Working with Tables
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A Draftsman document allows a range of data tables to be placed on the drawing and configured as required. The tabular data is directly derived from the project PCB document and provides a simple, visual way to convey crucial information for the PCB fabrication and assembly processes.
The type of table to be placed can be selected from the Place main menu.
Bill Of Materials Copy Link Copied
A Draftsman bill of materials (Place » Bill Of Materials) is an automatically generated table object that lists the physical assembly items in a PCB design. The BOM table data is derived directly from the project ActiveBOM document or, if the ActiveBOM document is not present in the current project, directly from the project source documents. A BOM table can also represent the constituent items from a specified design variant or a placed board assembly view.
A bill of materials table split over two BOM objects. In the above example, the BOM content is filtered to include the items from the top side board assembly view.
The visual style and included data content of a placed bill of materials table are configurable in the Properties panel when the table is selected in the design space. General table properties are configured on the General tab of the panel (
).
Title |
|
| Title | The title name string that will be displayed (if enabled) with the table. Use the associated |
| Location | Select the drop-down to choose from a range of relative locations for the title. The Manual option is automatically selected if the title is manually moved (dragged and dropped to a new location). |
| Font | Sets the font used for the title.
|
Properties |
|
| Table Line Style | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the table. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Justification | Select the point relative to which the position of the table is changed if its size is updated. |
| Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for even rows in the table. |
| Non-Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for odd rows in the table. |
| Font | Sets the font used for the table data content.
|
| Data Source | This option and the potential presence of an ActiveBOM document in the project determine the data included in the table:
|
| Assembly View | Use the drop-down menu options to filter the listed BOM entries to the items shown in a specified board assembly view. |
| View Mode |
|
| Variant | Use the drop-down menu to select a design variant, if available, as a data source for the BOM table. The table will reflect entries that are not included or have varied parameters, according to the Show Components option. |
| Show Components | When a variant is selected, use the drop-down to select which component entries to be included in the list:
|
Pages |
|
| BOM Table ID | A numeric identifier for a BOM table instance. The complete table may be split over several BOM table objects (pages) and the ID remains in common. |
| Limit Page Height | When checked, the BOM table is divided into a sequence of virtual pages each with the height specified in the Max Page Height property. |
| Max Page Height | Sets the height, and therefore, the included number of rows, in each page of the table. Only one page is included in a placed BOM table object (see Page below), and additional BOM table objects are placed to cover all pages. |
| Page | Indicates the table page number (1 from 2, 3 from 5, etc.) that is shown in the selected BOM table object. Use the associated drop-down menu to specify the desired page for the currently selected BOM table object. |
| Show Empty Lines | When checked, blank rows in the BOM table are shown. These are typically on the last page of a BOM table where the specified page height has exceeded the number of available BOM data rows. |
button to toggle the title's visibility in the drawing.
Use the Properties panel's Columns tab to manage the BOM table's data columns.
Manipulate the columns of a placed BOM table in the Columns tab of the Properties panel.
-
The entries may be edited to specify the BOM table's included (visible) columns and their text alignment (Align).
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Use Width entry to define the width of the column in relation to the text it contains. Enter
Autoto have the width dynamically vary to suit the widest column cell text. -
Click within the Order column to cycle between table column data sort order options (off, ascending, and descending). Sorting can be applied to multiple columns on a priority basis, where ordered columns to the left in the table have the higher priority.
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BOM table headings may be changed by entering an Alias for a table column parameter name – applies if an ActiveBOM document is not determining the table content (see Data Source above).
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Use column type filter checkboxes to populate the available columns list with matching parameter data types: BOM (
), schematic (
), server (
), PCB (
). Deselect all types to list only those columns that are visible in the BOM table.
-
Use
and 
buttons to move the selected entry up or down by one count and, therefore, to the left or right in the BOM table column order. Available for columns set to visible.
-
Click the
button to restore the table columns to the default entries (as defined by the BOM table object's defaults on the Draftsman – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog).
Split BOM Tables
The bill of materials for most advanced PCB projects tends to have a large number of entries, which can be difficult to recreate as a table that will fit into a drawing document. Rather than resorting to font and table scaling, multiple custom table entries or an external document, the split BOM capability allows a BOM table to be presented over a number of 'pages.'
To create a multi-page BOM table, select a placed BOM (which is likely to exceed the document sheet height) and check the Limit Page Height box in the Properties panel’s Pages region. This will restrict the height of the table to the nominated height entry (Max Page Height, mm) and, therefore, the number of lines shown in the BOM table.
