767
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 49:
Line 49: + + Line 60:
Line 62: − + − This assumes you have set up Altium & the SSI SVN already. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − *Open --> libraries --> intlib --> SSI.LibPkg+ − *Right click on package in the workspace area --> Compile Integrated Library − *Go to the right toolbar and click on 'Libraries' and then the 'Libraries...' button. − *Go under the second tab titled 'Installed' and click 'Install From File'. − *Navigate to your SVN folder --> libraries --> intlib --> [possibly inside a folder titled 'Project Output for SSI'] --> SSI.IntLib − *DONE! − If there are changes to the library package, you will need to recompile (right click --> recompile). + − When you commit in SVN, do not add the SSI.IntLib file (it should already be in the ignore list)
How to Install and Configure Altium (view source)
Revision as of 08:26, 1 January 2017
, 08:26, 1 January 2017Wrote everything through installing dblibs
If the Messages panel appears but errors show up (which is rare), message {{slack-channel|altium}} for help, as the failure is likely due to a recent editor of the library doing something incorrectly. Errors may or may not prevent you from proceeding in this guide; attempt the next step, knowing that you may be forced to pause until the errors are resolved.
If the Messages panel appears but errors show up (which is rare), message {{slack-channel|altium}} for help, as the failure is likely due to a recent editor of the library doing something incorrectly. Errors may or may not prevent you from proceeding in this guide; attempt the next step, knowing that you may be forced to pause until the errors are resolved.
This step is important, as it is required every time you wish to update your copy of the library to include changes that others (or you) have made. You will likely do this a good number of times over the course of your Altium career.
===Installing the SSI Altium Library===
===Installing the SSI Altium Library===
If you do not have a "Project Outputs for SSI" folder, your compile failed, and you will need to resolve the issue before proceeding.
If you do not have a "Project Outputs for SSI" folder, your compile failed, and you will need to resolve the issue before proceeding.
==Installing SSI Libraries==
===Installing the Microsoft Access 2007 Driver===
For reasons that are poorly understood, many SSI Altium users cannot use two additional libraries - one of resistors and one of capacitors - without first installing this [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=23734 Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility driver]. This solution took considerable experimentation to discover and is a good example of SSI [[Tribal Altium Knowledge]]. Installing this driver, though demonstrably not required for all users, will prevent hard-to-diagnose future headaches.
===Installing Resistor and Capacitor Database Libraries===
[[File:InstallingDBLibs.png|thumb|200px|right|It's called "sscp" because it was originally made by the Stanford Solar Car Project (you'll understand when you get there). It's full of capacitors.]]
Two kinds of parts - surface mount chip resistors and surface mount ceramic capacitors - are stored in separate "database" libraries because they come in several thousand very similar varieties which can be defined using a creatively formatted Excel sheet and are imported into Altium through a .dblib file. We will install these libraries in this step.
In the same window used to install SSI.IntLib (from the Libraries panel, "Libraries..." → ''"Installed"'' → "Install..." → "Install from file"), navigate to "libraries/dblib." You will initially see nothing there; to fix that, change the type of libraries visible from "Integrated Libraries *.INTLIB" to "Database Libraries *.DBLIB" (see right). Two files - "resistor" and "sscp" should appear; install both of them.
===Formatting the Resistor and Capacitor DBLibs===
We will now make sure the resistor and capacitor databases show the most useful information when you need to select a part from them. From the Libraries panel, click the dropdown menu and select "resistor.DbLib - Resistors$." A list of resistors will appear underneath it, with a number of column headings. Right click any column heading, and select "Select Columns." You will then bring up a window with a list of parameters in two columns; parameters in the left are not typically shown when searching through the database, while parameters on the right are. Using the "Add" and "Remove" buttons, set the three visible parameters to be "Resistance (Human readable)," "Package," and "description," and click OK. See photos below to accompany this step.
<center> <gallery widths=200px heights=200px>
|align=center
File:LibrariesPanelWithStuffInstalled.PNG|<center> Your dropdown should look like this after completing all of the above installation. </center>
File:BringUpSelectColumns.PNG |<center> Right click on any column header under the dropdown. </center>
File:ResistorSelectColumns.PNG|<center> Once you're down moving parameters around, you should get this. </center>
</gallery> </center>
Now, from the dropdown, select "sscp.DbLib - capacitor$," and repeat the above steps to get to the Select Parameter Columns window. Move parameters around until the three parameters you have in the right column are "human_value," "Package," and "description." Click OK.
Optionally, repeat the steps for "capacitor$" with "capacitor_auto$." The "capacitor_auto$" section contains capacitors specially rated for automotive use, which are of obvious use to the library's creators (who, hint, build a car every two years) but are typically not important for SSI projects. "capacitor_auto$" does not have a "human_value" parameter.
[[Category: Altium]]
[[Category: Altium]]