Extending Your Altium Designer Installation

Altium Designer's Installation Management System allows you to handcraft your installation of the software at any time after the initial installation. This covers updates to the core functionality (or system resources) and the ability to install, update, or remove additional functionality. The latter is made possible through the provision of optional Extensions. This functionality could include a new importer or exporter, a tool for schematic symbol generation, or maybe support for mechanical CAD collaboration. In short, any targeted packages of functionality that extend and enhance the feature set of the software.

This document takes a dedicated look at the concept of Extensions and, more importantly, their management.

Extensions Management Interface

Additional software functionality, provided through optional extensions, can be browsed, installed and managed through the Extensions and Updates view. This view is accessed by clicking the  control at the top-right of the design space and then choosing the Extensions and Updates command from the menu.

Accessing the Extensions and Updates area - command central from which to efficiently manage the functionality available to the software.

It is from here that you can see which extensions are currently installed, if there are any updates available for them or if additional functionality is available through further extensions. Additionally, you are not constrained in any way - you can freely install, update or remove extension-based functionality at any time as your needs change.

Extensions Explained

Before looking at the workings of the interface provided by the Extensions and Updates view, it's a good idea to take a step back and consider what it is that allows the functionality of the software to be extended - the Extension.

This is a key concept of the system to understand. An extension is effectively an add-on to the software, providing extended features and functionality. A core set of features and functions are installed and handled transparently as part of the initial install, referred to as System Resources. In addition, a range of Optional Extensions are available that are packets of functionality that are optionally installed or removed by the user as required. It is the extension concept that enables the installation to be handcrafted in accordance with design needs.

Customization of an Altium Designer installation essentially boils down to management of the available extensions. Install, update or remove available extensions as and when you need. A range of extensions are available from Altium for use with Altium Designer. In addition, and with the Altium Developer extension, you can extend the functionality of Altium Designer yourself through the use of the Altium Designer SDK (Software Development Kit) - creating your own extensions for the software.

Also inherent to the Altium Developer extension is the dedicated Developer Interface, which is the user interface for managing custom extensions. Part of this interface is a publishing feature that enables you to share those extensions securely with a wider audience through release to a global repository of extensions (a Global Extensions Gallery, if you will). This is a cloud-based Altium Repository that opens up the possibility for third-party developers to offer and trade extensions for Altium Designer through secure distribution, licensing, and installation of the extensions they craft.

Functionality is added to or removed from Altium Designer through installation and removal of optional extensions.

Types of Extensions

As a concept, an optional extension is a single entity - a package of functionality that installs seamlessly into Altium Designer's wider platform environment. However, from the designer's perspective, optional extensions can be further categorized to provide a greater depth of meaning as to just what is being installed. As a result, an optional extension can be classified into one of the following types:

• System Extension - a dedicated package of core platform functionality that has been 'brought out' of the platform and delivered in the guise of an extension. By delivering this functionality as an extension, Altium can deliver updates to that core functionality without having to release an update to the entire platform itself. This streamlines delivery of such functionality to the designer using the software and gives Altium's Developers freedom to enhance areas of the core software platform outside of that platform, all while retaining the cohesive delivery of a unified platform.
• Software Extension - a dedicated add-on for the software that extends its features and functionality in some measurable way. Software extensions can be delivered by Altium itself, or be developed by third parties and traded for a defined purchase price.

Working with the Extensions and Updates View

The following sections take a closer look at working with the Extensions and Updates view to effectively enhance your installation of Altium Designer. The view itself consists of the following distinct 'pages':

• Installed - functionality currently installed as part of your Altium Designer installation. This includes platform functionality (core resources and system extensions) and software extensions. It is from this page that you can configure the core platform by adding or removing features and functionality at any stage after installation directly from within the software.
• Purchased - system extensions and software extensions that you have already purchased that are available for installation to your instance of Altium Designer.
• Updates - any updates that are available for currently-installed extensions (of all types), as well as the main platform itself.

When accessing a page in the view, extension information is retrieved from the location in which that extension is stored. Altium's own extensions are stored in, and information, therefore, retrieved from, a dedicated cloud-based Altium Repository. To force a manual refresh of the extension data, use the Refresh control -  - at the top-right of a page.

Browsing Installed Functionality

Information about your current installation can be readily seen from the Installed page of the view.

Access the Installed page of the view for a summary of what's currently installed in your instance of Altium Designer.

This page presents the following information:

1. The version of the main Altium Designer platform currently installed, along with the user (and computer name) and account under which a valid license of the software is being used. License/subscription notification information is also presented here. When the license/subscription status requires attention, its overview text is highlighted in red - this can be due to an invalid license, an expired (or soon expiring) subscription or a portal connection issue.
2. The system extensions currently installed.
3. The software extensions currently installed.

Browsing and Modifying the Core Feature Set

The core design functionality for your installation can be modified at any time after installation directly from within the Extensions and Updates view. From the Installed page, click the  button at the top-right of the Platform region. This accesses the Configure Platform page, which presents the core feature set for the software including system extensions and is identical in content to that found on the Select Design Functionality page of the Altium Designer Installer.

Configure the core functionality for your installation directly from within Altium Designer.

Features that are already installed have a check in their associated checkbox (). Those that are not currently installed have an empty checkbox (). The following changes can be made:

• To install a feature that is not currently installed, enable it (check its checkbox).
• To remove a feature that is currently installed, disable it (uncheck its checkbox).

Quickly enable all features in a particular section for installation using the corresponding All On control at the top-right of that section.

Make changes to the installed core feature set as required and click the  button, at the top-right of the page. A confirmation dialog will appear, click OK to apply the changes and restart Altium Designer. The instance of Altium Designer will close and a window will appear showing progress, in terms of download of the files required to implement the change(s), followed by the installation of those files. Altium Designer will then be restarted.