Draftsman detects that the entire BOM is not shown, as indicated by the panel's Page entry (for example, Page 1 from 2), and the associated drop-down menu allows you to nominate which page is shown. To add further pages of the BOM (here, BOM Table ID = 0), place another BOM and specify the next Page in the Pages region of the Properties panel.
Since each page of the BOM is placed by adding another BOM table and then configuring it accordingly, the individual BOM pages (sections) can be placed on any sheet in a Draftsman document. To place another, different set of split BOM pages, specify an alternative BOM Table ID on a placed BOM – say, 1 rather than 0.
Drill Table Copy Link Copied
A Draftsman drill table (Place » Drill Table) is an automatically generated table object that contains board drill symbols and data. The drill table, combined with Draftsman's drill drawing view, provides both tabular and graphic information for the board fabrication process. A symbol row, representing a specified type of drill hole, can include a range of hole information such as its size, plated construction, and population count. Holes types are grouped under symbols as specified in the Drill Symbol Configurations dialog.
A placed drill table with hole entries grouped by size
When the GOST 2.701-2008/2.106-1996 software extension is installed for your Altium Designer installation, values in the Plated column of the drill table are shown as Есть (for plated holes) and Нет (for non-plated holes). 
For more information about managing extensions, refer to the Extending Your Installation page.
The visual style and data content of a placed drill table, including the symbol used, are configurable in the Properties panel when the table is selected in the design space. General table properties are configured on the General tab of the panel (
).
Title |
|
| Title | The title name string that will be displayed (if enabled) with the table. Use the associated |
| Location | Select the drop-down to choose from a range of relative locations for the title. The Manual option is automatically selected if the title is manually moved (dragged and dropped to a new location). |
| Font | Sets the font used for the title.
|
Properties |
|
| Layer Pairs | Select which PCB drill layer pair holes will be displayed in the drawing view. Use the drop-down menu to choose from the layer pairs available in the source board design, as can be viewed and edited in the PCB editor, which can be accessed from the Layer Stack Manager. All board designs will have a Top - Bottom layer pair, while other pairs will represent via holes passing between or to other layers, such as internal/plane layers. |
| Pads / Vias | Use the drop-down to select which type of drill hole (Pads, Vias, or All) will be shown in the table. |
| Plated / Non-Plated | Use the drop-down to select the hole plating type (Plated, Non-Plated, or All) that will be shown in the table. |
| Border Line Style | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the table's border/outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Justification | Select the point relative to which the position of the table is changed if its size is updated. |
| Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for even rows in the table. |
| Non-Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for odd rows in the table. |
| Font | Sets the font used for the table data content.
|
| Show Footer | Check to enable the table footer, which shows the total number of drill holes. |
 |
Select to open the Drill Symbol Configurations dialog, which provides a tabular view of all drill hole data and allows the setting of the style and size for each hole symbol (learn more). |
Units |
|
| Primary Units | Select the primary measurement unit type that will be shown in the table. Use the associated When the Document : <Units> option is selected as the Primary Units, the primary units specified for the document are applied to the table. The document-level primary units are selected using the Primary Units drop-down in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
| Dual Units | Select the secondary (dual) measurement unit type that will be shown in the table. Use the associated When the Document : <Units> option is selected as the Dual Units, the dual units specified for the document are applied to the table. The document-level dual units are selected using the Dual Units drop-down in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
Precision |
|
| Primary Units | Use the Value Precision drop-down menu to set the precision accuracy definition (up to five digits to the right of the decimal point, with the last digit rounded) for the primary (main) hole size table entries. When the Document : <Precision> option is selected, the primary unit value/tolerance precision specified for the document is applied to the table. The document-level primary unit value and tolerance precision are selected using the Value Precision and Tolerance Precision options for Primary Units in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
| Dual Units | Use the Value Precision drop-down menu to set the precision accuracy definition (up to five digits to the right of the decimal point, with the last digit rounded) for the dual (secondary) hole size entries, if enabled. When the Document : <Precision> option is selected, the dual unit value/tolerance precision specified for the document is applied to the dimension. The document-level dual unit value and tolerance precision are selected using the Value Precision and Tolerance Precision options for Dual Units in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
Use the Properties panel's Columns tab to manage the drill table's data columns (
).
-
The entries may be edited to specify the drill table's included (visible) columns and their Horizontal and Vertical alignment.
