Altium NEXUS Server - Access from within the Design Software
Parent page: Altium NEXUS Server
Interaction with the NEXUS Server can be made from various areas, but there are two main places:
- From within Altium NEXUS, through the Explorer panel.
- Through your preferred Web Browser using the server's browser-based interface.
This page takes a look at accessing your NEXUS Server instance from within Altium NEXUS.
Signing in to Your Server
Sign in to your NEXUS Server instance from within Altium NEXUS by clicking the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. 
). This will be the user that is currently signed into AltiumLive through this instance of Altium NEXUS. In the subsequent menu choose the Custom connection command. The Sign in dialog will appear, with which to sign in to the target server. Enter the URL for the server and your server access credentials, then click the 
button.
Signing in to your NEXUS Server instance from within Altium NEXUS.
Signing in to a 'Known' Server
If you have previously connected to your NEXUS Server instance from within the same instance of Altium NEXUS, it will become a Known Server. If this is the case, you can sign in to that server from within Altium NEXUS in a more streamlined fashion. To do so, click on the 
control at the top-right of the main application window. In the subsequent menu, choose the entry for your server, in the CUSTOM CONNECTIONS grouping. If you enabled the Sign in automatically option when accessing that server previously, you will be signed in straight away. If this option was not enabled, the Sign in dialog will appear, with which to sign in to the target server. Enter the URL for the server, and your server access credentials, then click the button.
Signing in to your NEXUS Server instance from within Altium
NEXUS, when that server is already known.
).
entry in the Locations region of the dialog, then click the button relevant to that server on the right-hand side. Again, if you need to sign in as a different user, you will need to use the Custom connection command in the menu associated with the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. ).Checking Sign-in Status
You can check whether you are currently signed in to your NEXUS Server instance from the following places:
- The menu associated to the Active Server control, at the top-right of the main application window. When actively signed in to your NEXUS Server instance, the control will reflect the name of that server (e.g.
). The server will also be highlighted in the associated menu within the section CUSTOM CONNECTIONS (and is distinguished by the 
icon). Clicking the entry provides access to browse the content of that server through Altium NEXUS's Explorer panel.
Verification of being signed in to your NEXUS Server instance.
).- The Data Management - Servers page of the Preferences dialog. When signed in to the NEXUS Server that server will be presented as the Active Server.
You can only be actively connected to one server through the software at a time. If you have previously connected to other servers from that instance of Altium NEXUS, they will be listed as Known Servers. While actively signed in to one server, you could also be connected to another (it will not be the active server).
Once signed in to your NEXUS Server instance it will become the Active Server, as can be seen here.
- The Explorer panel. When signed in, the server will be available from the menu associated with clicking on the name of the server currently being browsed.
icon, and its name boldened. 
Browsing the Active Server through the Explorer panel in Altium NEXUS.
Switching Servers
You can quickly switch between any of the servers available to you. To do so, click the Active Server control at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. 
). In the subsequent menu choose the entry for the server you wish to switch to. You will be disconnected from the current server, then after a few moments connected to the chosen server.
button. Note that when the Sign in automatically option is enabled, you will be signed in to the server as the user that last signed in through the Sign in dialog. If you need to sign in as a different user, you will need to use the Custom connection command in the menu associated with the Current User control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. ).Managing Your Server from Altium NEXUS
From within Altium NEXUS you have the ability to manage certain aspects of your connected Server. This is performed from the Data Management - Servers page of the Preferences dialog. Click the Properties control associated with the Server - in the Active Server region of the page - to access the commands, illustrated in the following image and detailed thereafter.
Accessing commands to manage various properties of the server to which you are actively signed in.
- Server configuration - use this command to access the server's browser interface in your default Web Browser.
- Lifecycles - use this command to access the Edit Lifecycle Definitions dialog, with which to manage the defined lifecycles for the server.
- Naming schemes - use this command to access the Edit Revision Naming Schemes dialog, with which to manage the defined revision naming schemes for the server.
- Operations - use this command to access the Edit Operation Permissions dialog, with which to define and manage global operation permissions for the server.
- Connection - use this command to access the Connection Properties dialog, with which to configure your connection to the server.
Signing into a Server from Different Computers
Support is provided for signing into your NEXUS Server instance using the same credentials, but from different computers (other than the computer on which the server is installed). If you attempt to sign in to a server that you are already signed into from another computer - either through Altium NEXUS, or the server's browser-based interface - a pop-up dialog will alert you to this. You can choose from two options offered in the dialog:
- Terminate existing session - close the existing session that you have on the other computer and continue to login to the server from the current computer.
- Start new session - login to the server from the current computer by using an additional connection license and thereby keep logged into the server from the other computer as well.
Signing Out from Your Server
You can sign out from your NEXUS Server instance from within Altium NEXUS in the following ways:
- By clicking the Active Server control, at the top-right of the main application window (e.g. ). In the subsequent menu click the sign out control (
) at the far-right of the entry for the active server.
- By clicking the
button, associated to the Active Server, on the Data Management - Servers page of the Preferences dialog. A confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes.
Working in the Server
Related page: Working with the Explorer Panel - Feature How-Tos
Once you are signed-in to your NEXUS Server instance you can access and create content. The primary interface to the server from Altium NEXUS is the Explorer panel.
When you are working in Altium NEXUS you access full server content through the Explorer panel. For component management only, you'll tend to use the Components panel.
To display a panel:
- Click the
button at the bottom-right of Altium NEXUS and select the required panel from the menu that appears. - Choose the required panel entry from the View » Panels main menu.