New in this Release

Released: 5 November 2024 - Version: 7.0.5 (build 16)
Released: 3 October 2024 - Version: 7.0.4 (build 11)
Released: 5 September 2024 - Version: 7.0.3 (build 2)
Released: 2 August 2024 - Version: 7.0.2 (build 14)
Released: 7 June 2024 - Version: 7.0.1 (build 53)

Release Notes for Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server 7.0

This major release delivers a large number of new features and upgrades to the Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server Workspace interface. In addition, numerous fixes have been made to resolve issues raised by customers through the Altium Community.

Using the Volume Shadow Copy Service for the Backup Tool

This update was introduced in Altium Enterprise Server version 7.0.4

Starting from this release, the Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server's backup tool (avbackup.exe) uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) when creating data backups.

The VSS is now used by the backup tool to make a shadow copy of the volume where the server data is located (a configuration when revisions are stored on a separate volume is also supported). With the VSS, the backup tool stops services, creates a shadow copy, starts services, and then performs data backup using the created shadow copy. This approach minimizes the server downtime period (a period between stopping and starting the services) and is used by default. In case of an error during creating a shadow copy, the backup tool will use an approach without creating a shadow copy (which can also be enabled explicitly using the --skip-shadow-copy switch – ).

For more information, refer to the Backing up & Restoring Your Installation page.

Additional Switches for the Backup Tool

This update was introduced in Altium Enterprise Server version 7.0.2

In this release, the Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server's backup tool (avbackup.exe) has been improved by adding new switches giving you finer control on backing up and restoring the data of your Enterprise Server installation.  

The following switches can now be used when using both the backup and restore functions of the tool (for the latter, these switches are used for the restore point created before performing the restore):

• -c – allows you to specify the compression level of the target zip file. Use a number from 0 to 9. You can also use the following values:
  • Default – equals to the compression level 6 (used if this switch is not specified)
  • None – equals to the compression level 0
  • BestSpeed – equals to the compression level 1
  • BestCompression – equals to the compression level 9.
• --split – if this switch is specified, separate zip files will be created for repositories and revisions (without compression), in addition to the zip file for the other data.

Also, when using the restore function of the tool, you can use the --skip-backup switch that allows you to skip creating a restore point before commencing to restore the Enterprise Server. Use it carefully, since if data restore fails, it will not be possible to roll back.

For more information, refer to the Backing up & Restoring Your Installation page.

Viewing Multi-board and Harness Designs

The Web Viewer interface now provides the ability to view source documents of multi-board (multi-board schematic, assembly, and BOM views) and harness (wiring diagram, layout drawing, Draftsman, and BOM views) design project. Open a multi-board or harness design project from the Workspace Projects page and use selectable tabs for each included document type to navigate through corresponding documents.

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Objects like modules in multi-board schematics and components in harness layout documents can be selected for in-depth exploration of their properties.

For more information, refer to the Web Viewer page.

PCB Comparison

In addition to Gerber, schematic, and BOM comparison capabilities, this release of Altium Enterprise On-Prem Server sees the PCB Comparison feature that detects and shows changes to the board design that have occurred between project commits and/or release iterations. The PCB Compare feature provides a highly visual, interactive interface for viewing PCB layout differences and the associated comparison data, with reactive cross-probing available between listed data differences and their associated graphics elements.

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For more information, refer to the Design Data Comparisons page.

Assembly Assistant

The Assembly Assistant tool in an Enterprise Server Workspace delivers an integrated tool that allows assemblers to check and work through the board assembly process from one convenient location.

For those checking a board's assembly prior to manufacture or engaged in the process of manually assembling boards (say, for prototypes or a short run), the tool provides the required set of graphical and component part information for stepping through the assembly process. This avoids the need for traditional and potentially error-prone assembly processes such as manually checking between assembly and BOM printout sheets. To further assist in avoiding manual UI actions during the assembly process, the tool also offers a full set of shortcut keys for its assembly process actions.

Access the tool from the WIP view of a specific project or from the Design Snapshot view of a project release by choosing the Assembly Assistant option in the navigation tree to open the Assembly Assistant tool in its interactive preview mode, and then at any time, invoke the assembly process mode. This mode invokes an interactive step-through process that allows you to mark off BOM entries as Done or Skipped as you move through the physical board assembly.

For more information, refer to the Assembly Assistant page.

