Here is my quick explanation:
From the publisher side:
- The publisher downloads the top level assembly only and opens what is similar to the "assembly only" rep and publishes the location in 3d space and the names of the first level components.
- .prt files sent to publisher will contain the ".ol" images along with some assemblies that don't publish as positioning assembly. (Hint: advanced method called extended positioning assembly documentation created from PTC on request as this enables publishing of assemblies with cuts, harnesses and flexed components.)
- We publish on every check-in.
Opening Assembly in Creo View:
- Recommend having loading set at "autoload single" for very large assemblies.
- The first level objects in the tree structure and every level of assembly published as postitioning assembly will be interogated upon loading into the creo view session. We have configuration set to latest, so it will grab the latest iteration of the assembly or .prt in WC.
- With this set-up you can have simplifed reps(viewables) published and/or create simplifed reps in Creo View(annoations) and the latest version of the lower level components will always open in Creo View on future loads. Interference detection, videos...they all have been confirmed to work with this setup.
- Enabling the cache will save the ".ol" files to your hard drive to enable faster load of the graphics information. Positioning assembly loading in creo view will always go to WC to interrogate the version.
Also, for those that attended PTC live global, there were four presenations on this subject from PACCAR, John Deere and AGCO along with PTC's advanced visualization presentation.
More details of it are in the PTC guide below:
http://www.ptc.com/WCMS/files/138204/en/WindchillVisualizationServicesGuide_10-1_M040.pdf