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Open the panel via the panels button
If you see this just hit the blue “Use Existing Components”
Select component type via the dropdown menu at the top of the panel
Filter results (opened via the button in the top left of the panel)
Just Click + Drag the component in or Right-click and select “Place”
Adjust component position as needed (click and drag)!
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Wires are quite intuitive to work with. A wire is started by hitting Ctrl + W (or hitting the button in the toolbar) and then clicking your start point. The wire will then follow your mouse as you click in between points, eventually reaching your end point.
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Spacebarto toggle pathBasically if doing a right an across then left up it will instead to a left then right
{X?}
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do an up then across
Shift + Spacebarto toggle route modeWill cycle through right angles, 45 degrees, and freeform angles
Tabto pause movement and open properties
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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}
Designators (Annotation)
To manage the link between schematics, layout, and BOMs all components require unique designators. These are letter-number pairs that indicate the type of part and which instance it is within a project. Fortunately, Altium can take care of designators automatically.
Updating Designators
{directions for using the designator tool}instance it is within a project. Fortunately, Altium can take care of designators automatically.
Updating Designators (Annotation)
When a schematic is completely done, but doesn’t have designators you will see error lines on the components due to lack of unique designators. Adding designators in schematics is called “annotation.”
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Open the annotation tool via the “Tools” menu
Toggle settings as needed in the annotation window
In most cases you will not need to change any of these!
To highlight some useful bits
Bottom left can be used to disable a few sheets
The right half summarizes changes that will be made
The “Matching Options” section is a more advanced feature used to resolve mismatches when updating designators that have already been annotated once
Click “Update Changes List”
A pop-up will appear with how many changes were made. This is just a sanity check, click “OK” if it looks ok
If the list on the right looks ok, click “Accept Changes (Create ECO)”
In the ECO, click “Execute Changes”, and then “Close”
Done!
Designating Hierarchical Documents
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Hiding RoomsCheck out Altium Reference, Tips, Troubleshooting for how to hide rooms when you’re in layout. {need to add to page and link to section} Room CreationBy default, hierarchical sheets will each create a “component room” when pulled into PCB layout. These rooms can be moved, copied, and manipulated with all the components and copper put within them. Additionally, rules (and any other queries) can be applied on the room level. These are generated any time changes from schematics are pushed from schematics to layout. This behavior can be turned off or modified as needed. Hierarchical Annotations{} Easy CopyingAs shown in the Shepherd screenshot at the start of this section, hierarchy can be used for repetitive circuits. This saves time not only in schematic, but also in layout thanks to rooms.
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