Component Class Generator

The Component Class Generator dialog

Summary

The Component Class Generator dialog allows you to quickly generate the membership for the selected component class based on defined search criteria. A range of attributes can be used to effectively 'capture' the components that you want to add as class members, including Designator, Comment, and Footprint. At a click of a button, all components matching the search criteria are added to the class.

Access

The dialog can be accessed from the PCB Editor in the following ways:

• From within the Object Class Explorer dialog (click Design » Classes from the main menus): with a user-defined Component Class selected (not a system class), click the Component Class Generator button.
• From the PCB panel (in Components mode), right-click in the Component Classes region then select Add Class or Properties (depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one). From the resulting Edit Component Class dialog, click the Class Generator button.

Options/Controls

• Search/Filter Criteria - the left-hand side of the dialog provides a number of fields that collectively define the search/filter criteria, used to target the components that are to be added as members of the component class. The following criteria can be configured:
  • Designator - use this field to search/filter based on component designator. Use the field's drop-down to choose the type of components to target. All unique designator types found in the board design will be listed in the format <DesignatorPrefix>?? (e.g. U**, R**, C**). To include components regardless of designator type, set this field to Any.
  • Comment - use this field to search/filter based on the component comment. Use the field's drop-down to choose the component comment to target. All unique component comments found in the board design will be listed. To include components regardless of their comment, set this field to Any.
  • Footprint - use this field to search/filter based on the component footprint. Use the field's drop-down to choose the footprint to target. All unique component footprints found in the board design will be listed. To include components regardless of their footprint, set this field to Any.
  • Layer - use this field to search/filter based on which side of the board the components reside. Use the field's drop-down to target components on the TOP or BOTTOM. To include components regardless of the layer on which they reside, set this field to Any.
  • Rotation - use this field to search/filter based on component rotation. Use the field's drop-down to choose a specific rotation to target. All unique component rotations found in the board design will be listed. To include components regardless of their orientation, set this field to Any.
  • Locked - use this field to search/filter based on the component's locked status. Use the field's drop-down to target components that are locked (True) or not locked (False). To include components regardless of their locked status, set this field to Any.
  • Selection - use this field to search/filter based on the component's selection status. Use the field's drop-down to target components that are currently selected in the workspace (True) or not selected (False). To include components regardless of their selection status, set this field to Any.
• Class Name - this field, directly above the current member's list for the class, presents the current name of the class. Edit this field as required.
• Class Membership - this region, below the Class Name, lists all components, by designator, that are currently members of the component class.
• Add Matching - click to add all components that match the defined search/filter criteria to the Class Membership region.
• Clear Selected - click to have all components that are currently selected in the Class Membership region removed from the class.