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Spacebarto toggle pathBasically if doing a right then left it will instead to a left then right
{X?}
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Wires form what are called “Nets.” This term comes up quite a bit in Altium and effectively just means any set of things that are supposed to be connected directly with copper. |
When dragging components with connected wires, the wires will attempt to stay connected. How they behave is partially dependent on selection method. It is best to learn by playing with it, but basically inclusive selection will treat wires as stiff objects, whereas exclusive selection will only keep the selected segments rigid and the rest adaptive. {this could perhaps go into an expand as it’s somewhat unneeded and confusing}
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{further directions for using the tools needed in hierarchy}
Improving Readability
{Intro to why it’s important to improve readability (we’re many engineers who all have different paths of thought. Also projects may be finished and then revised 1-2 years later)}
{link to Altium standards and mention why it’s good}
Net Labels
{explain netlabels and how to add. Maybe direct to the Altium Standards and add something there?}
Notes
{explain notes and how to add. Do we want to add a color scheme? Tesla does a color for layout, color for purchasing/BOM, color for schematic, color for firmware, etc (if so we’d also add to Altium standards)}
Hierarchical Pages
{intro about how it works}
Setting up for Hierarchy
{show where to set strict hierarchy}As with all design work, schematics are used express solutions to open ended problems. With no restrictions on how solutions are approached, it is very important to document your work in a way that everyone can understand! With our team size and various experience levels there is a very wide audience that must be able to comprehend your work.
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Even the best engineers will forget how they did something when they come back to it months or years later, so documentation isn’t just for others! |
Altium has many features targeted to improve readability of schematics as well as add further information that isn’t conveyed by electrical circuits alone. The below sections will outline a few important tools for enhancing schematics.
Additionally, check out the Vault Guidelines when working on schematics. We have a handful of club-wide recommendations and requirements to setup some baseline consistency across the team.
Net Labels
Net labels serve two functions: connecting and naming. Given any existing wire in a schematic, a net label can be placed to provide a more descriptive name.
{image of a net label on a continuous wire}
These names can be very helpful for correlating schematics to the layout, as the net names will transfer into the PCB layout. It’s recommended to keep the name short but informative.
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By default, Altium will name nets based on the component designators and pad numbers the net connects to. For example, NetC5_2, NetU14_6, etc. |
Net labels additionally can be used to actually define nets and make new connections. Duplicate net labels can be placed and Altium will consider all wires labeled the same a single net.
{image of net labels connecting things}
Net labels are frequently used for both purposes. Connections without wires are often helpful for complex schematics as well as any connections that have to otherwise traverse large portions of your page.
Check out some of NERs more complex schematics to see how we historically use net labels (anything with a microcontroller pretty much)
The Vault Guidelines highlight a few suggestions regarding how to use net labels in NER projects. {need to actually add a section and then update this link to that section}
How to Add Net Labels
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There are a few different places to access the net label tool. {explain and images of accessing from schematic toolbar} {explain and images of accessing from right click menu} {explain and images of accessing from main toolbar} |
Notes
As the name implies, notes are for adding notes to your schematic. These can cover anything from clarifying how a circuit works, including calculations proving functionality, or notation on how to place the components once in layout.
{directions to add notes and screenshots}
Check out the Vault Guidelines for more about how we do notes including color coding, numerical annotations, and more. {need to actual update guidelines and update link to that header}
Hierarchical Pages
Altium allows for hierarchical designs, which primarily impact schematic design, but can also be used to improve speed of layouts for large or repetitive boards.
In summary, hierarchical design is when schematic pages are embedded inside other schematic pages. This creates a tree structure that enables benefits such as reusing pages for repetitive circuits and creating organized sections of your circuitry.
{image of stacked hierarchy in shepherd}
The above screenshot shows how hierarchical design was used in Shepherd BMS 17D and the below is a example from Altium of how higher sheets connect to the lower ones via “ports.”
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Setting up for Hierarchy
Altium has 5 options for “Net Identifier Scope,” which essentially defines how your hierarchy will be created. This setting is found in the project options which is found by right clicking in your schematic and selecting “Project Options,” or by opening via the task bar ({X > X > X})
{screenshots of two methods}
These options are:
Automatic
Flat
Hierarchical
Strict Hierarchical
Global
We typically use Strict Hierarchy, which ensures that all connections between sheets must be explicitly defined with ports. You can read more about the other options here: https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/accessing-defining-managing-project-options#options
{show how to add sheet symbols and ports}
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