Messages

Parent page: Workspace Manager Panels

Summary

The Messages panel is a centralized listing area for the warnings, errors and status messages that are generated by operations, such as compiling a schematic or project, running a design rule check or using any other message-enabled features of the software.

Panel Access

To open the Messages panel, click the View | System |Messages button.

Panel Messages

The Messages panel provides a live stream of relevant message information that applies to the current operation. Where applicable, the lower section of the panel will provide further detail about the offending object(s) associated with the currently selected message. If not visible, the Details pane can be dragged up from the panel's lower border.

Message Configuration

The Messages panel is most often used to report the results of project or schematic compilation and lists any warnings and/or errors that the Compiler may have found while interrogating the design for electrical and drafting integrity. In this case, the individual messages in the panel will be directly affected by the error reporting levels and/or connection matrix defined in the Options for Project dialog.

The error reporting levels for message classes is configured in the Error Reporting tab of the Options for Project dialog, opened with the Project | Content | 

Content

Along with Compiler reporting, the Messages panel will provide warning/error/status information for other features in the software, such as Design Rule Checking (DRC) and the Autorouter. The information contained within a message can be broken down into several distinct areas:

• Class – This is essentially the type, or category of message. Various classes of message exist and are related to different features of the software. Those coming from the Compiler, for example, include simple information entries, general warnings, specific errors, and fatal errors, such as fundamental document conflicts. The following is a list of message classes that are often encountered:
  • Info - general information message from the Compiler, such as an indication of successful compilation.
  • Warning - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Warning.
  • Error - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Error.
  • Fatal Error - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Fatal Error.
  • Warning - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Warning, but the offending object(s) have had a No ERC directive placed to suppress the violation.
  • Error - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Error, but the offending object(s) have had a No ERC directive placed to suppress the violation.
  • Fatal Error - flagged compilation violation, where the violation type has been set to have a Report Mode of Fatal Error, but the offending object(s) have had a No ERC directive placed to suppress the violation.
  • A flagged design rule violation, from the Design Rule Checker. The text will change depending on the type of rule being violated.
  • A message from the Situs Autorouter alerting of an action being taken by the Autorouter, such as the start of routing, the start of a routing pass, and the end of a routing pass.
  • A message from the Situs Autorouter indicating routing status, such as how many connections have been routed, and the time taken to do so.

Messages related to the Comparator will vary, with message classes corresponding to the various supported comparison types, examples of which are:

• Document – The source document where the cause of the warning/error/violation resides.
• Source – The server or engine that performed the task when the warning/error/violation was encountered (for example, the Compiler).
• Message – the message content itself.

Each message is also date and time stamped and given a specific number within the list.

Cross probing

Where applicable, a message can be cross-probed to the offending object(s) on the affected document. Cross-probing takes the current workspace view directly to the object on the associated document or indirectly, depending on the particular source of the message. The offending object(s) will be automatically zoomed and centered (where possible) in the design editor window.

To cross-probe from a message of interest, such as a Compiler error, double-click the message name or select Cross Probe from its right-click context menu. In this case, launching the cross-probe command will probe directly to the offending object(s) on the relevant document in the design editor window.

In the case shown below, the compiler has generated a duplicate designator error with the duplicates listed in the panel's Details pane. The design editor window will highlight each as they are selected.

In a similar way, cross-probing from DRC error message in the panel will probe directly to the offending object on the associated document – in the below case, a PCB width rule violation.

Instigate a DRC check with the Run Design Rule Check button in the Design Rule Checker dialog: Home | Design Rules |

Right-click Menu

The right-click context menu for the panel provides the following commands:

• Group By – Group messages together by source, class or document.
• Cross Probe – Cross-probe from the selected message in the panel to the object responsible for the message in the associated document.
• Cross Probe Next Message – Cross-probe to the next reported message - navigate using the Ctrl+Shift+F3 keyboard shortcut.
• Cross Probe Previous Message – Cross-probe to the previous reported message - navigate using the Ctrl+Shift+F4 keyboard shortcut.
• Place Specific No ERC for this violation – (Compiler messages only) Activates the Place No ERC element command to remove error checking from the nominated point – equivalent to Home | Circuit Elements | Directives » Generic No ERC on the main ribbon menu.
• Clear All – Clear all messages that are currently displayed in the panel.
• Clear Selected – Clear all selected messages from the panel.
• Clear Class – Clear all messages from the panel that are of the same class as the currently selected message.
• Save – Save the current list of messages in the panel to file. After launching the command, the Save Message List To File dialog opens. Use this dialog to browse to a particular destination in which to save the file and to give the file a new name (if required).
• Save Selection – Save selected messages in the panel to file. After launching the command, the Save Message List To File dialog opens. Use this dialog to browse to a particular destination in which to save the file and to give the file a new name (if required).
• Export To Report – Generate an HTML file listing the current Messages panel content.
• Copy – Copy the selected messages to the Windows clipboard.
• Print – Preview and print a report containing all messages currently listed in the panel.

Notes

1. Not all messages can be cross probed. You can only cross probe from a message if it has a valid (existing) associated document specified in the Document field of the message.
2. Data may be sorted by any column by clicking on the header for that column. Clicking once will sort in ascending order; click again to sort by descending order.
3. The order in which columns of data are displayed can be changed. To move a column, click on its header and drag it horizontally to the required position. A valid position is indicated by the appearance of two green positional arrows.
4. Clearing messages does not necessarily mean the messages have been resolved. The same unresolved messages will be listed after performing the same command that led to the messages being generated initially. Message clearance is a visual aid when resolving errors in the design, allowing you to manually remove messages once you feel they have been resolved. The instigating command must be launched again to obtain an up-to-date picture of any violations that still exist.
5. With respect to PCB/Compiler/Comparator-specific messages, if the associated document is closed, the corresponding message entries will be automatically cleared from the panel. For example, if you run a DRC Check on a PCB document, any violation messages listed in the Messages panel for that document will be cleared from the panel if the document is closed.