Edit Object Class

Now reading version 20.2. For the latest, read: Edit Object Class for version 21
 

Three variations of the Edit Object Class dialog
Three variations of the Edit Object Class dialog

Summary

This dialog allows you to manage the name and primitive membership when creating a new, or editing an existing, component class, differential pair class, net class, polygon class, structure class, or xSignal class. Classes are a way of gathering design primitives in a logical manner, and are often priceless when used to target their member objects through specific design rule scoping.

While the controls of the dialog largely remain the same, the actual use of the dialog, and its banner text, will vary depending on the type of class being created/edited.

Access

The dialog is accessed from the PCB Editor in the following ways:

  • From the PCB panel (in Components mode), right-click in the Component Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in Differential Pairs Editor mode), right-click in the Differential Pair Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in Nets mode), right-click in the Net Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in Polygons mode), right-click in the Polygon Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in Structure Classes mode), right-click in the Structure Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in xSignals mode), right-click in the xSignal Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
  • From the PCB panel (in 3D Models mode), right-click in the Component Classes region then click the Add Class or Properties command depending on whether you are creating a new class or editing an existing one.
For an existing user-defined class of any of these types, the dialog can be accessed by double-clicking the entry for the class in the panel. This method of access cannot be used for the default classes - which are system classes - since they cannot be edited.

Options/Controls

  • Name - the current name for the class. Edit this field as required.
  • Non-Members - this region lists all primitives of the applicable type that are currently not members of the class. Use the field above the list to quickly filter the field's contents.
  • Members - this region lists all primitives of the applicable type that are currently members of the class. Use the field above the list to quickly filter the field's contents.
As you type within one of the fields above a list, the list is filtered to only show strings that match the string. You can use the ? (any single character) and * (any character) wildcards in the string. For example, use "*" to display all primitives or "D?" to display all primitives that start with the letter D.
  • Class Generator - this button is available only when creating/editing a component class. Click it to access the Component Class Generator dialog, which can be used to quickly generate the membership for the component class based on defined search criteria.
  • Membership Management Buttons - use the following buttons to cater for moving primitives quickly between the two lists:
    •  Add All - click this button to quickly transfer all primitives from the Non-Members list to the Members list.
    •  Add Selected (in dialog) - click this button to quickly transfer those primitives currently selected in the Non-Members list to the Members list.
    •  Remove Selected (in dialog) - click this button to quickly transfer those primitives currently selected in the Members list to the Non-Members list.
    •  Remove All - click this button to quickly transfer all primitives from the Members list to the Non-Members list.
    •  Add Selected (in workspace) - click this button to quickly transfer those primitives currently selected in the design workspace from the Non-Members list to the Members list.
    •  Remove Selected (in workspace) - click this button to quickly transfer those primitives currently selected in the design workspace from the Members list to the Non-Members list.
When selecting primitives in the dialog, standard multi-select techniques are supported (Ctrl+click, Shift+click, and Click&drag).
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Note

The features available depend on your Altium product access level. Compare features included in the various levels of Altium Designer Software Subscription and functionality delivered through applications provided by the Altium 365 platform.

If you don’t see a discussed feature in your software, contact Altium Sales to find out more.

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