Violations Associated with Documents when Validating a Design in Altium Designer

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a target device sheet – specified in the File Name field for a Sheet Symbol – has been found in multiple declared device sheet folders.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Ambiguous Device Sheet Resolution for <DeviceSheetName>

where:

• DeviceSheetName is the current entry for the parent device sheet symbol's File Name field. Unlike the entry in the File Name field, the message includes the extension too (*.SchDoc).

Recommendation for Resolution

Use the Details region of the Messages panel to cross probe to the device sheet symbol in question. Double-click on the symbol to access its properties through the Properties panel. In the Source section, on the General tab of the panel, the full path to the instance of the device sheet currently being used is displayed.

Remember that the device sheet instance used will be the first detected across declared device sheet folders and that these folders – declared on the Data Management – Device Sheets page of the Preferences dialog – are searched in top-down order. If the currently used device sheet is the correct instance, you can simply ignore this violation. If not, select the folder in which the correct instance exists, and click the Move Up button until that folder is at the top of the list.

Note, however, that while this may solve the immediate issue for this particular device sheet, the ambiguity will still remain. To fully resolve this issue, identify the redundant device sheet(s), and remove it (them) from the other declared device sheet folder(s).

Note

Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when compiling a project after using the Create Sheet Symbol From Sheet command from the Design main menu and a schematic document that already is a child in the project is chosen in the Choose Document to Place dialog and the schematic documents chosen have Device Sheet links between each other.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Circular dependency between document <DocumentName1> and document <DocumentName2>

where:

• DocumentName1 and DocumentName2 are the names of the two documents that have Device Sheet links between each other.

Recommendation for Resolution

To resolve the violation, review the schematic documents listed in the error message and fix the Device Sheet links between them.

Note

Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when the link between a sheet symbol and a target schematic sub-document is invalid. This can occur when:

• A sheet symbol has been placed manually but no sub-level document reference has been entered into the symbol's File Name field.
• The document reference in the symbol's File Name field has been entered incorrectly – effectively targeting a document that does not exist.
• The referenced target document has been removed from the project or deleted.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Missing child-sheet in <SymbolFileName> in Symbol <SymbolDesignator>

where:

• SymbolFileName is the current entry for the parent sheet symbol's File Name field.
• SymbolDesignator is the designator of the parent sheet symbol.

Recommendation for Resolution

Check the entry in the sheet symbol's File Name field in the Properties section on the General tab of the Properties panel (when the sheet symbol is selected in the workspace). The target document itself is specified in the Source section (on that same tab of the panel), with the source set to Local for a standard sheet symbol. If the required target document already exists, ensure that the document name (including extension) is entered correctly into the field. If the target document has been removed from the project and you have access to it, add it back in to the project. If the target document does not exist, right-click on the symbol and choose the Create Sheet From Symbol command from the Sheet Symbol Actions sub-menu.

Notes

• This error is also generated when a Device Sheet Symbol has been placed but the target Device Sheet cannot be found. The target document itself is specified in the Source section on the General tab of the Properties panel (when the device sheet symbol is selected in the workspace), with the source set to Device for a device sheet symbol.
• Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs in hierarchical designs when two or more schematic sheets are at the top level of the structure.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Multiple top level documents: <SheetName> has been used

where:

• SheetName is the name of the schematic document currently being used as the top-level sheet.

Recommendation for Resolution

This issue typically arises due to the sheet symbol on the true top sheet not targeting the intended sub-sheet correctly. To resolve this issue, first determine which schematic sheet is the intended sub-sheet. Check to see if a sheet symbol has been placed for the intended sub-sheet on the top-level schematic:

• If a sheet symbol does not exist, create it – either by manual placement or by using the Create Sheet Symbol From Sheet command (available from the main Design menu).
• If the sheet symbol exists, ensure that it references the sub-sheet. Check the entry in the sheet symbol's File Name field in the Properties section on the General tab of the Properties panel (when the sheet symbol is selected in the workspace). The target document itself is specified in the Source section (on that same tab of the panel) with the source set to Local for a standard sheet symbol.

