Interaction with your connected Workspace can be made from various areas, but there are two main places:
Altium Designer connects to a Workspace. That Workspace can be delivered in one of the following ways:
From a purely component management perspective, much of the day-to-day interaction with your Workspace will be performed from within Altium Designer, through the
Components panel.
This page takes a look at accessing your Workspace from within Altium Designer.
For an Altium 365 Workspace, it is assumed that you have been added to the team for at least one Workspace – either your own organization's Workspace or that of another organization. If you do not yet have an Altium 365 Workspace in your own organization, Altium Designer will guide you through its activation, when you attempt to connect.
Connecting to Your Altium 365 Workspace
First, ensure that you are signed in to your AltiumLive account through Altium Designer. Use the Sign in entry of the Current User control associated menu to sign in (learn more).
When signed in, you can connect to your Altium 365 Workspace. To do so, click on the 
control at the top-right of the main application window. In the subsequent menu, all Altium 365 Workspaces that are available to you will be listed across two sections:
-
My Workspaces – these are Altium 365 Workspaces that you have activated for your own organization and for which you are the owner.
-
Shared With Me – these are Altium 365 Workspaces to which you have been invited and subsequently added as a member (i.e., you are not the owner of these Workspaces).
Click the entry for the specific Altium 365 Workspace you wish to connect to.
All Altium 365 Workspaces are presented automatically by having signed in to your AltiumLive account.
Click to access a Workspace from all those available to you.
If your organization does not yet have an Altium 365 Workspace, a link will be provided to an area with which to do so. The Manage link takes you to your AltiumLive account profile page from where you can activate, and then manage, Altium 365 Workspaces available to you. Click the My Altium 365 link to access the Altium 365 Platform Interface. In either case, clicking a link will open your default Browser (if not already) and open the relevant target in a new tab.
Connection when Opening or Creating a Project
You can also connect to your Altium 365 Workspace from the Open Project and Create Project dialogs, when wanting to open an existing project, or create a new project, respectively. In either case, select the 
entry in the Locations region of the dialog, then click on the button for the required Workspace.
Connect to a Workspace through the Open Project and Create Project dialogs.
You will be connected to the Workspace, with the dialog updated to present the Workspace's name in the Locations region. For the Open Project dialog, the main area will populate with projects currently in the Workspace and that are shared with you. The Create Project dialog will present the controls and options for defining a new project within the Workspace.
Once connected, the location will update with the name of the Workspace, and the relevant dialog content presented.
Automatic Connection to an Altium 365 Workspace
If you are a member of the team for one or more Altium 365 Workspaces and have nominated one of these to be the default Altium 365 Workspace, then you will connect directly to that Workspace when initially signing in to your Altium account (through Altium Designer) using your AltiumLive credentials. After that, each time you sign in to your account within Altium Designer the last connected Workspace will be automatically connected – all set ready to continue designing where you left off.
Setting the default Altium 365 Workspace is performed from the
Workspaces section of your AltiumLive profile page (
https://profile.altium.com/) by clicking the
button associated with the required Workspace and selecting the
Set as default option from the associated menu (the
label will be shown in the Workspace's tile on the page).
Read-only Altium 365 Workspace
If there is no active subscription across any of the Altium Designer licensing for a company's account with Altium (to which that company's Altium 365 Workspace is associated), then that Workspace will switch over to being Read-only. All team members will still be able to view/work with existing content in the Workspace, but will not be able to modify that existing content in any way, nor create any new content.
When connecting to a Read-only Workspace, a warning dialog will be presented and the icon for the connected Workspace will present as 
.
Connecting to a Workspace that has been switched to Read-only mode.
Use of existing content in a read-only Workspace is only permitted for the time period defined in the
Data Retention Policy.
Connecting to Your Enterprise Server Workspace
Connect to your Enterprise Server Workspace from within Altium Designer by clicking the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. 
). This will be the user that is currently signed into AltiumLive through this instance of Altium Designer. In the subsequent menu choose the Custom connection command. The Sign in dialog will appear, with which to connect to the target Workspace. Enter the URL for the Workspace and your Workspace access credentials, then click the 
button.
