Generating a Publication Structure

You can generate a publication structure from an information structure to take advantage of populated content and filtering. The information structure content is transformed into publication structure content. You can filter the view of the information structure to generate a similar publication structure. When you generate a publication structure, information groups are transformed into publication sections.

You can filter the information structure to determine the subset you want replicated and transformed into the publication structure. If you wish to filter the content for the publication structure, then set it before you generate it. When filtering is applied, publication sections are created for visible information groups with content. However, the information structure filter is not carried over to the publication structure. Be sure the information structure and all of its components are checked in.

1. Choose Generate Publication Structure from the shortcut menu of the information structure. The Create New Publication Structure window opens.

2. Set the desired attributes and click Finish. If the operation is short, you see a message that the generated publication structure was created successfully. In the message banner, you can click the link to take you to the Structure tab for the new publication structure.

3. If the publication structure being created takes a bit longer, you can check the status in the table of publication structures on the product Details tab. For more information, refer to The Service Structures Tables.

When generating a publication structure from an information structure, you have the option of adding a Generation Status column to the publication structure table using the Customize tool. An In Progress

icon will be visible in the Generation Status column while the publication structure is being generated, revised or regenerated.

You can also check the status in the WindchillEvent Management table, available from the Quick Links menu.

When the operation is finished, you also see the message that the generated publication structure was created successfully. In the message banner, you can click the link to take you to the Structure tab for the new publication structure.

You must be aware of the following:

• Relationships between groups or elements are not maintained between the information structure and the newly created publication structure. Updates to one are not reflected in the other.

• If you happen to use a name for the publication structure that already exists, the new publication structure has the same name but a unique Number.

• In a publication structure, textual information elements, documents, graphic information elements and parts list information elements are valid objects.

The information structure content holders are added to the publication structure by an addition link to the same content holder. The Where Used table for the content holder shows both locations as Where Used parent nodes.

• Generating a publication structure automatically generates line numbers for each of the publication structure elements generated.

• If an information structure has a nested information structure, it is processed into nested publication sections.

• Empty information groups are ignored when generating the publication structure. You can insert empty information groups into the publication structure manually afterward.

• Applicability defined in the Filter applied to the information structure is also set for the generated publication structure and its objects. For more information, see Manage Applicability.

When a publication structure is generated from an information structure, it maintains a link to the source information structure. You can update a publication structure using the Regenerate shortcut menu action if this action is configured. These actions allow you to update service effectivity and then regenerate the publication structure.

For more information, see Regenerating a Service Structure and Preferences for Regenerating a Service Structure. For information on the variety of ways to create a publication structure, refer to Creating a Service Structure.

You can create publication sections from information groups. From the publication structure Structure tab, activate the information structure pane from the tab to the right to view its components. You can highlight any information group and then choose a valid location to insert it using the Insert into Publication Structure toolbar choices. See Information Structure Tab of the Publication Structure for information.