PCB Model

Modified by Jason Howie on Feb 13, 2015
Contents
Other Related Resources
Properties for Schematic Component (Dialog)

Parent page: PCB Dialogs

Two example incarnations of the PCB Model dialog. Notice that when a component is sourced from an Altium
Vault, the dialog becomes read-only.

Summary

This dialog allows the designer to configure the link to a PCB 2D/3D Component model, used to represent the component in the PCB domain. Controls are provided to specify the model and where to find it, and also to configure the mapping between pads of the footprint, and pins of the schematic symbol.

When a component has been placed from an Altium Vault, the dialog is locked down to be read-only. The dedicated PCB 2D/3D Component model - referenced by the vault component, and also resident in the vault - is used, and cannot be changed. The dialog simply becomes a useful resource of information about this model.
Multiple PCB 2D/3D Component models can be defined for a component, but only one is set as the current model.

Access

The dialog can be accessed from both the PCB Editor, and PCB Library Editor:

  • PCB Editor - from the Properties for Schematic Component dialog, either double-click the entry for an existing model, in the Models region of the dialog, or click the Add button and choose the Footprint model type in the Add New Model dialog.
  • PCB Library Editor - from the Library Component Properties dialog, either double-click the entry for an existing model, in the Models region of the dialog, or click the Add button and choose the Footprint model type in the Add New Model dialog.

Options/Controls

Footprint Model

  • Name - the name of the model. It is important to have the name accurate, since the software will search for this exact name when trying to locate the model.
  • Description - a meaningful description for the model.
  • Browse - click this button to access the Browse Libraries dialog. Use this dialog to browse footprint models across all currently Available Libraries.
  • Pin Map - click this button to access the Model Map dialog, from where to define the mapping of schematic component pins to PCB 2D/3D Component model pads.

PCB Library

Choose one of the following options with which to specify how the software is to locate the model, provided the model name is defined:

  • Any - all Available Libraries (project libraries, installed libraries and libraries found along defined search paths) are used to look for the model.
  • Library Name - enter the full library name in which the model resides (e.g. ThisLibrary.PcbLib). All Available Libraries are used to look for the model. If not found here, the default library path (\Users\Public\Documents\Altium\PCBWorks\Library) will be interrogated to see if the named library can be found there.
  • Library Path - enter the full path/name of the library. Click the Choose button to browse to the library. This option will always finds the model, since it is explicit (provided of course the library remains in that directory!).
  • Use footprint from - draws the model directly from the integrated library or Altium Vault used to place this component. When placed from an integrated library, that integrated library must be part of the available libraries (as part of the Installed Libraries list, or along a defined search path). When placed from an Altium Vault, connection to the vault must remain enabled.

Selected Footprint

This region of the dialog presents a preview graphic of the PCB 2D/3D Component model, provided the software was able to locate it. Use the button at the bottom-left of the region to toggle between 3D and 2D views of the model.

The text beneath the preview graphic summarizes where the model was found. This can be very useful, especially if multiple models of the same name exist in multiple libraries, and allows you to verify you have the right one.

 

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