Defining Template Preferences for Altium Designer

Summary

The Data Management – Templates page of the Preferences dialog allows you to specify the default templates used for new projects and documents and allows you to specify the path for the document template directory.

Access

This Data Management – Templates page is accessed in the following ways:

• From the Preferences dialog (accessed by clicking the button in the top right corner of the design space), select the Templates entry under the Data Management folder or select the New Document Defaults entry under the System folder then click the Go to Templates button.
• From the Explorer panel, select a template-type folder (e.g. a folder of the BOM Templates or Schematic Templates type) in the Server Folders section then select the Open Template Settings link in the Item grid.

Templates Tab

Options/Controls

• – use the drop-down menu to choose a new template type to be added or loaded. Templates are created and edited in their corresponding document type editor.

• – use to open the selected template in the corresponding document type editor.

• – use to delete the selected template. Templates can be removed in batches using multi-selection. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion before it is finalized.

Right-click Menu

The following options are available when an entry is right-clicked.

• Edit – use to open a template in its associated editor. Once editing is complete, you can send the template back to the Workspace by using the Save to Server command. After launching the command, the Create or Edit Revision (When Releasing) dialog will open. The dialog allows you to add release notes and modify the name and description for the next revision of the item that is being released to the Workspace. If desired, revisions of parent items related to (referencing) the current revision of the item being released can also be updated. Once editing is complete and the template has been sent back to the Workspace, it will appear on the Templates tab.
• Migrate to Server (this option is only available for local file-based templates) – use to migrate the local file-based template to the connected Workspace. Once the migration is complete, the template will be available as a Workspace-based template of the same name, while the existing local template will be archived as a zip file in its source folder (shown in the Local Templates folder field).
• Upload – use to upload a constituent object into a template, such as a schematic document into a Schematic Template Item or an OutJob file into an OutputJob Template Item from your computer.

• Set as Default – use to set the selected entry as your default. Once set, the chosen template will reflect My Default in the Default column.

  Only schematic document, Draftsman document and footprint templates can be set as default templates.
  Only one default can be chosen at a time. If you'd like to change your default, another template must be chosen and set as default.
• Operations – use to access a sub-menu of commands including:
  • Clone – use to automatically open a copy of the currently selected template in its associated editor. This copy may be altered and sent back to the Workspace by using the Save to Server command. After launching the command, the Create or Edit Revision (When Releasing) dialog will open. The dialog allows you to add release notes and modify the name and description for the next revision of the template that is being released to the Workspace. If desired, revisions of parent items related to (referencing) the current revision of the template being released can also be updated. Once editing is complete and the template has been sent back to the Workspace, it will appear on the Templates tab.
  • Change state – use to open the Batch State Change dialog to change the state of the currently selected template.

  • Download – use to download the currently selected template and save it to another location using the Choose destination folder dialog.

    The Download option is only available for Workspace-based templates.
• Add – select the template you want to add. A new template will be reflected by exhibiting a Planned revision state and appear grayed-out in the list.
• Delete – use to delete the selected template. Depending on whether you are deleting a Workspace-based or local file-based template, this command will vary:
  • When deleting a Workspace-based template, you will be asked to confirm the deletion. Once deleted, the template will be moved to the Trash area of your Workspace.
  • When deleting a local file-based template, you will be asked to confirm the deletion. Once deleted, the template will be removed from your Windows system.
• History – use to access a detailed view for the currently selected template, opened as a new tabbed view within the software. The Item View provides a highly detailed view of the Revision and Lifecycle history of a specific template, as well as all of the elements that make up that template. The view also includes a Timeline. Use the Timeline to examine the exact time and date of any change made to the Revision level or Lifecycle State of that template and who made the change.
• Properties – use to access the View Item dialog in which you can view the properties for the currently selected template. If no revisions for that template have yet been released, the properties can be modified.

Defaults Tab

Use this tab to manage, edit, or remove any of the default templates that have been specified. This tab allows you to contain your desired templates in one location. Workspace-based and local file-based templates are separated within the Document Type column. The Template Location column shows the location of the file and Workspace location of each default template.

Options/Controls

• Replace – select and entry then hover over it to reveal the Replace link. Click the link to open a trimmed-down version of the Explorer panel in which you can choose a new template from the list to replace the currently selected template.
• – use the drop-down menu to choose a new default template type to be added or loaded. The following templates can be added:
  • From Server – select from the list of Workspace-based templates type you would like to add as your default. A trimmed-down version of the Explorer panel will open in which you can navigate to add the template of your choice. Once added, it will appear on the Defaults tab and replace the previous default template. The new template will also appear on the Templates tab. The Workspace-based template will appear under the <Workspace> region of both the Templates and Defaults tabs.
  • From File – select from the list of local file-based template types you would like to add as your default. A Windows dialog will open in which you can navigate to add the template of your choice. Once added, it will appear in the Defaults tab and replace the previous default template. The new template will also appear on the Templates tab. The local file-based template will appear under the Local region of both the Templates and Defaults tabs.
  Only schematic document, Draftsman document and footprint templates can be set as default templates.
  Only one default can be chosen at a time. If you'd like to change your default, another template must be chosen and set as default.
  This option is also available from the right-click menu.

• – use the icon to revoke the selected template as a default. This template will still appear on the Templates tab.

  You will not be prompted to confirm the deletion once this option is selected.
  This option is also available from the right-click menu.

Additional Controls

The following controls are available on both the Templates and Defaults tabs.

• Templates visibility – use the drop-down menu to specify whether to display both Workspace-based and local file-based templates or only Workspace-based templates on the Templates and Defaults tabs.
• – click to refresh either the Templates or Defaults tab to reflect changes.
• Local Templates folder – this field is used to find and set the path to the directory that contains your document templates. To change the location, you must be logged out of the Workspace. To set a new path to the directory, click .