-
Use Width entry to define the width of the column in relation to the text it contains. Enter
Autoto have the width dynamically vary to suit the widest column cell text. -
Click within the Order column to cycle between table column data sort order options (off, ascending, and descending). Sorting can be applied to multiple columns on a priority basis, where ordered columns to the left in the table have the higher priority.
-
Drill table headings may be changed by entering a Caption for a table column parameter name.
-
Use
and 
buttons to move the selected entry up or down by one count and, therefore, to the left or right in the drill table column order. Available for columns set to visible.
The drill table's symbol styles and the grouping of drill hole types under those symbols are determined by the settings in the Drill Symbol Configurations dialog opened by clicking the button in the Properties panel (in the Properties region of the General tab) when the table is selected in the design space.
| Symbol Graphics | Use the drop-down to select the desired hole representation graphic from a range of pre-determined shapes and letters. |
| Sync Symbols with PCB | When enabled, the symbols in the drill table are synchronized with those in the PCB. |
| Symbol Size Table | Enter the desired size of the symbol table.
|
| Symbol Size View | Enter the desired size of the symbol view. To access and edit this field, the link icon must display as unlinked ( ). Click the link icon to toggle the link status. |
| Symbol Line Style | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the symbol graphics' border/outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Grouping | The chosen criteria will group the selections under one symbol. For example, if only HoleSize is selected, an individual symbol will be assigned to each hole size used in the PCB. As further grouping options are selected, the symbol assignment will differentiate the additional criteria by creating a finer grouping scheme. |
You can define default settings for Symbol Size Table, Symbol Size View, Symbol Line Style, and Grouping using the Draftsman – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog. On this page, select Drill Table in the Primitive List and open the Drill Symbol tab in the properties region at the right (
).
Transmission Line Table Copy Link Copied
The calculations applied in impedance-controlled routing result in trace structures that aim to satisfy a target transmission line impedance and, therefore, the board design’s high-speed and/or EMF requirements. Board layers and their specified or calculated properties are accessed through the Layer Stack Manager, where impedance-controlled routing layers are associated with definable impedance profiles. The board materials and dimensions in each profile are applied to its transmission line impedance calculations, which results in a given trace structure. The structure accommodates both single traces and differential pairs, and stripline (internal) or microstrip (surface) board layer formats.
For more information about configuring impedance profiles, refer to the Defining the Layer Stack page.
Since the structure and associated data for each transmission line definition in the board layer stack is important information for the PCB manufacturing process, Draftsman includes a dedicated transmission line table object (Place » Transmission Line Table) to document this information. The table is populated by data drawn from the Layer Stack Manager and its transmission line impedance calculations.
A placed transmission line table
The visual style and data content of a placed transmission line table are configurable in the Properties panel when the table is selected in the design space. General table properties are configured on the General tab of the panel (
).
Title |
|
| Title | The title name string that will be displayed (if enabled) with the table. Use the associated |
| Location | Select the drop-down to choose from a range of relative locations for the title. The Manual option is automatically selected if the title is manually moved (dragged and dropped to a new location). |
| Font | Sets the font used for the title.
|
Properties |
|
| Table Line Style | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the table's lines. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Justification | Select the point relative to which the position of the table is changed if its size is updated. |
| Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for even rows in the table. |
| Non-Even Row Color | Select the contrasting color for odd rows in the table. |
| Caption Font | Sets the font used for the table data content.
|
| Rows Font | Sets the font used for the body of the table (the text in the table rows).
|
Units |
|
| Primary Units | Select the primary measurement unit type that will be shown in the table. Use the associated When the Document : <Units> option is selected, the primary units specified for the document are applied to the table. The document-level primary units are selected using the Units drop-down in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
| Primary Precision | Select the precision accuracy definition (up to five digits to the right of the decimal point, with the last digit rounded) for the primary units' values. When the Document : <Precision> option is selected, the primary unit value/tolerance precision specified for the document is applied to the table. The document-level primary unit value and tolerance precision are selected using the Value Precision and Tolerance Precision options for Primary Units in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
| Dual Units | Select the secondary (dual) measurement unit type that will be shown in the table. Use the associated When the Document : <Units> option is selected, the dual units specified for the document are applied to the table. The document-level dual units are selected using the Dual_Units drop-down in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
| Dual Precision | Select the precision accuracy definition (up to five digits to the right of the decimal point, with the last digit rounded) for the secondary units' values, if enabled. When the Document : <Precision> option is selected, the dual unit value/tolerance precision specified for the document is applied to the dimension. The document-level dual unit value and tolerance precision are selected using the Value Precision and Tolerance Precision options for Dual Units in the Units region of the General tab of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. |
Use the Properties panel's Columns tab to manage the transmission line's data columns and rows (
).
