Parameter Table Editor

  Two variations of the Parameter Table Editor dialog

Summary

This dialog provides controls to edit and update parameters across the entire project. The dialog can be used to directly edit existing parameters in the project or to configure parameter updates from a linked database (linked via a DbLink, DbLib or SvnDbLib file). Note that these database library link type files include options that control if a parameter is to be updated or not.

Access

The Parameter Table Editor dialog is accessed in the Schematic editor in the following ways:

• To directly edit the parameters in the current project, enable the required parameters in the Parameter Editor Options dialog (Tools » Parameter Manager) then click OK. 
• To update parameters from a linked database, enable the parameters to update in the Update Parameters From Database dialog (Tools » Update Parameters From Database) then click OK. 
• To update parameters from a library, in the Update From Library dialog (Tools » Update From Libraries ), click Next to access the second page of the dialog, then click Parameters Changes. 

Options/Controls

Main Grid

• Total Number of Objects - Number Selected - displays the total number of objects listed in the grid region and the number of those objects that are currently selected.
  • Object Type - the type of object.
  • Document - the source document.
  • Identifier - the unique identifier of the object.
• System Parameters - list of additional information for the object, e.g., address of supplier, description, library reference, etc. 

Additional Controls

The controls at the bottom of the dialog will vary depending on how the dialog was accessed.

If the dialog was accessed from the Parameter Editor Options dialog, the following controls are available:

• Revert Selected - click to undo edits for the selected cells.
• Remove Columns - click to remove columns. This option is only available for columns with static information.
• Add Column - click to add a column. The Add Parameter dialog opens in which you can define the parameter name.
• Reset Column Order - click to display the columns in alphabetical order.

• Accept Changes (Create ECO) - in order to apply these changes to the components, an ECO (Engineering Change Order) must be generated. Click to open the Engineering Change Order dialog. 

If the dialog was accessed from the Update Parameters From Database dialog or the Update from Library dialog, the following controls are available:

• Update Selected - use to force an update on the currently selected parameters. 
• Reject Selected - use to reject the proposed update on the currently selected parameters.
• Update All - use to force an update on all parameters.
• Reject All - use to reject the proposed update on all parameters.

The following control is available when the dialog is accessed using the Parameter Editor Options dialog or the Update Parameters From Database dialog:

• Accept Changes (Create ECO) - in order to apply these changes to the components, an ECO (Engineering Change Order) must be generated. Click to open the Engineering Change Order dialog. 

The following control is available from the Select Parameter Changes variation of the dialog:

• Show all parts - check this box to show all parts in the main grid.

Right-click Menus

The following commands are available on the right-click menu when the dialog is accessed from the Parameter Editor Options dialog or the Update Parameters From Database dialog:

• Revert - click to undo edits for the selected cells.
• Edit - click to edit the selected cell. 
• Add - click to add information to the selected cell. Use the resulting drop-down to select the desired information.
• Remove - click to delete the contents of the selected cell.
• Rename Column - click open the Rename Existing Parameter dialog, where you may rename an existing parameter.
• Undo Rename - click to undo the column rename and revert to the default column name.
• Add Column - click to open the Add Parameter dialog to add a column. 
• Remove Columns - click to delete the selected column.
• Cut - click to delete the selected text.
• Copy - click to copy the selected text.
• Paste - click to paste the previously copied text.
• Clear - click to clear the selected information.
• Report - click to open the Report Preview dialog to generate a report.
• Save All - click to save the entire table.
• Save Selected - click to save the selected data.
• Select All - click to select all data.
• Select Column - click to select the entire current column.
• Cross Probe - click to cross probe the selected object. The selected object will appear highlighted in the schematic sheet.

The following commands are available on the right-click menu when the dialog is accessed from the Update From Library dialog:

• Update - click to update the selected parameters(s).
• Reject - click to reject the update on selected parameters.
• Update All - click to force an update on all parameters.
• Reject All - click to reject the proposed update on all parameters.
• Report - click to open the Report Preview dialog to generate a report.
• Save All - click to save the entire table.
• Save Selected - click to save the selected data.
• Select All - click to select all data.
• Select Column -  click to select the entire current column.

Tips

• You can drag and drop columns in the grid region to change the column display order. The new order is saved in the project file so that the order is remembered when the dialog is accessed again.

Parameters are prevented from being updated in the following ways:

• At the individual component parameter level, enable the Lock Parameter option in the Component mode of the Properties panel (double-click a component to access). The Allow Synchronization With Database option is also used to control if the comment can be updated. By default, this option is enabled to always allow synchronization with the source library/database. You may disable this option to prevent the comment from being included in an update process.
• At the database linkage level - the Field Mapping region of the relevant database linkage document (*.DbLink, *.DbLib, or *.SvnDbLib file) includes a number of options that control whether parameters can be updated including Update Values, Add to Design and Remove from Design.