135
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 36:
Line 36: − + Line 42:
Line 42: − ''Skip this step if you're configuring a Lab 064 remote desktop'' Line 50:
Line 49: − ===Open SSI Integrated Library=== − [[File:ProjectsPanel.png|thumb|200px|right|This is a super useful panel to have open pretty much whenever you're in Altium.]] − If you do not see the "Projects" panel of your Altium window (see image on right - if open, the panel is typically on the left side of your screen), you will need to open it. This can be done in "View → Workspace Panels → System → Projects," also accessible with the keyboard shortcut {{altium-shortcut|v → w → s → p}}. − − Once this panel is open, File → Open and navigate to the folder you set up for the Altium SVN. Enter, and go to "libraries/intlib." Inside, you should find "SSI.LibPkg" (whose file name may simply show up as "SSI"). Open the file; it should expand in your Projects panel, as shown at right. − − ===Compiling the SSI Altium Library=== − With SSI.LibPkg open in your Projects panel, right click on SSI.LibPkg and hit "Compile Integrated Library SSI.LibPkg." This LibPkg file is an editable copy of all of the symbols, component footprints, and supplier links used for designing circuits and circuit boards in Altium; compiling it produces a non-editable version that can actually be used in circuit design. The compile process will take up all of Altium's resources and typically lasts between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. When done, you may see a "Messages" panel appear, which should indicate that you compiled successfully. Even if the Messages panel does not appear, you should be able to tell when the library finishes compiling based on a green progress bar in the lower left part of the screen. − − 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=== − [[File:LibraryInstallWindow.png|thumb|200px|right|You will end up with something like this.]] − If you do not see the "Libraries" panel of your Altium window (if open, the panel is typically on the right side of your screen), you will need to open it. This can be done in "View → Workspace Panels → System → Libraries," also accessible with the shortcut {{altium-shortcut|v → w → s → l}}. − − Once the panel is open, click the "Libraries..." button in the upper left, bringing up a window as shown in the image at right. Go to the "Installed" tab, where a list of (typically two) default libraries will appear. These libraries are not built to SSI standards and no SSI projects use them. Click on each library in the list, and then click "Remove" in the lower right. − − Next, click "Install..." and then "Install from file." A new file dialog will open up; from your Altium SVN folder, navigate to "libraries/intlib/Project Outputs for SSI," where you should find SSI.IntLib (which will again likely just appear as "SSI"). Select it, and it will install. − − 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 the Microsoft Access 2010 Driver=== − For reasons that are poorly understood, many SSI Altium users cannot use database libraries without first installing this [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255 Microsoft Office 2010 compatibility driver]. Make sure to get the 64-bit version if using Altium 18.0 or later. 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 Passives Database Library=== − Several additional parts categories - including a large number of 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 this library 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). Three files - "passives," "resistor," and "sscp" should appear; install "passives.DbLib." − <!-- − ===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$." A list of resistors will appear underneath it, with a number of column headings. Right click any column heading, and select "Select Columns." You will then bring up a window with a list of parameters in two columns; parameters in the left are not typically shown when searching through the database, while parameters on the right are. Using the "Add" and "Remove" buttons, set the three visible parameters to be "Resistance (Human readable)," "Package," and "description," and click OK. See photos below to accompany this step. − <center> <gallery widths=200px heights=200px> − |align=center − File:LibrariesPanelWithStuffInstalled.PNG|<center> Your dropdown should look like this after completing all of the above installation. </center> − File:BringUpSelectColumns.PNG |<center> Right click on any column header under the dropdown. </center> − File:ResistorSelectColumns.PNG|<center> Once you're done moving parameters around, you should get this. </center> − </gallery> </center> − − Now, from the dropdown, select "sscp.DbLib - capacitor$," 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$" section contains capacitors specially rated for automotive applications, which are of obvious use to the library's creators (hint: they build a car every two years) but are typically not important for SSI projects. "capacitor_auto$" does not have a "human_value" parameter − --> − − ====Files and Libraries Location==== − Within Preferences, go to "System → Default Locations." There are two fields; set "Document Path" to your Altium SVN folder, and set "Library Path" to your "libraries" folder in the Altium SVN. See the image at right for an example of the result.
How to Install and Configure Altium (view source)
Revision as of 06:07, 17 September 2020
, 06:07, 17 September 2020Removed old sections
TortoiseSVN will run persistently on your computer and allow you to work with files synchronized with the SVN. As shown at right, TortoiseSVN will appear as a menu available when right clicking on files or folders. We will introduce the most useful of these commands in this article; several more are discussed [[Using TortoiseSVN|here]] (recommended reading ''after'' completing this guide).
TortoiseSVN will run persistently on your computer and allow you to work with files synchronized with the SVN. As shown at right, TortoiseSVN will appear as a menu available when right clicking on files or folders. We will introduce the most useful of these commands in this article; several more are discussed [[Using TortoiseSVN|here]] (recommended reading ''after'' completing this guide).
===Downloading SSI Altium Libraries===
===Downloading SSI Altium SVN===
[[File:SVNCheckout.png|thumb|200px|right|Make sure you're right clicking on the folder you just created.]]
[[File:SVNCheckout.png|thumb|200px|right|Make sure you're right clicking on the folder you just created.]]
[[File:SVNCheckout2.png|thumb|200px|right|Your checkout window should look very similar to this.]]
[[File:SVNCheckout2.png|thumb|200px|right|Your checkout window should look very similar to this.]]
===Installing Altium===
===Installing Altium===
Once you have an Altium account, Altium Designer can be downloaded [http://www.altium.com/products/downloads here] after logging in on the Altium website. Be aware that the software will only install on Windows operating systems. After downloading, install with the default settings.
Once you have an Altium account, Altium Designer can be downloaded [http://www.altium.com/products/downloads here] after logging in on the Altium website. Be aware that the software will only install on Windows operating systems. After downloading, install with the default settings.
After Altium finishes installing, open it. Under "My Account," click "Sign in" and log in with your Altium account. Check "Sign me in when I open Altium Designer," as this will automatically grant you license access when you start the program. Next, under "Available Licenses," select Altium Designer from the list of products (you may or may not have other options listed; you can safely ignore all other ones) and click "Use" underneath (see right). This will now happen automatically every time you open the program.
After Altium finishes installing, open it. Under "My Account," click "Sign in" and log in with your Altium account. Check "Sign me in when I open Altium Designer," as this will automatically grant you license access when you start the program. Next, under "Available Licenses," select Altium Designer from the list of products (you may or may not have other options listed; you can safely ignore all other ones) and click "Use" underneath (see right). This will now happen automatically every time you open the program.
===Configuring Altium Preferences===
===Configuring Altium Preferences===
[[File:SystemDefaultLocations.png|thumb|200px|right|You will end up with something like this.]]
[[File:SystemDefaultLocations.png|thumb|200px|right|You will end up with something like this.]]
Altium's default preferences are quite workable, but a couple of settings relating to the default locations of files need to be configured on each new computer. To change Altium preferences, from the top bar, click "DXP → Preferences..."
Altium's default preferences are quite workable, but a couple of settings relating to the default locations of files need to be configured on each new computer. To change Altium preferences, from the top bar, click "DXP → Preferences..."
====Templates Location====
====Templates Location====