Generating Reports for a CAM Document in Altium Designer

The CAM Editor supports generating several report types for your CAM document. Access the commands from the editor's Reports main menu to generate a required report.

PCB RFQ Report

Choose the Reports » PCB RFQ Report command from the main menus to run the PCB Sales Quote dialog, from where you can generate a report for use in gaining quotations from fabrication houses. The top section of the dialog is used to define the horizontal and vertical distances of the PCB border. Press the Select button - you will return to the main design window, the cursor will change to a small square, and you will be prompted to select the PCB border. Either select each of the individual traces that constitute the border, or drag a selection box around the border and right-click. The PCB Sales Quote dialog will reappear, with the border information calculated and entered.

The middle section of the dialog is used to define the minimum trace/gap, and smallest Dcode used in the design. Press the Select button - you will return to the main design window, the cursor will change to a small square, and you will be prompted to select objects to be used in the minimum trace calculations. Either select individual traces, or drag a selection box around an area of the design and then right-click. The PCB Sales Quote dialog will reappear, with the minimum width and smallest Dcode calculated and entered.

Press the Options button to open the PCB Report Options dialog. This dialog contains a number of further options that may be considered by a fabrication house when providing a quotation. Simply configure the options as required, specify the Panel Size and Report Units, and click OK. The PCB Sales Quote dialog will reappear again - click OK.

Generation of the report will proceed. An information dialog will appear alerting you to the fact that the report requires flashes to analyze the Paste layers properly. Click Yes to have the software automatically flash these layers. The finished report (PCBRFQReport.rpt) will open as the active document in the main design window and will appear in the Projects panel as a free document.

Drill Report

Choose the Reports » Drill command from the main menus to generate a drill report for the current document. After launching the command, a drill report (Drill.rpt) will be generated and opened as the active document in the design space. The report lists, for each drill tool that has been defined, the drill size and the number of drill points existing in the design document.

Dcode/Layer Usage

Choose the Reports » Dcode/Layer Usage command from the main menus to view Dcode and layer information for the current document. The information can be saved as a text file. 

After launching the command, the Dcode/Layer Report dialog will appear. The dialog is basically divided into two halves - one for Dcode information and one for layer information. The drop-down at the top of the dialog allows you to choose whether to display information for ALL layers (including layers not used in the document), ON Layers (only layers that are used), or individual layers.

The Dcode section of the dialog provides, for each Dcode, shape and size information and also usage, in terms of the number of flashes and draws.

The Layer section of the dialog provides, for each layer, extent information, and a breakdown of the number of flashes and draws contained thereon.

Clicking the Save button will generate an ASCII text file (Dcode-Layer.rpt), which contains the information from the dialog and is opened automatically as the active document in the main design window.

DRC Report

Choose the Reports » DRC/DFM command from the main menus to generate a text report of any violations that exist for the current document, after having run a Design Rule Check.

After launching the command, a text report (DrcReport.rpt) will be generated and opened as the active document in the main design window.

The report gives a summary of the violations found and, for each rule check that has been violated, the number of violations Found, Fixed, and Remaining, are listed.

Simple Netlist Report

Choose the Reports » Netlist command from the main menus to export simple netlist information from the current document, in ASCII format. After launching the command, the Export Netlist dialog will appear. Use this dialog to specify the net points to be included in the export (All, or Ends Only), and whether to export the netlist for the Top and/or Bottom side of the board. Once the options are defined as required, click OK.

The Write Netlist Report dialog will appear. Use this dialog to define where the exported file is to be stored. By default, the data file that is generated will take the name Netlist.rpt. The file can be renamed by clicking within the name field. The associated file extension can also be changed to another if required, by again clicking directly within the name field or, alternatively, right-clicking on the entry and choosing File Extensions from the context menu. The new extension required can be typed into the subsequent Enter Value dialog that appears.

With name, extension, and storage location defined as required, click OK to generate the file.

Rout/Mill Report

Choose the Reports » Rout/Mill command from the main menus to generate a rout/mill report for the current document. After launching the command, a rout/mill report (Rout.rpt) will be generated and opened as the active document in the main design window. The report lists all defined rout/mill paths for the current document with tool numbers, sizes, number of instances for each tool, and the distance of each routing/milling path.

Status Information

Choose the Reports » Status command from the main menus to run the Status Information dialog, from where you can view system-related information. After launching the command, the Status Information dialog will appear. This dialog provides system-related information such as current path, free disk space on the current drive, and total memory available, as well as indicators for memory load and available virtual memory. Image size and extents information for the current document is also shown.

XY Coordinate Report

Choose the Reports » X:Y Coordinates command from the main menus to generate an XY coordinate report for selected objects in the current document. 

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a square and you will be prompted to select objects to include in the report. Simply position the cursor over an existing object, and click. Clicking away from an object allows you to drag a selection area, for including multiple objects in the selection. Selection is cumulative.

Once all required objects have been selected, right-click. The report, X-Y List.rpt, will be generated and opened as the active document in the main design window. The report lists each point, line, and arc included in the selection, in terms of XY coordinates within the document.