Configuring Draftsman Board Section View Object Properties in Altium Designer

Parent page: Board Section View

Draftsman object properties are definable options that specify the visual style, content and behavior of the placed object. The property settings for each type of object are defined in two different ways:

• Pre-placement settings – most Board Section View object properties, or those that can logically be pre-defined, are available as editable default settings on the Draftsman - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog (access from the  button at the top-right of the design space). Select the object in the Primitive List to reveal its options on the right.
• Post-placement settings – all Board Section View object properties are available for editing in the Properties panel when a placed Section View is selected in the design space.

The Section View default settings in the Preferences dialog and the Board Section View mode of the Properties panel

Scale

• Scale – use the drop-down menu to choose from a range of preset scale ratios to set the visible size of the object. This option is not available if the Use Custom Scale option is checked.
• Use Custom Scale – select this option to enter a specific scale in its associated field. The scaling of the drawing object is relative to 1, where 0.9 would represent a scale of 90%.

Title

• Title – the title name string that will be displayed (if enabled) with the Section View object – use the associated button to toggle its visibility. Enter the title name and any desired system/custom parameters to create a meaningful name for the placed view. See the Parameters section in the panel's Document Options mode for a list of the currently available parameters.
• Location – use the drop-down menu to choose from a range of relative locations for the title. The Manual option is automatically selected if the title is manually moved (dragged and dropped to a new location).
• Font – sets the displayed font used for the view's title string.
  • Use Document Font checkbox selected – the title font used is that defined by the document options. See the Document Font entry in General section of the Properties panel when in Document Options mode.
  • Use Document Font not selected – use the drop down menus to choose the desired font type and size, and select the lower buttons to enable text attributes. The associated color button () opens the color selector where the font color can be specified by RGB or HEX value, by freeform selection, or from a range of presets. Note that the slider control sets the color Opacity level where 0% represents full transparency.

Style

• Cutting Line – the thickness and style of the Section View's arrowed indicator lines and label. Use the line weight drop-down menu to choose from a range of line thickness presets and the line pattern menu to choose from a range of line styles. The associated color button () opens the line color selector dialog as outlined above.
• Connector Line – the line thickness and style of the Section View's cutting line, which lies between the arrowed section indicators (and passes through the Assembly View). Use the line weight drop-down menu to choose from a range of line thickness presets and the line pattern menu to choose from a range of line styles. The associated color button () opens the line color selector dialog as outlined above.

 Arrow Style

• Head Style – use the drop-down menu to choose from a range of preset section indicator styles (headers). When set as arrows, these indicate the direction of view for the section.
• Width – the width of the indicator head, such as an arrow. This setting also defines the diameter of a round head style.
• Length – the length of the indicator head, such as an arrow.
• Board Cut Fill Style – displays and sets the graphic fill pattern and color of the sectioned (cut) board. Use the associated color buttons () to specify colors for the fill and/or hatch pattern and select the associated button to access the fill pattern options.
  • Pattern – the graphic pattern for the sectioned board. Select Solid fill or an ANSI pattern from the drop-down menu. Select a no-fill preset or an opacity level of 0% to set the color as transparent.
    Note that the pattern and color used to fill the sectioned view of a Component on the board is defined by the Board Assembly View Properties. Select a component in the Assembly View and set the Hatching Pattern options under Component Display Properties in the Properties panel or use the panel's button to access the Component Display Properties dialog.
  • Scale – the relative line spacing of the applied ANSI hatch pattern.
  • Rotation – the angle of the ANSI hatching lines where a value of 0 is equivalent to 45°.
  • Hatch Thickness – the line weight of the ANSI pattern lines.

Properties

• Label – the text string/character that will be displayed as the section cut label and within the Section View title if the ViewLabel parameter is included.
• Rotation – the angle of rotation, relative to the source Assembly View, at which the Section View is rendered. Use the drop-down menu to choose from the sequence of 90° presets.
• Positioning Mode – the X/Y orientation of the section cut. A change in the drop-down menu section, such as from Horizontal to Vertical, will force the Section View to be re-rendered to disable the change in 3D source data.
  • Flip View Selection – when checked, the section view orientation (the direction from which it is 'viewed') is inverted. Note that the cut line direction arrows will change accordingly.
  • Slice Section – when checked, the visibility of objects on behind the cut line is disabled. It removes the background objects from the Section View, creating a literal cut view through the board assembly.
• Display Mode – changes the display style of the cut indicator arrows to be positioned after (Standard) or before (Alternative) the cut line. Use the Show Connector Line checkbox to toggle the visibility of the cut line itself.