Upon recompiling, the hierarchy will be resolved and the error will disappear from the Messages panel.

Note

• Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a port on a child sheet is not matched with a sheet entry on the parent sheet symbol. All sheet entries in the parent sheet symbol must be synchronized (matched) to corresponding ports on the child sheet.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Port <PortName> not matched to Sheet-Entry at <Location>

where:

• PortName is the name of the port on the child sheet.
• Location is the X, Y coordinates for the port's electrical hotspot.

Recommendation for Resolution

This issue can arise for a number of reasons:

• The corresponding sheet entry for the port does not exist.
• The corresponding sheet entry for the port exists but with a different name.
• The corresponding sheet entry for the port exists but with a different I/O Type.

Use the Details region of the Messages panel to cross-probe to the port in question, then Ctrl+Double Click on the port to ascend to the parent sheet symbol. Right-click on the sheet symbol and choose Sheet Symbol Actions » Synchronize Sheet Entries and Ports from the menu that appears. This will open the Synchronize Ports To Sheet Entries dialog for that sheet symbol.

Use the dialog to match the port in question to the required sheet entry. If the sheet entry does not exist, you can create it directly from the dialog. If the sheet entry exists but the Name and/or I/O Type differ, you can determine, as part of the match, whether the Name and I/O Type to be used comes from the port or the sheet entry.

Notes

• When the sheet entry and port exist but have different Names and/or I/O Types, there will be a corresponding error message stating that the sheet entry is not matched to a port. Synchronizing the sheet entry with the port will clear both errors.
• Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).
• When you need to allow a specific point in the circuit not to report a violation of this type, you can place a Specific No ERC directive directly at the error location from the Messages panel – you can do this by right-clicking a message reporting the violation to suppress, then choosing the Place Specific No ERC for this violation command.

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when a sheet entry is not matched with a port on the child sheet referenced by the parent sheet symbol. All sheet entries in the parent sheet symbol must be synchronized (matched) to corresponding ports on the child sheet.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Sheet-Entry <SheetEntryName> not matched to Port at <Location>

where:

• SheetEntryName is the name of the sheet entry associated with the parent sheet symbol.
• Location is the X, Y coordinates for the sheet entry's electrical hotspot.

Recommendation for Resolution

This issue can arise for a number of reasons:

• The corresponding port for the sheet entry does not exist.
• The corresponding port for the sheet entry exists but with a different name.
• The corresponding port for the sheet entry exists but with a different I/O Type.

Use the Details region of the Messages panel to cross-probe to the sheet entry in question. Right-click on the parent sheet symbol then choose Sheet Symbol Actions » Synchronize Sheet Entries and Ports from the menu that appears. This will give you access to the Synchronize Ports To Sheet Entries dialog for that sheet symbol.

Use the dialog to match the sheet entry in question to the required port. If the port does not exist, you can create it directly from the dialog. Where the port exists but the Name and/or I/O Type differ, you can determine, as part of the match, whether the Name and I/O Type to be used comes from the sheet entry or the port.

Notes

• When the sheet entry and port exist but have different Names and/or I/O Types, there will be a corresponding error message stating that the port is not matched to a sheet entry. Synchronizing the sheet entry with the port will clear both errors.
• Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).

Default report mode:

Summary

This violation occurs when the project contains more than one schematic document with the same name in different folders.

Notification

If validation errors and warnings are enabled for display on the schematic (enabled on the Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog), an offending object will display a colored squiggle beneath it. Hovering over the object will display a pop-up hint that summarizes the violation. A notification is also displayed in the Messages panel in the following format:

Project <ProjectName> contains several documents named <SchematicDocumentName>

where:

• ProjectName is the name of the project associated with the error.
• SchematicDocumentName is the schematic document that has the same name as other schematic document(s) in the project.

Recommendation for Resolution

Save the offending schematic documents with a different name.

Note

Use the controls associated with the Object Hints entry in the Connectivity Insight Options region (the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog) to determine the launch style for object hints (Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click).