It can be a good idea to enable the Sign in automatically option so that the entered URL and access credentials are stored and you don't have to repeatedly enter them to access the Workspace when starting Altium Designer.
Connecting to your Enterprise Server Workspace from within Altium Designer.
Options and Controls of the Sign in Dialog
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Server Address – use this field to enter the location URL of the Workspace to which you want to connect. The format for this is:
<ComputerName>:<PortNumber>. Use the drop-down arrow then choose Preferences to access the Data Management – Servers page of the Preferences dialog to manage Workspaces.
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User Name – enter an existing, valid user name for a Workspace.
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Password – enter the password that corresponds to the User Name.
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Sign in automatically – enable to automatically sign in to the Workspace when Altium Designer is started.
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Use Windows Session credentials – enable to use your active Windows Session credentials to log into the Workspace. The User Name field will display your Windows username. This enables you to log into the Workspace without the need to create and remember an additional password.
-
Sign in – click to log into the Workspace using the above settings.
The Enterprise Server Workspace's URL (Server Address) will be in the format http://<ComputerName>:<PortNumber> (e.g. http://impala:9780 for an Enterprise Server installed using the default port assignment). If the Workspace is being accessed from an instance of Altium Designer that is running on the same computer on which the Enterprise Server is installed, you may also use http://localhost:9780. If you want to connect using your Windows login credentials – taking advantage of the Workspace's support for Windows Authentication – enable the Use Windows Session credentials option.
The Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server relies on a number of Microsoft runtime components for successful operation and access, in some situations these may not be present on the target machine. If you receive an error message about a missing library (DLL) when you attempt to connect to your Enterprise Server Workspace, it indicates that there are missing Microsoft runtime components. Obtain and install the relevant Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package for your OS.
Connecting to a 'Known' Enterprise Server Workspace
If you have previously connected to your Enterprise Server Workspace from within the same instance of Altium Designer, it will become a Known Server. If this is the case, you can connect to that Workspace from within Altium Designer in a more streamlined fashion. To do so, click on the 
control at the top-right of the main application window. In the subsequent menu, choose the entry for your Workspace, in the CUSTOM CONNECTIONS grouping. If you enabled the Sign in automatically option when accessing that Workspace previously, you will be connected straight away. If this option was not enabled, the Sign in dialog will appear, with which to connect to the target Workspace. Enter the URL for the Workspace, and your Workspace access credentials, then click the button.
Connecting to your Enterprise Server Workspace from within Altium Designer, when that Workspace is already known.
Note that when the
Sign in automatically option is enabled, you will be connected to the Workspace as the user that last connected through the
Sign in dialog. If you need to connect as a different user, you will need to use the
Custom connection command in the menu associated with the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g.
).
You can also access your 'known' Workspace from the
Open Project and
Create Project dialogs, when wanting to open an existing project, or create a new project, respectively. In either case, select the
entry in the
Locations region of the dialog, then click the button relevant to that Workspace on the right-hand side. Again, if you need to connect as a different user, you will need to use the
Custom connection command in the menu associated with the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g.
).
Connecting to an Enterprise Server Workspace from Different Computers
Support is provided for connecting to your Enterprise Server Workspace using the same credentials but from different computers (other than the computer on which the Enterprise Server is installed). If you attempt to connect to a Workspace that you are already connected to from another computer – either through Altium Designer or the Workspace's browser-based interface – a pop-up dialog will alert you to this. You can choose from two options offered in the dialog:
-
Terminate existing session – close the existing session that you have on the other computer and continue to login to the Workspace from the current computer.
-
Start new session – login to the Workspace from the current computer by using an additional connection license and thereby keep logged into the Workspace from the other computer as well.
The same user can be accessing an Enterprise Server Workspace concurrently in different ways (e.g., connected through Altium Designer AND signed-in through an external Browser) and it only counts as a single connection from the licensing perspective, when access is made from the same PC. If the same user accesses that Enterprise Server Workspace from different PCs, each different PC access will require a separate connection (so extra seat of a Client Access License). You will therefore only be able to log in from the current computer as well, provided you have enough Client Access Licenses (CAL) remaining.
