Help out a beginner with altium ! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 10:34:19 am
content: Hi everyone I just got a copy of Altium 10 and I need some help getting started designing a schematic.1.The first issue I came across is placing a 100nf capacitor. In the libraries I searched Misc.Devices. IntLib and could not find many capacitors at all. I see only 8. Am I supposed to use this as a template and edit the value manually ? I thought that defeats the purpose since every part is so specific. So I added thishttp://techdocs.altium.com/display/ADOH/Download+LibrariesBut now I have a large number of footprints from various manufacturers but not sure where to look for a capacitor ?2.I need to place a PLCC44 socket. I have the pinout for the IC that will populate. Should I put a footprint for the PLCC socket on the schematic ? Then assign the pins ? Whats the best way to go about that ?3.How do I define voltage and ground lines on the schematic ?4.How do I create a bus of 8 signals ?Thanks all !!

author: Spikee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 11:54:56 am
content: 1.For smd size components this library is nice:http://www.siliconvalleygarage.com/downloads/altium-library.htmlNormally you make a footprint and add the supplier data to the component. Than it takes all the parameters from farnell/mouser/digikey ...2.I would make a new footprint for the socket , and just name the nets in the schematic like they are on the IC , not in the *.SCHlib.3.Anything positive is mostly named VCC and then your voltage "VCC6V3" Digital ground is mostly named VSS4.Just use "place a bus"http://techdocs.altium.com/display/ADRR/Sch_Obj-Bus((Bus))_AD

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 01:04:20 pm
content: Ok, Thanks for that lib i found a 100nf Capacitor. Where can I find the PLCC44 socket ? I think I found a footprint but I cant drag it onto the schematic like a part, and it shows a PLCC44 IC not a socket. Is that the wrong part ? Should I get a picture of a socket ?

author: Spikee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 02:50:04 pm
content: I think it is best to make your own footprint.

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 04:23:23 pm
content: Not really confident in that yet, how would I go about doing it ?Surely there is a file I can download with the specifications of the part and I can just import and place it ? For such a common socket

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 04:37:23 pm
content: 1. If I create a bus, and define say 8 vertices (I assume thats wires in the bus) then want to split the bus so I can attach the wires onto the IC, how can I do it ?2. If I want to have a bus linked but not draw it on the schematic, that is terminate at a point but reappear somewhere else without linking it directly, how do I go about that ?I have attached what I am trying to connect up to illustrate. This is repeated a number of times in the schematic so I want to make one version then copy it and change the bus numbers etc.

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 05:41:22 pm
content: Also in the schematic I see a different notation at the end of wires AX0 through AY2. What is that symbol > suggesting ?

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 10:22:32 pm
content: Hi,There are some pretty good tutorials on youtube. I like this guys

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 12:46:21 pm
content: Making progress, that video was very helpful ThanksI have run out of space in the schematic. How do I make the sheet bigger ?I found a footprint for the part but the spec sheet does not specify which of the three possible footprints I should use. Those are N44.65_L (IPC high density), N44.65_M (IPC low density), N44.65_N (IPC medium density). All it says on the sheet is 44 Ld PLCC (SGS Ld Compatible).Also I can't drag the footprint onto the schematic, do I edit it first ? Then save as a part somehow ?

author: graynomad
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 01:52:23 pm
content: QuoteRight click on the sheet thenOptions > Sheet...QuoteNormally you would assign that footprint to a schem component first, but you can add a footprint directly to a PCB, in the PCB editor type P then C (Place component) then use the dialogue to select your footprint.______Rob

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 03:16:23 pm
content: Ok sheet is bigger. Still cant place the footprint, place is greyed out in the options. How can I take that footprint and make it into a component I can drop into the schematic ? The first issue is I'm not sure which of the three footprints is correct. Then I want to put this IC into a socket so is it better to put the PLCC44 socket onto the schematic and link the bus to that ? These parts are actual IC's and I want sockets. Finally not sure where to find sockets, what library.Also how can I split a bus into its component wires for connection to the IC and then terminate the bus as in the schematic ? Like you might with a ground symbol

author: graynomad
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2014, 10:10:56 pm
content: QuoteSo PC doesn't work either?I have no idea why, maybe I had a similar problem at first because there was no library for the project, but that was years ago and I have forgotten. So you created a project, then created a new PCB then did PC and it didn't work? I just did that and it did so that's about the limit of my knowledge for this.QuoteI doubt you will find a PLCC socket in the standard libs, I find the easiest thing is to make the footprint manually then grab a 3D model (fromhttp://www.3dcontentcentral.com/) and place that on your pads as a sanity test.QuoteYou almost never put a socket on a schematic, you place the chip and the chip's footprint is the socket.QuotePlace > bus entryQuoteNot sure what this means, AFAIK you don't terminate a bus as such, you terminate all the signals in the bus I guess. What is this for, pullup resistors or something?______Rob

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 09:26:47 am
content: Thanks that's helpfulPlace > bus entryThis draws a tiny diagonal line, I'm not sure what to do with ?Feels like I almost know enough....Really don't want to draw that footprint myself. One mistake in spacing and I have to refab the PCB.

author: ultrathom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 09:40:26 am
content: $20 pp to anyone who can make the part for me so I can just drop it to the schematicNot sure if that's too much or insultingly low.

author: graynomad
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 09:50:13 am
content: Here's an example of using a bus and the bus entry thingies.TBH I think it's just a visual thing and labelling the nets would do the same as far as the software is concerned. But using a bus shows you exactly where the signals go. I may be wrong about that but I can't see that it does anything else.I'll do the component, no guarantees it will be correct though.EDIT: SMD or through hole? Do you have a particular socket in mind?_______Rob