Working with a Text Object on a Multi-board Schematic Document in Altium Designer

Parent page: Multi-board Schematic Objects

A placed and selected Text box object

Summary

A Text object is a text container object that can be placed on a multi-board Design schematic document. The text string that will be displayed in the object is entered through the Properties panel.

Availability

A Text container box is available for placement in the multi-board schematic editor as follows:

• Choose the Place » Text command from the main menu.
• Click the  button in the graphic objects drop-down on the Active Bar located at the top of the design space. Click and hold an Active Bar button to access other related commands. Once a command has been used, it will become the topmost item on that section of the Active Bar.
• Right-click in the drawing design space then select Place » Text from the context menu.

Placement

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and the editor will enter text box placement mode. Placement is made by performing the following actions:

1. Click to define the first corner position of the Text box.
2. Move the cursor to adjust the size of the box (and opposite corner position) and then click again to complete placement.
3. Continue placing further text boxes, or right-click or press Esc to exit the placement mode.

Graphical Editing

This method of editing allows a placed Text object to be selected in the design space and graphically edit its size, shape or location.

Select a Text box object by clicking on its constituent text. Once selected, editing handles/nodes are available at its perimeter.

A selected Text box being resized.

• Click and drag a node to reposition it and alter the size of the Text. The text lines will automatically wrap to remain contained by the box if the Clip to Bounds option is checked in the Properties panel.
• Click and drag the text within the Text box object to reposition the box in the schematic.

Non-Graphical Editing

Properties page: Text Properties

The non-graphical method of editing a Text box and its constituent text string is available in the Multi-board Properties panel, which provides editable property fields for the item that is currently selected in the design space.

The Properties panel when a Text object is selected.

To open the Properties panel and access the properties of a placed Text box:

• After selecting the Text object, select the Properties panel from the Panels button at the bottom right of the design space or select View » Panels » Properties from the main menus.
• Double-click on the text in the Text object box.
• Right-click on the Text object then select Item Properties from the context menu.

If the Properties panel is already active, click on the text in the Text box to access its properties in the panel.

Editing Multiple Objects

The Properties panel supports multiple object editing where the property settings that are identical in all currently selected objects may be modified. When multiples of the same object type are selected, a Properties panel field entry can be edited for all selected objects. If values of a property are different for objects in the selection, the appropriate field will be shown as an asterisk (*); a new property value will be applied to all selected objects.