Data Management - Suppliers

     The Data Management – Suppliers page of the Preferences dialog (signed into the Vault (first image) and signed out of the Vault (second image)

Summary

The Data Management – Suppliers page of the Preferences dialog provides controls to configure the Suppliers made available when using the Live Links to Supplier Data feature. 

Access

The Data Management – Suppliers page is part of the main Preferences dialog (DXP » Preferences) and is accessed by clicking the Suppliers entry under the Data Management folder in the left-hand pane of the dialog.

Options/Controls

Altium Parts Options

• Location - check the Enabled box(es) of the locations in which you want to search for your parts.
  • Move Up and Move Down - click to move the currently selected location up or down one position on the list. The order determines the priority given to each Location when returning matching real-world parts in a parts search.
• Currency - check the Enabled box(es) of your preferred currency for your parts.
  • Move Up and Move Down - click to move the currently selected currency up or down one position on the list. The order determines the priority given to each Currency when returning matching real-world parts in a parts search.
• Supplier - Check the Enabled option for each desired Supplier to be able to search that Supplier's database from within Altium Designer and link Altium Designer components to matching supplier items. You can choose to enable any combination of these Suppliers, for use with the Live Links to Supplier Data feature. By including more Suppliers for use with the feature, you are able to compare and shop for the best deals on the components required by your design. A Supplier with a  in the Verified column denotes that Altium receives data directly from that supplier.
  • Text Box - use to filter the Supplier list. Enter the desired Supplier name. The list is filtered as you enter text.
  •  - click to check all bo xes in the Enabled column of the Supplier region.
  •  - click to check no boxes in the Enabled column of the Supplier region.

The Supplier listing is provided by the Altium Parts Provider extension that is installed by default when installing Altium Designer. If desired, the Altium Parts Provider extension can be uninstalled. To uninstall, go to the Installed tab under the Extensions & Updates tab (DXP » Extensions and Updates) and find the Altium Parts Provider icon (shown below), then hover the cursor over the icon and click  to uninstall.

To reinstall the  Altium Parts Provider extension, go to the Purchased tab under the Extensions & Updates tab (DXP » Extensions and Updates) and find the Altium Parts Provider icon then click the to install.

Suggested Keywords

To make searching for parts in Suppliers' databases more efficient, the software fills a suggested keyword into the Keywords field at the top of the Add Supplier Links dialog based on the parameters from the source Altium Designer design component. The following fields/parameters are used by default: Comment, Description, and Name. Parameter Name is listed in order of priority.

• Add - click to create additional parameters.
• Edit - click to edit a Parameter Name. Alternatively, you can double-click on the Parameter Name itself to enable editing.
• Remove - click to remove a selected parameter(s).
• Move Up - move a selected parameter up in the priority order.
• Move Down - move a selected parameter down in the priority order.

Parameter Import Options

Add any parameter names here that you would like renamed on import or made visible. Parameters imported along with supplier links or for new components can also be excluded or suffixed. To edit a Supplier Parameter Name or an Imported Parameter Name, click in the text box. Note that only black text is editable; any parameter names displayed in grey are not editable.

• Add - click to add a parameter.
• Remove - click to remove the selected parameter.