Working with the Project Releaser in Altium Designer

Once a design is considered ready for flight into the wider world, it needs to be released - a process that can often be underestimated.

Altium Designer provides powerful, high-integrity board design release management, courtesy of its Project Releaser. With an intuitive user interface, you are able to generate all manufacturing data for your project simultaneously - fabrication data, assembly data, design source, etc. The releaser also provides the ability to generate the assembly data for multiple detected variants of your board design at the same time. You don't even have to worry if you haven't created Output Job files - it'll do that for you if you ask it to!

The Project Releaser caters for all types of PCB project - unmanaged/non-version-controlled, under external VCS control, or managed through a managed content server - by offering two modes of operation:

• Managed (Online) Mode - releasing all generated data to revisions of Items in the managed content server to which you are actively signed in. You don't even have to remember to increment Item Revisions, it is all handled for you.
• Unmanaged (Offline) Mode - releasing all generated data into a folder-based structure, which can be optionally wrapped up in a single Zip file.

With the Project Releaser, you'll be able to generate your manufacturing data with simplified ease, and with the highest integrity. And you'll also be able to survey the fruits of that generation before you commit to finalizing the release (viewing Gerbers/ODB++ data in the CAM Editor for example), ensuring that the data you have generated is exactly the data required to get your board manufactured on time, first time.

Accessing the Project Releaser

The graphical interface to the Project Releaser is the Release view, which can be accessed by:

• Choosing the Project » Project Releaser command from the main menus (with a source document for the required project open as the active document).
• Right-clicking on the entry for the required project, in the Projects panel, and choosing the Project Releaser command from the context menu.

Accessing the Release view - the user interface to the Project Releaser.

Release Mode/Target

The Project Releaser attempts to detect which release mode to use - managed (Online) or unmanaged (Offline) - and the target of the release, automatically. Where a choice can exist, typically where the project has been released to one managed content server, and you are actively signed in to another, the system will provide the options available to you.

Detecting Output Job Files

If your project currently has no Output Job file(s) associated to it, the Project Releaser will detect this, and you will be asked if you wish to add default ones. If you opt to do so, the following will be created:

• Fabrication.OutJob - with the following outputs defined:
  • Documentation Outputs: PCB Prints
  • Fabrication Outputs: Gerber Files, NC Drill Files, and IPC-2581
  • Validation Outputs: Design Rules Check, Footprint Comparison Report
  • Export Outputs: Save As/Export PCB (in ASCII format)
• Assembly.OutJob - with the following outputs defined:
  • Documentation Outputs: PCB 3D Print, Schematic Prints
  • Assembly Outputs: Generates pick and place files, Assembly Drawings
  • Report Outputs: Bill of Materials
  • Export Outputs: Export STEP

Detecting Variants

A very powerful aspect of the Project Releaser, is that it will detect defined variants for your design and create Assembly Data sets for each, ready for release. Each Assembly Data set will appear with (default) target item naming in the form:

PCBA-[ProjectName]-[VariantName]

The [VariantName] suffix ensures that the correct variant is being used when generating data from the assigned OutJob file(s).

Additional Assembly Data sets created based on detection of variants defined for the design.

Setting Server Item Naming Schemes

When releasing a project to the active managed content server for the first time, you can define how the target data items in that Server (whose revisions receive the generated data) are named. This is done on the Item Naming tab of the Project Release Options dialog, which is accessed by pressing the  button, at the bottom-left of the view (or by clicking on the Target Revision link for a data set to be released, and choosing Edit from the context menu). Use this tab to:

• Define the name for the project. By default, this will be filled with the actual name of the project.
• Define the top-level target folder (in the Server) in which the data will be released.
• Define default naming schemes for the various data items that can be generated as part of the release.

To change any of the naming schemes, click the Settings button to access the Naming Template Settings dialog.

Set the target folder and define the naming for generated data items in the target managed content server.

The following macro formats are supported for use in a naming template:

• Parameter-based - supporting the use of parameters, enclosed in square braces (e.g. [ProjectName], [VariantName], [ProjectParameter]).
• Numeric-based - supporting the use of numerical quantifiers, enclosed in curly braces (e.g. {0000}, {9000}).

The Release Process

With Server data Item naming defined as required, you can now get started with the release process. This is a staged flow, with the entries on the left-hand side of the Release view showing you at-a-glance, which stage you are currently at.