Gerber and ODB++ Fileset Uploads

You can now upload sets of generated Gerber and ODB++ manufacturing files in archive format directly to the Workspace to manage and inspect these files right from the Workspace's browser interface. Use the corresponding options of the   button on the Projects page to upload the required Gerber/ODB++ fileset.

An uploaded fileset can then be opened in a dedicated viewer that provides a composite view of all included files/layers, allows layers to be hidden or viewed exclusively, offers a point-to-point measurement feature, and accepts placed comments.

For more information, refer to the Workspace Projects page.

Simulation Data Uploads

A new Simulation view of a PCB design project allows you to upload simulation results files to the current project and represents a storage location for circuit simulation results files that will be associated with the current project or project release. Imported simulation files are effectively attached to the project, which allows members of the Workspace to inspect and/or download simulation results documents that relate to the currently open project. An open range of data file formats such as PDF, XLS, HTML, archives (Zip, 7z, etc.), and so on are supported for upload.

For more information, refer to the Management of a Specific Project page.

Non-CAD Data Uploads

Document files other than source documents that have been stored in the Altium Designer project are now available in the Workspace Design view’s Other Documents location. These ‘non-CAD’ files (typically design specifications, reference material, status logs, and so on) are hosted under version control along with the core design files. For PDF files, a Workspace PDF viewer is provided. A selected file is available for download from the view.

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For more information, refer to the Web Viewer page.

ERC and DRC Reports

The Web Viewer now includes both Design and Electrical Rule check (DRC and ERC) reports for the current project, which are generated from the source design data in compliance with the settings specified by Altium Designer – as stored in the project documents. This provides convenient access to rule errors or violations for review purposes without the need to access the design in Altium Designer.

The reports are available as expandable lists within the Project navigation pane's Design section. The reports are dynamically generated as required, such as when the project has been updated and resaved to the Workspace from Altium Designer.

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When selected, the rule violation/error entries will present their detailed information and cross-probe to the related document and location. When selected, the rule violation/error entries will present their detailed information and cross-probe to the related document and location.

For more information, refer to the Web Viewer page.

Component View

For a component being browsed on the Components page, you can now access the Components view that includes a read-only view of the parametric data, models, and supplier information associated with that component. The Component view is formatted to include related information under selectable tabs (Part Choices, Where Used, etc). Also, it allows a particular component revision to be selected for viewing.

To open the Component view for a selected component, double-click on the entry on the Components page or choose the Open option from its associated  menu.

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For more information, refer to the Workspace Components page.

Support for Dictionaries

This release sees support for dictionaries – custom parameters with several defined values that can be applied to Component Templates through Altium Designer. Multiple parameter Dictionaries can be added, with each entry containing a listed choice of corresponding parameter values. When used, this approach provides a more formalized control over the application of parameter data, where standardized parameters and their value choices are centrally managed in one accessible location.

Use the Admin – Settings – Dictionaries page of the Workspace's browser interface to create, edit, and remove dictionaries for your Workspace.

For more information, refer to the Exploring the Browser-based Interface page.

Other Updates

• As a Workspace administrator, you can define what users and/or groups can access a process workflow. When specific users/groups are assigned to a process definition, the underlying workflow is available only to these users/groups (and members of the Administrators group) when accessed from the Workspace's browser interface or Altium Designer (if no user/group is added, the workflow will be available to all users).

  For more information, refer to the Creating & Managing Processes page.

• Added ability to preserve a component's current lifecycle state when releasing into a new revision in the Workspace from Altium Designer's Component Editor (in its Single Component Editing or Batch Component Editing mode). Control is provided courtesy of a new option – Preserve lifecycle state (not recommended) – available in the Edit Revision dialog when re-releasing. This ability is available for those with assigned Allow to skip lifecycle state change for new revisions operational permission (learn more about Setting Global Operation Permissions for a Workspace).

• In your Workspace Library, you can now create harness wiring components – components with predefined structure and properties, which can then be placed into a Wiring Diagram document of your harness design. Such a component is created in the Altium Designer's Component Editor (in its Single Component Editing or Batch Component Editing mode) by adding/defining a Harness Wiring model for it and then saving the component to the Workspace.

• Workspace Library components used in harness designs and reuse blocks are now shown in Where Used areas in the Workspace's browser interface (for example, in the right-hand information pane when the component is selected on the Components page – show image) and Altium Designer (for example, in the Components panel).