Every i-model publishing job, regardless of what type of i-model you are creating, first creates an intermediate file (formerly referred to as a published i-model) for each CAD document in your input set. They are called intermediate files because the i-model publishing engine must first create that file before it can create a package file or an i-model file. If you create package files, you can choose whether or not to keep the intermediate files. If you create i-model files, you can choose whether or not to keep the intermediate and/or package files. Any i-models you tell the job to keep will be stored in ProjectWise at the specified location.

When defining the input set of a job that will create package files or i-model files, you only need to add the master document to the input set. All of the references will be published and included in the package file or i-model file, even if the references are in a different folder than the master document. When adding folders to the input set, a package file or i-model file will be created for each document at the root of the selected folder, whether or not it is a master document.

To better understand the workflow, imagine a job that publishes an i-model file from a master file (HOUSE.DGN) that has a few references (FLOOR1.DGN, FLOOR2.DGN, FLOOR3.DGN):

1. First, the job creates a separate intermediate file for the master file and each of its references:
   • HOUSE.DGN.I.DGN
   • FLOOR1.DGN.I.DGN
   • FLOOR2.DGN.I.DGN
   • FLOOR3.DGN.I.DGN
2. Next, the job creates a package file, which combines the intermediate files into one file.
   • HOUSE.I.DGN
3. Finally, the job creates an i-model file, which contains the package file, plus any embedded documents.
   • HOUSE.IMODEL

When creating i-model files, you can select to embed supporting documents such as PDF or Word documents. If the source file you are publishing contains links to non-CAD documents, those linked documents will be embedded in the i-model file. Prior to publishing, links must be created in the managed environment. (Links created outside of the managed environment will not be embedded. Also, links to CAD documents will not be embedded.)

There are several Bentley applications you can use as the i-model publishing engine. See the readme for the list of applications tested as of this writing. MicroStation and Bentley i-model Composer can publish i-models from any DGN or DWG document, but if you are publishing documents that contain application-specific information, you should use the related native application as the i-model publishing engine. For example, if you want to process OpenBuildings Designer documents, you should use OpenBuildings Designer as the i-model publishing engine.

Also, you can either use one i-model publishing engine for all documents in the input set, or you can use ProjectWise program associations and let each document in the input set be published using its associated application. When using one engine for all documents, you should keep application-specific documents in separate jobs. For example, one job for OpenBuildings Designer documents, another job for Bentley OpenPlant Modeler documents. However, when using program associations, it is OK to have documents from different applications in the same input set, because they will be processed with the appropriate application (assuming it is installed).