Stage 1 - Configure Vault Release

This stage of the release process is where you specify the type(s) of data that you wish to generate. Data Items that can be released are:

• Source Data - a snapshot of the source design.
• Fabrication Data - the data required by a Fabrication House to create the bare board.
• Assembly Data for the Base Design (no variations) - the data required by an Assembly House to fully populate the bare board in accordance with a Bill of Materials, and for the non-varied base design.
• Assembly Data for Design Variant n - the data required by an Assembly House to populate the bare board in accordance with a Bill of Materials, and for Variant n of the base design.

The number of assembly data sets will correspond to the base (non-varied) design, and all detected variants defined for that design.

Stage 1 of the project release process - configuring what is to be included in the release (what data to generate).

The Source Data item is always included for a release. The other data items can be optionally included.

With the data items that are to be created as part of the release configured as required, click the  button at the bottom-right of the page to proceed.

The button has two states. Clicking it will launch the standard Prepare command. This will proceed with the release up to the Review Data stage - allowing you to essentially double-check that all is in order before commiting the release of the data. If you don't want to pause for review, use the drop-down menu associated to the button and choose the Prepare & Release command.

Several pre-release checks are performed as part of the preparation, including:

• Making sure that the project and all files have been saved.
• Making sure that the project and all relevant file(s) are committed to VCS if applicable.
• Making sure that each enabled data item has been given a name.
• Ensuring that the user has rights to create the target item (and revision).
• Creating the required target Items (and planned revisions) in the managed content server, where they do not currently exist, and ensuring the next revision is used for those items that do.

If any issues are found, you will be offered solutions with which to resolve them (such as saving locally modified files, and committing to VCS).

The Source Data Item is generated at this time - with a snapshot of the source design project files released to the target item revision.

Stage 2 - Validate Project

After Stage 1 completes without issue, this next stage of the release process is run automatically when one or more Validation-type reports are detected in assigned OutJob file(s). All defined validation output generators, defined in an O utput Job file assigned to the data item being released, are run. This includes running any of:

• Differences Report - using the comparator to determine if the source and PCB design documents are correctly in-sync.
• Electrical Rules Check - checking the electrical/drafting validity of the captured source design.
• Design Rules Check - checking the validity of the PCB document in relation to specified board-level design constraints.
• Footprint Comparison Report - comparing footprints on the board against their source library to ensure they are up-to-date, and matched.
• Component State Checking - checking for components that are in restricted states. As part of configuration, you determine the action to be taken for each currently defined state, of each currently defined Lifecycle Definition in the target managed content server; no action, a warning, or generate an error. The latter will prevent release of the design. In addition, running the check will generate a handy HTML-based report, allowing you to see at-a-glance which design components are not in valid states.
• Environment Configuration Compliance Check - checking that only data items permitted through the environment configuration available for use by your assigned role (if applicable), are being used. This check can also ensure that all design items are sourced from a managed content server.

If validation is successful, the  icon is presented, with the text Passed. If not, the  icon will be displayed, with the text Failed.

Clicking  at the bottom-right of the page will stop the release process.

Stage 3 - Generate Data

After Stage 2 completes without issue, this next stage of the release process is run automatically. This is where all other outputs - defined in the OutJob file(s) assigned to the included Data Items - are run, to generate the data to be released into the relevant target items in the Server.

As with the other stages, but more noticeable with this stage, since it takes longer to run, icons are used to present the progress of generation:

- not yet run/generated.

- being run/generated.

 - generated successfully.

 - generation failed.

Clicking  at the bottom-right of the page will stop the release process.

Stage 4 - Review Data

With all validation checks passed, and output data generated, this stage of the release process allows you to review the generated data.

The page defaults to present a simple (compact) view of the generated data. Switch to a more detailed view by clicking the Details control associated to a section of interest.

In the compact view of the generated data, click a View link to open the associated data file, or file set, either within the relevant editor within Altium Designer (e.g. the CAM editor), or within the relevant external application (e.g. Microsoft Excel). In the detailed view, double-click on an entry to view just that file.

If, after reviewing  the data, you find you need to make modifications, click the  button at the bottom-right of the page. A confirmation dialog will appear, alerting you to the fact that all generated data will be lost - clicking OK will cancel the release and you will be returned to Stage 1 of the process.

If the generated data all looks good, proceed with the release by clicking the  button (also at the bottom-right of the page). The Confirm Release dialog will appear, summarizing the configurations of the project that will be released to the managed content server. You also have the opportunity here to add a Name (by default the entry here is [ProjectName]), Description, and to add any pertinent release notes.

Confirmation of what will be released, in terms of the Item-Revisions generated, and the ability to change Name/Description and add
release notes.

