Easy 0603 footprint in Altium - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Faringdon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2023, 08:05:06 pm
content: Hi,Is there any way to just make a 0603 footprint easily in Altium?......not using the editors etc...just putting two pads down and sizing them?It seems not.Its forcing me to have a pad template, its not letting me put the pad on the centrum..it tells me the centrum is not the centrum.Is there any way to just use Altium like Eagle?....ie, intuitively, not having to go through the dialog box's?

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2023, 08:58:41 pm
content: What's the problem? Loads of help files out there...

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2023, 09:15:50 pm
content: Is this all the "progress" you have made in your new contract for a SMPS?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/altium/swiching-from-eagle-pro-to-altium-designer-ver-23-(latest)/msg4834184/#msg4834184Get it done. Do not try to develop a better footprint for a 603 component. That is not what you were retained to do.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2023, 04:45:49 pm
content: Quote from: Faringdon on May 03, 2023, 08:05:06 pmUmmm... in your PCB library, create a new footprint, and then add pads to it. Use the Properties panel to set the dimensions.Quote from: Faringdon on May 03, 2023, 08:05:06 pmIt is not.Quote from: Faringdon on May 03, 2023, 08:05:06 pmOn thewhat?Centrum? That's not a term that occurs in Altium.Quote from: Faringdon on May 03, 2023, 08:05:06 pmEagle is only "intuitive" because you're familiar with it. Altium is (for a pro app) quite user-friendlyif you don't go into it expecting it to work exactly like a particular other program.But why even make them by hand? You can use the two footprint wizards, or you can just download an existing footprint from the Manufacturer Part Search, or one of the universal library sources like SnapEDA. Or download the Celestial Altium Library (it's open source) and use those footprints:https://altiumlibrary.com/

author: Faringdon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2023, 05:22:20 pm
content: Thanks, though in Eagle, it has the marvellous feature of "Move on grid"....so if you have a pad you want to duplicate and move 1.27mm down or up.....you just set the grid to 1.27mm......and its copy paste......done!Cant do this in Altium.(?)...have to mess about with coordinate boxes.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2023, 05:24:33 pm
content: Quote from: Faringdon on May 06, 2023, 05:22:20 pmYou know you can put, say, -1.27mm in the x or y and it will just move the item by that relative amount?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2023, 06:51:50 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on May 06, 2023, 05:24:33 pmJust to be clear, they meanappendinga relative distance. For example, if the current coordinate is 5.08mm, and you want to move it 1.27mm further, you enter “5.08+1.27” and it’ll do the math. You can even mix units if you enter them expressly, for example “100mil-1mm” would then parse to 1.54mm (or 60.63mil, depending on the default unit in use).