Defining Schematic Compiler Preferences for Altium Designer

Summary

The Schematic – Compiler page of the Preferences dialog provides numerous controls related to schematic compilation and validation.

Access

This page is part of the main Preferences dialog that is accessed by clicking the control in the upper-right corner of the design space then selecting the Compiler entry under the Schematic folder.

Options/Controls

Errors & Warnings

Errors & Warnings – the schematic objects that have an error or warning can have a wriggle underlined with specified color on the schematic sheet. You can toggle the display and the color of the wriggle for an object depending on the Level of violation by clicking on one of the fields in the Display column and one of the fields in the Color column.

Auto-Junctions

• Display On Wires – enable to display the system-generated junctions for wire objects.

  • Size – choose the size of system-generated junctions for wire objects.
  • Color – click to change the visibility or color of system-generated junctions.
  • Drag Color – click to change the color of the hotspots used to provide visual feedback on where new auto-junctions to join intersecting wires will be created while performing a drag operation.

• Display On Buses – enable to display the system-generated junctions for bus objects.

  • Size – choose the size of system-generated junctions for bus objects.
  • Color – click to change the visibility or color of system-generated junctions.
  • Drag Color – click to change the color of the hotspots used to provide visual feedback on where new auto-junctions to join intersecting buses will be created while performing a drag operation.
• Display When Dragging – enable to display the hotspots used to provide visual feedback on where new auto-junctions will be created while performing a drag operation.

Compiled Names Expansion

Display the expanded compiled names of the following objects – enable the below listed desired objects:

• Designators – when a design project is compiled, all the logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets and as a consequence, some nets are also expanded to reflect on the expanded physical sheets. Enable this option to allow component designators on physical sheets to acquire expanded net information when logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets. The drop-down menu controls how the expanded compiled names of designators are displayed after the project is compiled.

  • Display superscript if necessary – when the logical designator name and the compiled designator name differ, then the superscript is displayed.
  • Always display superscript – display superscript text for designators.
  • Never display superscript – never display superscript text for the designators.

• Net Labels – when a design project is compiled, all the logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets and as a consequence, some nets are also expanded to reflect on the expanded physical sheets. Enable this option to allow net labels on physical sheets to acquire expanded net information when logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets. The drop-down menu controls how the expanded compiled names of net labels are displayed after the project is compiled.

  • Never display superscript – never display superscript text for the net labels.
  • Always display superscript – display superscript text for net labels.
  • Display superscript if necessary – when the logical net label name and the compiled net label name differ, then the superscript is displayed.
• Ports – when a design project is compiled, all the logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets and as a consequence, some nets are also expanded to reflect on the expanded physical sheets. Enable this option to allow ports on physical sheets to acquire expanded net information when logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets.

• Sheet Number – when a design project is compiled, all the logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets and as a consequence, some nets are also expanded to reflect on the expanded physical sheets. Enable this option to allow sheet number parameters on physical sheets to acquire expanded net information when logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets. The drop-down menu controls how the expanded compiled names of sheet number parameters are displayed after the project is compiled.

  • Never display superscript – never display superscript text for the sheet numbers.
  • Always display superscript – display superscript text for sheet numbers.
  • Display superscript if necessary – when the logical sheet number and the compiled sheet number differ, then the superscript is displayed.

• Document Number – when a design project is compiled, all the logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets and as a consequence, some nets are also expanded to reflect on the expanded physical sheets. Enable this option to allow document number parameters on physical sheets to acquire expanded information when logical sheets are expanded into physical sheets. The drop-down menu controls how the expanded compiled names of document number parameters are displayed after the project is compiled.

  • Never display superscript – never display superscript text for the document numbers.
  • Always display superscript – display superscript text for document numbers.
  • Display superscript if necessary – when the logical document number and the compiled document number differ, then the superscript is displayed.