Stage 5 - Upload Data

After confirming the release in the previous stage, this next stage is automatically entered. It simply presents progress of data upload into the revisions of the relevant data Items in the managed content server.

Stage 6 - Execution Report

This is the final stage of the process, providing a summary of the release.

Use the Navigation Links to quickly access the associated Item Revision, containing the released data (Fabrication Data, Assembly Data, and any Custom Data sets), in the Explorer panel - your portal to your managed content server.

Viewing a Released Managed Project

If your design project is a Managed Project, then you have one extra piece of functionality available to you after the release is complete. By clicking on the Project Page link, the last of the Navigation Links at the top of the Execution Report page, you will open the Explorer panel, presenting the project in the Project View - only available for Managed Projects.

If you have previously viewed the project in Classic View, you may need to manually switch over to Project View - commands are available from the menu associated to the  button.

For a managed project, you can explore the project in the Explorer panel in more detail, courtesy of the Project View.

 

 

 

 

 

For a managed project, you can explore the project in the Explorer panel in more detail, courtesy of the Project View.

 

 

 

 

 

For a managed project, you can explore the project in the Explorer panel in more detail, courtesy of the Project View.

This view is the same as that when browsing the detailed view for a managed project, from the Projects page of the Server's browser-based interface. The following tabs are available within the view:

• Stream - detailing recent activity for the project.
• Parameters - a listing of parameters that have been defined at the project level.
• Releases - what has been released, presented in terms of the assembled packages (including assembly data, fabrication data for the linked/parent bare board, and source files from which both have been generated).
• Working Files - the source design files, which can be downloaded in a single Zip file.
• Structure - a graphical representation of how the generated data links together, all under the umbrella of the parent design project.

 

 

 

 

 

• Stream - detailing recent activity for the project.
• Parameters - a listing of parameters that have been defined at the project level.
• Releases - what has been released, presented in terms of the assembled packages (including assembly data, fabrication data for the linked/parent bare board, and source files from which both have been generated).
• Working Files - the source design files, which can be downloaded in a single Zip file.
• Structure - a graphical representation of how the generated data links together, all under the umbrella of the parent design project.

 

 

 

 

 

• Stream - detailing recent activity for the project.
• Parameters - a listing of parameters that have been defined at the project level.
• Releases - what has been released, presented in terms of the assembled packages (including assembly data, fabrication data for the linked/parent bare board, and source files from which both have been generated).
• Working Files - the source design files, which can be downloaded in a single Zip file.
• Structure - a graphical representation of how the generated data links together, all under the umbrella of the parent design project.
• Activities - a listing of activities associated to the project. A designer can start a dedicated activity for a managed project, using predefined Project Activity process workflows that have been defined for the company. Click on an entry for an activity to view a diagram of its underlying process workflow (on the Diagram tab below the list), showing what needs to happen for the activity to be completed, and where the activity is at along that flow, in terms of who now has a task to perform to move the activity along. Tabs are also available for seeing the data attached to the activity (Data tab), and also a history of actions taken along the activity's process workflow (History tab). Controls are available to switch the list between Active and Closed activities, as well as to search for a specific activity of interest.

For a NEXUS Server administrator, the ability to terminate an active process is available - just click the  control.

That's it - with your project released, you can simply close the Release view (using the  button at the bottom-right of the view). And when you need to re-release the same project in the future, the Project Releaser facilitates this quickly and easily, and increments the target Item-Revisions automatically.

Unmanaged (Offline) Release Mode

As well as the managed (Online) release mode described previously, the Project Releaser also caters for local, unmanaged (Offline) release. Typically, this mode of releasing would be used if you don't use a managed content server, or if you cannot be currently connected to your managed content server. And while the Project Releaser will automatically determine the mode where possible, or offer options where that is not so clear cut, you can always force the use of Offline mode. The latter is performed by setting the Release Target, on the Release Options tab of the Project Release Options dialog (click the  button, while at Stage 1 of the release process), to one of the following:

• Unmanaged - Folder: set this option to release generated data to a local folder. The root folder path is specified on the Output Path tab of the dialog. By default this is set to [OutputPath] (using the path defined in the Output Path field, on the Options tab of the Project Options dialog).
• Unmanaged - Zip: set this option to release generated data to a local folder. The data will be packed into a single Zip file. The Zip path/name is specified on the Output Path tab of the dialog. By default this is set to [OutputPath][ProjectName].zip (using the path defined in the Output Path field, on the Options tab of the Project Options dialog).