-
The Columns region provides a list of columns included in the table. Each column entry may be edited by toggling its visibility, renaming its heading (Caption), stepping through its text justification options (Align), or setting a specific or automatic column width measurement (Width). The order of the list entries, and therefore, the column order in the placed table, may be edited by moving the position of a selected column entry using the associated
and 
buttons.
-
The Rows region provides a list of row data in the table ordered by the Impedance Id column, which relates to the named board layers in the source layer stack. Use the visibility control associated with each row entry to toggle its visibility in the table.
Table Copy Link Copied
A Draftsman document allows a generic table to be placed on the drawing and subsequently configured in the Properties panel and in the table cells themselves. The layout and content of the custom table are free to be defined as required by its intended purpose and offer a flexible way to include additional information in any Draftsman document.
A placed table with a range of cell formatting
-
By using both the options available in the table's properties and the table commands, a custom table can be created to suit a wide range of information needs in a Draftsman document. The table shown below, for example, has been constructed to show the information taken from a board stack report.
A custom table can be constructed to host a wide range of different PCB assembly and fabrication information. -
Tables can be included in both Sheet Templates and Document Templates.
Launching the table placement command (Place » Table) will open the Insert table dialog, where the number of rows and columns for the new table can be specified. After clicking OK in the Insert table dialog, the new table is attached to the cursor and can be placed in the desired location with an additional click.
Nominate the number of cells in the table's rows and columns – these can be modified later via a cell's right-click Table commands.
The position of a placed table may be graphically changed by selecting the table object in the design space and then dragging it to a new location using its move handle, i.e., the 
icon at the top left corner.
Drag a selected table's move icon to reposition it in the design space.
The content is added to a table is entered by typing (or pasting) it directly into the cells. Use Ctrl+Enter to add a new line within a cell.
The table's graphics and text attributes are defined in the Properties panel when the table is selected in the design space (
). The table object offers a wide range of text and structure editing features, which can be implemented on a cell row or column basis using the standard Shift+Click or Click, Hold&Drag technique.
Title |
|
| Title | The title name string that will be displayed (if enabled) with the table. Use the associated |
| Location | Select the drop-down to choose from a range of relative locations for the title. The Manual option is automatically selected if the title is manually moved (dragged and dropped to a new location). |
| Font | Sets the font used for the title.
|
Properties |
|
| Outer Line | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the table's border/outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Inner Line | Use the drop-downs to select the line used to render the table's inner lines that divide the cells. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
| Column Width | Sets the width of the selected cell(s) and, therefore the width of the containing column. If the entire table is selected (by clicking on its outline or title), the width setting will be applied to all cells. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the currently selected cells. |
| Row Height | Use this field to adjust the height of a row selected in the design space. Enter the desired height, followed by the imperial or metric unit. |
| Cell Padding Vertical | Sets the spacing below and above the text in the selected cell(s). |
| Cell Padding Horizontal | Sets the spacing to the left and right of the text in the selected cell(s). |
| Font | Sets the font used for the text in the selected cell(s).
|
| Alignment | Use the buttons to set the Horizontal (left, center, or right) and Vertical (top, middle, or bottom) text alignment and positioning in the selected cell(s). |
| Justification | Select the point relative to which the position of the table is changed if its size is updated. |
Special Strings in Table Cells
A table supports the inclusion of Draftsman document parameters as special strings. Project (both local and Workspace-side parameters), system, PCB, and user parameters will be converted to their values when entered as a special string in the table cells. Draftsman document parameters are accessible under the Parameters tab in the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. Refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page to learn more.
The table's handling of parameter strings also includes the ability to correctly transfer special string data to and from a spreadsheet by using standard copy/paste techniques.
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When pasting special strings into a spreadsheet from Draftsman, the target spreadsheet cells will be populated with the string’s interpreted value.
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When pasting special string data from a spreadsheet into Draftsman, the pasted text will be interpreted as a special string value – providing the special string is matched to an available system, project, or user parameter.
Table Structure
Right-click in a cell and select the Table menu from the context menu to access the cell configuration commands. These provide a full set of table manipulation functions for adding and removing columns/rows and merging cells.
The right-click Table commands offer a range of standard table manipulation functions.