Application of Environment Configurations
When connecting to a Workspace that has defined Environment Configurations, the configuration service determines the environment configuration to be used for that user, and changes the relevant areas of the Altium Designer environment to enforce the permitted data elements of that configuration.
If the user is assigned to several roles, and multiple environment configurations can apply, the user will be given the choice of which environment configuration to be applied when they sign-in. Choice is made from the Select a Configuration dialog.
If multiple environment configurations apply to a user, that user will be presented with the choice at the time of connecting to the Workspace, through the Select a configuration dialog
Options and Controls of the Select a Configuration Dialog
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Name / Description - the name and description of the configuration that you created in the browser-based interface. Select the desired configuration.
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Remember my choice - enable to remember the selected configuration when signing in. When this is enabled, the dialog will not appear for any future sign in.
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Work as administrator - enable to work as an administrator, which allows you to work within the software and with a server without any restrictions.
The Work as administrator option is available only if you are an administrator for the server and at least one applicable Environment Configuration applies.
If the user is also an Administrator for the Workspace, they have the option to Work as administrator. This allows them to work within Altium Designer, and with the Workspace, without any restrictions.
If no configuration is available for a user, then their working environment will simply be configured with the latest revision of all released Items that are supported by an environment configuration - as though a default configuration were being applied. If there is at least one released revision of a particular Data Item in the Workspace, then that Item Revision will be used - no local file-based entities (e.g., templates) will be available for use.
If multiple environment configurations apply to a user, but they cancel out of choosing one, they will not be able to connect to the Workspace. They will therefore be prevented from accessing design Items in that Workspace and any of the Workspace's provided services.
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If multiple configuration data items have been defined for a particular design element within an environment configuration, Altium Designer will be configured to provide the user with a choice from those items.
-
If an environment configuration applicable to a user has not been fully defined - i.e. not all data configuration items have been specified/added - those undefined elements of the environment will remain manually definable by the user. This is true also for those applicable elements that are set to Do Not Control.
-
When connected to an Enterprise Server Workspace and having a remembered selection of the environment configuration (using the Remember my choice option), the use of a specific configuration can be disabled or the choice can be changed through the Connection Properties dialog accessed from the Data Management – Servers page of the Preferences dialog by clicking the Properties control for the entry of the Workspace and selecting Connection.
Checking Connection Status
You can check whether you are currently connected to a Workspace from the following places:
-
The menu associated with the Active Server control, at the top-right of the main application window. When actively connected to a Workspace, the control will reflect the name of that Workspace (e.g. 
for an Altium 365 Workspace or 
for an Enterprise Server Workspace). The currently connected Workspace will also be highlighted in the associated menu (and is distinguished by the 
/
icon). Clicking the entry provides access to browse the content of that Workspace through Altium Designer's Explorer panel. Clicking the 
icon provides access to the Workspace's browser interface (through your default Browser).
Verification of being connected to your Workspace. Shown here is an example for an Altium 365 Workspace. Hover the cursor over the image to see an example for an Enterprise Server Workspace.
The Current User control itself reflects the user who is currently signed in to the AltiumLive account or to the active Enterprise Server Workspace (e.g.
).
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The Data Management – Servers page of the Preferences dialog. When connected to the Workspace, that Workspace will be presented as the Active Server.
You can only be actively connected to one Workspace through the software at a time and this could be an Altium 365 Workspace or an Enterprise Server Workspace. If you have previously connected to other Workspaces from that instance of Altium Designer, they will be listed as Known Servers. While actively connected to one Workspace, you could also be connected to another (it will not be the active Workspace).
Once connected to the Workspace, it will become the Active Server. Shown here is an example for an Altium 365 Workspace. Hover the cursor over the image to see an example for an Enterprise Server Workspace.
-
The Explorer panel. When connected, the Workspace will be available from the menu associated with clicking on the name of the Workspace currently being browsed.
