Working with a Layer Stack Table Object on a PCB in Altium Designer

Created: Oktober 06, 2021 | Updated: Oktober 06, 2021 | Applies to version: 21

This document is no longer available beyond version 21. Information can now be found here: Layer Stack Table for version 24

Parent page: PCB Objects

A Layer Stack Table can be placed on a PCB document alongside the design itself. It provides a detailed summary of the board layer stackups and how the layer groups are assigned.

Summary

A Layer Stack Table is a tabular graphic object that documents the layers, materials, thicknesses, and dielectric constants implemented in the current PCB design. It is placed and positioned alongside the board design in the design space and also includes a graphical key and option map that shows the layer stack used in each region of the board. A Layer Stack Table is an important documentation asset for designs with a complex layer stack structure, such as a rigid-flex design.

The Layer Stack Table is an intelligent design object, meaning it can be placed and updated as the design progresses in the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel.

Availability

The Layer Stack Table is available in the PCB editor when the design space view is set to normal 2D mode (shortcut 2). It is available for placement in the following ways:

Choose Place » Layer Stack Table from the main menus.
Right-click in the design space then choose Place » Layer Stack Table from the context menu.

Placement

Before accessing the placement command, switch to the board layer you would like the table placed on – usually, a mechanical layer. This can be changed later.

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter Layer Stack Table placement mode. Placement is made by performing the following sequence of actions:

Click to place the table.
The editor remains in Layer Stack Table placement mode, ready to place another table if required. If not, right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.

Note the Board Map that appears below the table. This is an outline of the board showing how the various layer stacks are assigned to regions of the board. The Board Map can be disabled or scaled by using the Show Board Map option in the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel.

Additional actions that can be performed during placement while the layer stack table is still floating on the cursor and before the center point of the layer stack table is anchored are:

Press the Tab key to pause the placement and access the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel from where its properties can be changed on the fly. Click the pause button overlay ( ) to resume placement.
Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.
Press the Spacebar to rotate the layer stack table counterclockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in increments of 90°.

While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to access the Properties panel), keep in mind that these will become the default settings for further placement unless the Permanent option on the PCB Editor - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.

Graphical Editing

To move a Layer Stack Table, click, hold and drag the table to the desired location.

Select and drag to reposition a Layer Stack Table.

To remove a Layer Stack Table, select it then press the Delete key.

If attempting to graphically modify an object that has its Locked property enabled, a dialog will appear asking for confirmation to proceed with the edit. If the Protect Locked Objects option is enabled on the PCB Editor - General page of the Preferences dialog, and the Locked option for that design object is enabled as well, then that object cannot be selected or graphically edited. Click the locked object to select it then disable the Locked property in the List panel or disable the Protect Locked Objects option to graphically edit the object.

Non-Graphical Editing

The following methods of non-graphical editing are available.

The table size is automatically scaled to fit the included text; reducing the font size (Text Height) will shrink the table to match.

Editing via the Layer Stack Table Dialog or Properties Panel

Properties page: Layer Stack Table Properties

This method of editing uses the associated Layer Stack Table dialog and Properties panel to modify the properties of a Layer Stack Table object.

The Layer Stack Table dialog on the left and the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel on the right

During placement, the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel can be accessed by pressing the Tab key. Once the Layer Stack Table is placed, all options appear.

After placement, the Layer Stack Table dialog can be accessed by:

Double-clicking on the placed Layer Stack Table object.
Placing the cursor over the Layer Stack Table object, right-clicking then choosing Properties from the context menu.

After placement, the Layer Stack Table mode of the Properties panel can be accessed in one of the following ways:

If the Properties panel is already active, by selecting the Layer Stack Table object.
After selecting the Layer Stack Table object, select the Properties panel from the Panels button at the bottom right of the design space or select View » Panels » Properties from the main menu.

If the Double Click Runs Interactive Properties option is disabled (default) on the PCB Editor - General page of the Preferences dialog, when the primitive is double-clicked or you right-click on a selected primitive then choose Properties, the dialog will open. When the Double Click Runs Interactive Properties option is enabled, the Properties panel will open.

While the options are the same in the dialog and the panel, the order and placement of the options may differ slightly.

Press Ctrl+Q to toggle the units of measurement currently used in the panel between metric (mm) and imperial (mil). This only affects the display of measurements in the panel, it does not change the measurement unit specified for the board - this is configured in the Units setting in the Properties panel when there are no objects selected in the editing design space.

Editing Multiple Objects

The Properties panel supports editing multiple objects, where the property settings that are identical in all currently selected objects may be modified. When multiples of the same object type are selected manually, via the Find Similar Objects dialog or through a Filter or List panel, a Properties panel field entry that is not shown as an asterisk (*) may be edited for all selected objects.

Editing via a List Panel

A List panel allows you to display design objects from one or more documents in tabular format, enabling quick inspection and modification of object attributes. When used in conjunction with the Filter panel, it enables the display of just those objects falling under the scope of the active filter – allowing you to target and edit multiple design objects with greater accuracy and efficiency.

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