Working with the Project Releaser in Altium Designer

Once a design is considered ready, 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 Project 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 – local/non-version-controlled, under external VCS control, or under the native version control of a connected Workspace – by offering two modes of operation:

• Managed (Online) Mode – releasing all generated data to revisions of Items in a target Workspace. 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.

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 Workspace, and you are actively connected 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 with 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:

• 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

• 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

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 Workspace Item Naming Schemes

When releasing a project to the target Workspace for the first time, you can define how the target data items in that Workspace (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 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 project name and define the naming for generated data items in the target Workspace. Here, fields are editable because the project has not yet been released.

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}).

Item naming can be changed at any time during the first stage of the Release view, when configuring the data that is to be released into the actively connected Workspace. After clicking , the associated naming cannot be changed, since the planned items with that naming will be created for each enabled data set included in the release – and these are linked to the project. So even if you don't proceed to release data into those items, they will still exist in a ready state and the corresponding naming template entries will be grayed out. You could delete those planned items, or use the Browse command (click on a Target Revision entry to access the menu) and create a new target Item in each case, with the desired naming.

The Release Process

With Workspace 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.

Online Stage 1 – Configure Server 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 view 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 committing the release of the data. If you don't want to pause for review, use the drop-down menu associated with 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 Workspace, 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.

Online 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:

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 view will stop the release process.

Online 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 Workspace.

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 view will stop the release process.

Online 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.

If you chose to use the Prepare & Release command (from the menu associated to the button), the Project Releaser will not pause at the Review Data stage.

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 with a section of interest.

Click on a Details control to switch from simple to detailed view of the generated data for the associated section. Switch back again by clicking the Hide Details control.

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 view. 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 view). 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.

Online 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 Workspace.

This stage simply reflects progress of the upload of generated data to the linked Item-Revisions in the Workspace.

Online 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 Workspace.

Viewing the Released Project

For a Workspace Project, 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 Workspace 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, at the top-right of the Explorer panel.

You can explore a Workspace project in the Explorer panel in more detail, courtesy of the Project View.

You can explore a Workspace project in the Explorer panel in more detail, courtesy of the Project View.

The Releases region (at the bottom left of the view) will display a compilation of the project release(s) associated with the project, which includes a summary of each release and its constituent packages. Click the button in this region to open the Batch state change dialog, which you may use to change the lifecycle state of multiple items related to the same release, at once in a single batch process.

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 Workspace, or if you cannot be currently connected to your Workspace. 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 Server 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.

Offline 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 view 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 with 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 with 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.

Offline 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 view will stop the release process.

Offline 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 view will stop the release process.

Offline 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.

Review generated data, checking that all is as it should be, prior to committing to the release, and sending the data to the targeted folder(s), or packing the data into the localized zip file, in accordance with the unmanaged release option chosen.

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 view. 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 view). 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.

Offline 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).

Offline Stage 6 – Execution Report

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

The final report for the release, as shown when using the Unmanaged - Folder release target. Hover over the image to see the equivalent with the release target set to Unmanaged - Zip.

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

Quickly browse to the output folder of locally released data, directly from the Execution Report stage of the interface. Hover over the image to see an example of browsing to the packaged zip file of locally released data.

Publishing to a PLM Instance

Related pages: PLM Integration, Publishing to a PLM

You have the ability to publish a design to a PLM instance, as part of running the Project Releaser in Altium NEXUS. The publishing operation uses a publishing template – defined as part of that PLM instances' integration configuration – to control how data should be propagated to the PLM. This feature is available through an appropriately configured process. A sample process definition is provided as part of the installation – Project Releaser with Publish – whose underlying workflow enables publishing to the integrated PLM instance as an additional stage of the Project Releaser. The workflow diagram is shown below.

This process definition cannot be activated and used as is. It is therefore more like a 'template' – edit to suit your company's requirements, name, and save as a new process definition, which you can then activate and use.

The workflow diagram of the default Project Releaser with Publish sample process definition

Once activated, the process for publishing to a PLM instance as part of the Project Releaser can be accessed from within Altium NEXUS from the Project » Project Releaser sub-menu for the active project.

Accessing the process for publishing to a PLM instance as part of the Project Releaser

Also accessible from the Project Releaser context sub-menu, accessed by right-clicking on the entry for the design project in the Projects panel.

The Project Releaser will appear, with an additional stage – 7. Publish to PLM. In addition, a command is available from the menu associated to the button – Prepare & Release & Publish to PLM – should you wish to run the Project Releaser without stopping to review the generated data and execution report.

An additional command for running the Project Releaser without stopping to review the generated data and execution report

If you run the Project Releaser with the standard Prepare command, after reviewing and releasing the data, the button will be presented at the Execution Report stage. Click this to continue the underlying workflow for the process, to publish to the PLM. The Login Credentials dialog will appear. Enter the Username and Password for your PLM instance, and select the PLM Template you want to use (which appears in the form <PLMInstance>:<PublishingTemplate>).

If you chose to use the Prepare & Release & Publish to PLM command, you will ultimately be presented with the Login Credentials dialog directly. The Project Releaser will not pause at the Execution Report stage, and no button will be presented.

Note that your PLM instance login credentials are only required for the first time you publish to that instance. These will then be stored with the Workspace. After that, any publishing of that project to that same PLM instance will proceed directly, in accordance with the defined workflow and chosen publishing template.

The Login Credentials dialog accessed during the first publishing to the PLM instance.

Click on the Diagram tab to see the underlying workflow for the process.

The Diagram tab of the Login Credentials dialog

Click the button to proceed with the publishing process, in accordance with that workflow.

If you're publishing for the first time and part numbers (on the PLM side) are not yet associated with the Workspace project, those part numbers will be created in the PLM and associated with the project as part of that initial publication. You also have the ability to define component entries for Workspace components in the PLM instance, as part of the publishing operation – to get a BOM of components within the PLM (optional, based on the publishing template defined and used when publishing the project to the PLM instance).

Check the status of the publish to PLM process through the Workspace's browser interface, from the Activities view on the detailed management page for the project.

The detailed management page for the project page is opened by selecting the required project on the Projects page of the Workspace's browser interface, clicking the control above the listing of projects, and choosing the Open entry on the associated menu. Alternatively, double-click directly on the required project entry in the list. The page will open in a new browser tab.

The Activities view on the detailed management page for the project where the status of the publish to PLM process can be checked

You will always be able to see exactly what has been created, such as part numbers in the PLM instance, as part of the process workflow's history (History tab).