Edit Lifecycle Definitions

Created: July 28, 2015 | Updated: June 16, 2017 | Applies to versions: 15.1, 16.0, 16.1, 17.0 and 17.1

Now reading version 16.1. For the latest, read: Edit Lifecycle Definitions for version 21

The Structured Lifecycle tab of the Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog

Summary

The Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog allows you to view and edit the lifecycle of Vault items.

For more information about lifecycle management, click Item Lifecycle Management.

Access

From the Data Management - Vaults page of the Preferences dialog (DXP » Preference), click the Properties button then select Edit Lifecycle Definitions from the drop-down menu.

Options/Controls

Lifecycle Definitions

Lifecycle definitions are stored in your Altium Vault. When you create a new vault, the default definitions are written into it and any edits you perform on the default lifecycles, or any new lifecycle definitions you create, are stored in that vault as well.

Add New Definition - to create a new Lifecycle Definition, click the Add New Definition link at the top of the Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog. A new Lifecycle Definition tab will appear in the dialog, ready to be configured.
Import Definition - click the Import Definition link to open the Open Lifecycle Definition dialog to browse to, and open, the required Lifecycle Definition file. The lifecycle definition will be added to the list of existing lifecycle definitions available to the vault.

Lifecycle Definition

Content Types - click to open the Content Type dialog in which you can select and enable the desired content type(s).
Apply Changes - click to save and apply any changes made in the active lifecycle definition. The active lifecycle definition is whichever lifecycle definition tab you are currently on.
Reset - click to reset all fields in the active revision naming scheme to their defaults. The active lifecycle definition is whichever lifecycle definition tab you are currently on.
Delete - click to delete the active revision naming scheme. The active lifecycle definition is whichever lifecycle definition tab you are currently on.
Clone - click to copy the current lifecycle definition.
Export - click to open the Save Lifecycle Definition dialog to determine where, and under what name, the file is to be saved.
Definition Name - the name assigned to the definition.
Lifecycle Management -
- Simple - only States and State Transitions are involved.
- Advanced - allows definition of Stages into which the states are clustered.

If the Advanced style of lifecycle management is chosen, controls for adding and defining the required stages become available. A single stage – named Design – is provided by default, with the possibility to add a further two stages. To add an additional stage, click the Add Stage link.

States and Transitions

Initial State of Revisions - use to determine the starting state for an Item Revision, i.e., the state for the revision in which it contains no released data – the 'pre-release state'. By default, this state is named Planned. To change it, click the link and use the State Properties dialog to determine its name and a description, as well as text and background colors.
Stage Name - lists the current state. Use the to delete the listed stage. A dialog appears asking for confirmation before the deletion occurs.
State Before and Transitions - use to the paths between the different states. Click to select a state, then use the controls to add, edit or delete a state.
State After - the state after the listed state.

Click on a state in the Stage Name region then use the

controls at the bottom of each to add, move up, move down, push to the stage on the left, or push to the stage on the right.

Tips

Pre-Defined Lifecycle Definition

The Altium Vault provides seven default lifecycle definitions (as well as the ability to define your own):

Basic Lifecycle
Component Lifecycle
Extension Lifecycle
Simple Lifecycle
Simple Lifecycle With Approvals
Structured Lifecycle
Structured Lifecycle with Approvals

The lifecycle definition applied is chosen at the individual Item level when creating an Item. Different Items can therefore have different lifecycle definitions employed for them.

Once a defined lifecycle definition is in use by an Item in the vault, that definition can not be deleted. You can however modify the definition to some extent, including renaming it, modifying its state attributes (color, transitions, applicability, visibility), adding new states to the definition, removing any unused states, and linking stages to revision levels (where applicable). Once an Item is created and an initial release into a planned revision of that Item is made, that Item can not have its lifecycle definition changed to a different one.

The default definitions can be used 'as is' or modified to suit your requirements. New, custom definitions can also be added and configured, as required.

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