Create a new Altium Project

1. Open Altium

2. File –> New –> Project

Fig. 82 Altium - Create new project.

3. Give a describing name for the project

4. Choose a location for saving the project (often it is suitable to save the project in a folder with BitBucket reference)

5. Click Create

6. A new project with no content was created

Fig. 83 Altium - New empty project.

7. Add a new schematic sheet: right mouse click –> Add new to project –> Schematic

8. Save the new schematic sheet: right mouse click –> save as

Fig. 84 Altium - New schematic sheet.

New schematic sheet was added.

9. In general the symbol * marks that this sheet/ project is not saved. This can be done be clicking File –> save or save all

10. If you develop the PCB for the ELSYS institute the template A4_CoBo_THN should be used. It is also part of the BitBucket content and can be found under the following path (for working with BitBucket and Libraries look at the instruction for Altium DB Lib) …pcb_librariestemplatesschematicsA4_CoBo_THN

11. To use the template in the schematic open the schematic click Design –> Templates –> Project Templates –> Choose a File

Fig. 85 Altium - Choose template.

and select the suitable template

Fig. 86 Altium - Select template.

12. Then you get a schematic sheet with this header

Fig. 87 Altium - Templates.

13. To fill the * marked fields, select the schematic sheet, open the properties (Panels –> Properties)

Fig. 88 Altium - Properties.

14. Change the register from general to parameters

Fig. 89 Altium - Parameters.

15. Enter the necessary missing parameters

Fig. 90 Altium - Parameters.

16. The result should look like this

Fig. 91 Altium - Template filled.

17. The field Project Revision can be neglect or combined with a repository version tool or set manually.

18. The way for the manual edit process is select Project –> Project Options

19. Select the register “Parameters”

20. Add “ProjectRevision” and a value e.g. 0.1

Fig. 92 Altium - Options for PCB Project.

21. Now the schematic workstation is prepared and you are able to place components on the schematic sheet

22. If components are placed, it is necessary to annotate them by Tools –> Annotate –> Annotate Schematics

Fig. 93 Altium - Annotate schematic.

23. Update Changes List

Fig. 94 Altium - Update Changes List.

24. OK

Fig. 95 Altium - OK.

25. Accept Changes (Create ECO)

Fig. 96 Altium - Accept Changes.

26. Validate Changes –> Execute Changes –> Close

Fig. 97 Altium - Validate/ Execute/ Close.

27. Every component should have a designator. Most important thing is to be consistent within one project. See Wikipedia for an example list.

Fig. 98 Altium - Designator D1.

28. If you placed some components on the schematic sheet(s) and annotated them compile the project right mouse click on the project –> Compile PCB Project Guide.PrjPcb

Fig. 99 Altium - Compile Project.

If errors exist –> debug problems

If no errors –> create PCB

29. Create PCB

Right mouse click –> Add new to project –> PCB

Fig. 100 Altium - Add PCB to project.

30. Save PCB

Right mouse click –> Save as

31. Import Components from the schematic to the PCB Design –> Import Changes from Guide.PrjPcb (short cut: di)

Fig. 101 Altium - Import components from schematic.

Be careful not to use Update Changes from Guide.PrjPcb. In this case you update the schematic with no content of the PCB. All components included in the schematic sheets are placed on the right edge of the PCB.

By pressing the numbers 1, 2 and 3 you can select between the following views

1 = Board planning mode –> define the shape of the PCB

2 = 2D view –> routing view

3 = 3D view

Often it is helpful to define the null- point on the left corner because then the x and y dimension is without any offset

To do this:

1. Open the created PCB

Fig. 102 Altium - Open PCB.

2. Go to board planing mode by clicking 1

3. Design –> move board shape –> move it to the x

Fig. 103 Altium - Select move board shape.

Fig. 104 Altium - Move the board in the corner.

4. Go back to the layout view (2) and start with the configuration of the layer stack –> have a look at the chapter PCB Layer Stack Manager