PCB_DlgView Configurations - Transparency tab_AD
Summary
This tab of the View Configurations dialog allows the designer to set the transparency of each object type individually, and on a per layer basis, for each layer that can be used in board design.
Access
This is one of four tabs available for a 2D view configuration – accessed from within the View Configurations dialog. This dialog can be accessed from both the PCB Editor and the PCB Library Editor, in the following ways:
- In 2D Layout Mode, choose the Design » Board Layers & Colors command (PCB Editor), or choose the Tools » Layers & Colors command (PCB Library Editor).
- Press the L key.
Options/Controls
- Transparency for selected objects/layers - use the controls associated to this field to set the transparency for the currently selected cell(s) in the grid. Move the slider bar to the right to increase transparency. If using the spin control, you can simply type the required percentage transparency directly into the field.
- Only show used layers - this option controls the layers that are displayed within the Transprency Grid. When enabled, only layers in the current board's layer stack will be presented. To show all layers supported for board design in Altium Designer (used and unused), disable this option.
Transparency Grid
This, the main area of the tab, presents a grid with rows representative of each layer, and columns representative of each design object type. Each cell of the grid (a layer-object intersect) displays the current transparency level for that object, on that layer. Not only does the grid facilitate a unique transparency setting to be defined for a particular object across different layers, it also allows different objects to have different transparencies on a specific layer. The layers themselves are grouped by their functional types:
- Signal Layers – Top Layer, Bottom Layer, Mid-Layer 1-30
- Internal Planes – Internal Plane 1-16
- Other Layers – Multi-Layer, Drill Guide, Keep-Out Layer, Drill Drawing
- Silkscreen Layers – Top Overlay, Bottom Overlay
- Mask Layers – Top Paste, Top Solder, Bottom Solder, Bottom Paste
- Mechanical Layers – Mechanical 1-32. The following system layers are also included in this grouping: Connections, DRC Error Markers, DRC Detail Markers, Selections, Visible Grid 1, Visible Grid 2, Top Pad Master, and Bottom Pad Master.
Use the following multi-select controls to select multiple objects, then set a common transparency for them in a single sweep:
- Ctrl+click to select cells within the same, single column.
- Shift+click (or Shift+Arrow keys) to select contiguous cells across multiple columns and/or rows.
- Click&drag to select multiple contiguous cells within the same, single row.