Note that all connected Workspaces will be listed, but only one will be active and is distinguished by the inclusion of the
icon and its name in bold.
Browsing the Active Server through the Explorer panel in Altium Designer.
Switching Workspaces
You can quickly switch between any of the Workspaces available to you. To do so, click the Active Server control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. or ). In the subsequent menu choose the entry for the Workspace you wish to switch to. You will be disconnected from the current Workspace, then momentarily connected to the chosen Workspace.
When multiple Workspaces are available, you can quickly switch between them.
If switching to an Enterprise Server Workspace and the
Sign in automatically option was enabled when accessing that Workspace previously, you will be connected straight away. If this option was not enabled, the
Sign in dialog will appear, with which to connect to the target Workspace. Enter the URL for the Workspace, and your Workspace access credentials, then click the
button. Note that when the
Sign in automatically option is enabled, you will be connected to the Workspace as the user that last connected through the
Sign in dialog. If you need to connect as a different user, you will need to use the
Custom connection command in the menu associated with the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g.
).
Managing Your Workspace
From within Altium Designer, you have the ability to manage certain aspects of your connected Workspace. This is performed from the Data Management – Servers page of the Preferences dialog. Click the Properties control associated with the Workspace – in the Active Server region of the page – to access the commands, illustrated in the following image and detailed thereafter.
Accessing commands to manage various properties of the actively connected Workspace. Shown here is an example for a connected Altium 365 Workspace. Hover the cursor over the image to see an example for a connected Enterprise Server Workspace.
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Server configuration – use this command to access the Workspace's browser interface in your default Browser. If you are an Administrator for the Workspace you will be taken to the Admin – Settings page of the browser interface.
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Lifecycles – use this command to access the Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog, with which to manage the defined lifecycles for the Workspace.
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Naming schemes – use this command to access the Edit Revision Naming Schemes dialog, with which to manage the defined revision naming schemes for the Workspace.
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Operations – use this command to access the Edit Operation Permissions dialog, with which to define and manage global operation permissions for the Workspace.
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Connection (only for an Enterprise Server Workspace) – use this command to access the Connection Properties dialog, with which to configure your connection to the Workspace.
For another Workspace to which you have a connection (connected or disconnected), you will only have access to the Server configuration and Connection commands.
Disconnecting from Your Workspace
You can disconnect from your Workspace from within Altium Designer, in the following ways:
-
By clicking the Active Server control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. or ). In the subsequent menu, click the disconnect control (
) at the far right of the entry for the currently connected Workspace.
-
By clicking the 
button, associated with the Active Server, on the Data Management – Servers page of the Preferences dialog. A confirmation dialog will appear – click Yes.
Your access to the Workspace will also be terminated when you exit Altium Designer. In addition, and for an Administrator of your Workspace, there is the provision to drop a session from the Admin – Sessions page of the Workspace's browser interface. For an Altium 365 Workspace, this would then allow the administrator to remove that user from the Workspace team (something that could not otherwise be done if the user were actively using the Workspace). For an Enterprise Server Workspace, this can be used to terminate an existing session and thereby free up a connection to that Enterprise Server Workspace.
Working in the Workspace
Once you are connected to your Workspace, you can access and create content. From a purely component management perspective, much of the day-to-day interaction with your Workspace will be performed from within Altium Designer through the Components panel. You can also access the Workspace content from Altium Designer using the Explorer panel.
When you are working in Altium Designer, you access full Workspace content through the Explorer panel. For component management only, you'll tend to use the Components panel.
To display a panel:
-
Click the
button at the bottom-right of Altium Designer and select the required panel from the menu that appears.
-
Choose the required panel entry from the View » Panels main menu.
To work with Workspace design projects, an Altium Designer VCS Provider - Git software extension must be installed (installed with Altium Designer by default). The extension can be manually installed/removed or updated from the Altium Designer Extensions and Updates page (select the Extensions and Updates option from the Current User control menu at the top-right of the design space, e.g., 
).
See
Extending & Updating Your Installation for more information on installing and managing Altium Designer extensions.
