for publishing PVS and PVZ files: /Creo 5.0//Common Files/text/prodview/export_pvs.rcp. The default recipe files in the Creo Parametric loadpoint are not configured to publish the MBD combination states or the corresponding screen text notes and dimensions.

  • From the Creo Parametric object adapter — Your system administrator can install and set up the object adapter such that a Creo View ribbon tab becomes available in the UI. Within that tab you can specify the output location for the published data, as well as the recipe file you wish to use. The object adapters can be downloaded from the PTC Web site.

  • From PDMLink — If your company stores its data in a PTC Windchill solution such as Windchill PDMLink, your system administrator can set up Windchill Visualization Services (which includes the publishing object adapter) such that the model is published automatically each time it is checked in. The recipe file used by WVS is set by the administrator. Publishing of models enables non-CAD users to view geometry and models. It is important that the WVS CAD worker Creo Parametric session calls a config.pro file with settings similar to those used on a client machine to ensure desired publishing.

Analyzing the Publishing Process

Close Window

Figure

Erase Not Displayed

Figure

Figure

MBD\TDP_Publish

Figure

BAR_LIGHT_CLAMP_F.PRT

Steps

  • Task 1. Publish a Creo View model directly from Creo Parametric. Disable all Datum Display types. Figure

  • In Windows Explorer, browse to: /Creo 5.0//Common Files/text/prodview

  • Open a second Windows Explorer and browse to: /Creo 5.0//Common Files/apps/prodview/bin

  • Click and drag EXPORT_PVS.RCP to RCPEDIT.EXE . The recipe editor will open and you can now configure EXPORT_PVS.RCP .

  • In the Output Options section: Select Creo 4.0 from the Creo View drop-down list.

  • Enable the Output Author States check box.

  • In the Required Entities section, enable the following check boxes: Floating Annotations

  • Screen Annotations

Figure

  • At the top of the recipe editor, select the Advanced tab. Select the Miscellaneous tab.

  • In the Use Creo Parametric Tessellator row, enable the Planar Annotation check box. Figure

  • Click Save > Exit .

  • In Creo Parametric, click File > Save As > Save a Copy .

  • In the Save a Copy dialog box, select Creo View (*.pvs) from the Type drop-down list. Figure

  • Notice the New Name to be created for the published file.

  • Click OK in the Save a Copy dialog box.

  • In the status bar, notice that the message log states that the Creo View files have been created. Figure

  • Open Windows Explorer and browse to the working directory location. Figure The system generated a log file and Creo View OL and PVS files. The system also created multiple PVA files. Each PVA file is a different combination state.

  • In Creo Parametric, click File > Save As > Save a Copy .

  • In the Save a Copy dialog box, select Creo View (*.pvz) from the Type drop-down list. Figure

  • Notice the New Name to be created for the published file.

  • Click OK in the Save a Copy dialog box.

  • In the status bar, again, notice that the message log states that the Creo View files have been created.

  • Open Windows Explorer and browse to the working directory location. The system generated a log file and one Creo View file, a PVZ file. The PVZ file contains the PVS, OL, and PVA files.