Browsing Purchased Extensions

Access the Purchased page of the view to browse a listing of all extension-based functionality currently purchased for your installation of Altium Designer - consisting of system extensions and software extensions. This is functionality that can be optionally added to or removed from your Altium Designer installation.

Browse through a listing of purchased extensions.

By default, only those extensions that have not yet been added to your installation are presented. To view all purchased extensions, regardless of their installation status, disable the Purchased but not installed option at the top-right of a section. An extension that has not yet been installed will reveal the download icon () when you hover over it, while one that is currently installed is indicated by the installed icon ().

On the Purchased page of the view, those extensions will be listed that are available in the source of extensions and updates specified in the preferences of the current Altium Designer installation. Click the icon at the top of the page to open the System - Installation page of the Preferences dialog where you can configure this source. Note that when using the global installation service, you must be signed in to your Altium account - a link will be provided on the page with which to do so if you are not currently signed in. After changing the settings, click OK to save changes and close the Preferences dialog. Click the icon at the top of the Purchased page to refresh the list of the available extensions from the specified source.

Clicking on the name of an extension accesses a detailed page for that extension.

Examine and manage your installation at the individual extension level.

Information includes:

• Who created the extension
• Its version
• Its release date
• Where it is sourced from (the Global Repository or the organization's local server, for example)
• A more detailed description
• Any pertinent release notes

Installing an Extension

An individual extension can be installed in one of two ways:

• From the summary-level Purchased page, hover over the extension and click on the  icon at the top-right of its entry. Hover the mouse over the download icon to view details of the version available.
• From its detailed page, click the  button.

Alternatively, if you want to install all extensions, click the Install All control above a section.

At the summary-level Purchased page, a progress bar will appear that shows progress of the download (getting the file set for that extension from the source repository) and subsequent installation. You can click to install as many extensions as you like; they will be added to a queue, with up to four extensions being downloaded and installed at any given time. Should you need to cancel installation of an extension, click its associated cancel icon ().

A restart of Altium Designer is required after an extension finishes installing in order for the functionality it provides to take effect. A dialog will open alerting you to this; click Yes to restart at that time, or No if you want to install additional extensions. If you click No, the extension will appear on the Installed page with a   icon to indicate a restart is required for its installation to be completed.

Updates

Access the Updates page of the view to browse a listing of all extensions for which there is an update available for all software elements of Altium Designer, including Platform Updates, System Extensions, and Software Extensions.

Browse whether any currently installed extensions or the main platform have an update available.

In the Updates page banner area, click  to refresh the update and license information or the  to configure Altium Designer’s installation and update notification settings. The latter opens the System - Installation page of the Preferences dialog, where you can configure how frequently Altium Designer will check for software updates and notify you. Note that an option is available to check for new updates each time Altium Designer is activated. This is the On Start-up setting in the Check Frequency drop-down menu.

Set how frequently you are notified about new Altium Designer updates.

Updating an Extension

An extension can be updated in one of two ways:

• From the summary-level Updates page, hover over the extension and click the  icon at the top-right of its entry. Hover the mouse over the icon to view details of the version available.
• From its detailed page, click the  button.

Alternatively, if you want to update all system/software extensions, click the Update All control above the relevant section.

At the summary-level Updates page, a progress bar will appear that shows the progress of the download (getting the file set for the later version of that extension from the source repository). As with installation, you can click to update as many extensions as you like. They will be added to a queue with up to four extensions being downloaded at any given time. Should you need to cancel the update of an extension, click its associated cancel icon ().

A restart of Altium Designer is required after an extension finishes updating in order for the later functionality it provides to take effect. A dialog will pop-up alerting you to this; either click Yes to restart at that time or No if you want to update (or install) additional extensions. If you click No, the extension will appear on the Installed page with a  icon to indicate a restart is required for its installation to be completed.

Updating the Main Platform

Altium Designer, i.e. the platform itself, can be updated directly from the Updates page of the Extensions and Updates view.

The page presents all Altium Designer platform updates that are available, arranged in chronological order, to provide a historical view of platform changes since the last update. The most recent version build incorporates the changes from all previous updates. To view further information on any platform update, click on its name link to open a detailed view. In most cases, this will provide an expanded description of the update's function and Release Notes that summarize its changes over the previous version.

Update to a new version of Altium Designer directly from within the current version.

To download and install a software update listed under the main Updates tab:

1. Click its associated  button that appears when you hover the mouse cursor over the update entry name (hovering over the icon also reveals the version number of the new update). Alternatively, if browsing the detailed view for the update, click the  button. If your license or subscription status does not allow the update, or you are not logged into the Altium portal, a warning message will pop up to indicate the issue.
2. A progress bar will appear that shows the progress of the download (essentially getting the installer for the later version from the secure cloud-based Altium repository). Should you need to cancel the update, click its associated cancel icon ().
3. A confirmation dialog will open alerting you to the fact that a restart is required to install the platform update; click Yes. The instance of Altium Designer will close and a window will open (essentially the Updating Altium Designer page of the Installer wizard) showing progress in terms of download of the files required to implement the update followed by the installation of those files.
4. Altium Designer will then be restarted.

Uninstalling an Extension

A currently installed extension can be uninstalled in one of two ways:

• From the summary-level Installed page, hover over it and click on the  icon at the top-right of its entry.
• From its detailed page, click the  button.

Be sure to restart Altium Designer after you have finished uninstalling the required extensions in order for their functionality to be removed from the installation. A dialog will pop-up alerting you to this; click Yes to restart at that time or No if you want to make additional changes to your installation. If you click No, the extension will appear on the Purchased page with a  icon to indicate a restart is required for its removal to be completed.