You can quickly tell if the Project Releaser is configured in its Offline mode, by:

• The title of stage 1 reading Configure Local Release, instead of Configure Vault Release (when in Online mode).
• The title of Stage 5 reading Pack Data, instead of Upload Data (when in Online mode).

The Project Releaser configured in a local, unmanaged (Offline) mode.

The release process is very similar to that described for the managed (Online) release mode, just targeting release of data to local folders instead. Rather than repeating the information described earlier, here we'll just outline the stages involved, and highlight any differences.

Stage 1 - Configure Local Release

Here is where you configure the data that you want to be generated from your design project. Source data is always included as part of a release, with the option to include fabrication, assembly (base and/or variations), and any custom data, as required.

For each data set to be generated, you need to specify a target folder where that data will be stored. Default folder names are used as follows:

• Source Data - will be generated in the Sources folder.
• Fabrication Data - will be generated in the Fabrication folder.
• Assembly Data for no variant - will be generated in the Assembly folder.
• Assembly Data for <VariantName> - will be generated in the Assembly <VariantName> folder.
• Custom Data <Custom - n> - will be generated in the <Custom - n> folder.

You can of course change this default naming to suit your requirements. To do so, click on a current Target Folder entry, enter the desired new name for the folder, and press Enter.

With the data sets to be created as part of the release configured as required, click the  button at the bottom-right of the page to proceed.

The button has two states. These differ slightly between the two unmanaged release options:

• Unmanaged - Folder: clicking the button will launch the standard Prepare command. This will proceed with the release up to the Review Data stage - allowing you to essentially double-check that all is in order before releasing to the target folders. If you don't want to pause for review, use the drop-down menu associated to the button and choose the Prepare & Explore command.
• Unmanaged - Zip: clicking the button will launch the standard Prepare command. This will proceed with the release up to the Review Data stage - allowing you to essentially double-check that all is in order before packing the data into the Zip file. If you don't want to pause for review, use the drop-down menu associated to the button and choose the Prepare & Pack command.

Several pre-release checks are now performed, including:

• Making sure that the project and all files have been saved.
• Making sure that the project and all relevant file(s) are committed to VCS if applicable.
• Making sure that each enabled data item has been given a target folder.

If any issues are found, you will be offered solutions with which to resolve them (such as saving locally modified files, and committing to VCS).

The Source Data is generated at this stage - with a snapshot of the source design project files released to the target folder.

Stage 2 - Validate Project

After Stage 1 completes without issue, this next stage of the release process is run automatically when one or more Validation-type reports are detected in assigned OutJob file(s). All defined validation output generators, defined in an Output Job file assigned to the data item being released, are run. This stage runs the same as it does when releasing in managed (Online) mode.

Clicking  at the bottom-right of the page will stop the release process.

Stage 3 - Generate Data

After Stage 2 completes without issue, this next stage of the release process is run automatically. This is where all other outputs - defined in the OutJob file(s) assigned to the included Data Items - are run, to generate the data to be released into the relevant target folders. This stage runs the same as it does when releasing in managed (Online) mode.

Clicking  at the bottom-right of the page will stop the release process.

Stage 4 - Review Data

With all validation checks passed, and output data generated, this stage of the release process allows you to review the generated data. This stage behaves in much the same way as when releasing in managed (Online) mode.

In the compact view of the generated data, click a View link to open the associated data file, or file set, either within the relevant editor within Altium Designer (e.g. the CAM editor), or within the relevant external application (e.g. Microsoft Excel). In the detailed view, double-click on an entry to view just that file.

If, after reviewing the data, you find you need to make modifications, click the  button at the bottom-right of the page. A confirmation dialog will appear, alerting you to the fact that all generated data will be lost - clicking OK will cancel the release and you will be returned to Stage 1 of the process.

If the generated data all looks good, proceed with the release by clicking the  button (also at the bottom-right of the page). What happens next depends on the target release option you are using:

• Unmanaged - Folder: the generated files will be released to the target folder(s) and the process will jump directly to the last stage, to view the Execution Report.
• Unmanaged - Zip: the process will proceed to the next stage - Pack Data.

Stage 5 - Pack Data

After confirming the release in the previous stage, this next stage is automatically entered, and involves the data being packed into a single, localized zip file. The Zip path/name is specified on the Output Path tab of the Project Release Options dialog. By default this is set to [OutputPath][ProjectName].zip (using the path defined in the Output Path field, on the Options tab of the Project Options dialog).

Stage 6 - Execution Report

This is the final stage of the process, providing a summary of the release.

Use the Navigation Link provided to quickly explore (in Windows File Explorer) to the output folder, or packed zip file, respectively.