Altium Designer | Knowledge Base

Created: March 25, 2021 | Updated: April 11, 2022

Contents

Remove Solder Mask and Paste Mask from PCB Pads
Viewer
New to Altium Designer or resume work with AD after break or major update
How to add line number to a BOM template
Version not supported with private license server - Refresh PLS & AIS
Version not supported despite valid subscription - Refresh PLS license
How to activate the Mixed Simulation tool in Altium Designer
Port and URL information for when firewall or VPN is blocking access
Ports and IP Addresses for Altium Designer
Importer for KiCAD
Unions
Power Port reduced to Local level warning
Signing into a managed content server from within Altium Designer
Updating schematic component footprints from the PCB Document.
MCAD CoDesigner panel is not visible in Creo
On-Demand License Showing Incorrect Subscription Date
Error from Portal365.altium.com
Add and Managing Groups
Add and Managing Users
Activating Student On-Demand License
On-Demand License Not Showing Up
Requesting to be made an Administrator
Release an On-Demand License
Change Password
Sign In button is not active & Error From
SOLIDWORKS CoDesigner panel error: There is no document opened…
"The Internal ID Does Not Match" issue with SOLIDWORKS MCAD
How can other Mechanical Engineers see my MCAD CoDesigner changes?
Can I increase the quality of the decals in SOLIDWORKS MCAD?
SOLIDWORKS MCAD is used with SW PDM (Product Data Management)
MCAD Autodesk Vault is used with Autodesk Inventor
MCAD SOLIDWORKS: Low performance with building a board
MCAD Fusion 360 Personal: Components are not shown
MCAD Fusion 360: Bad performance with the boards with 500+ components
MCAD Fusion 360: The visibility of Copper and Soldermask
Changing the board origin in MCAD
How to change the Port Cross Reference Display?
Release not available
Can't export DXF or DWG files - Class not registered error
Yellow line thru entire PCB window
How do I use PerfView to collect additional data?
Which subscription plan do I have currently?
PCB Why do I see Designator overlaid on my extra designators?
3D Model Placement in Footprint Library
Variant Printing in Schematic from Output Job
Sending an enclosure from MCAD to ECAD
Slowness at startup
Map MCAD Models to ECAD Components
MCAD CoDesigner Keepout transfer
ECAD-MCAD model not properly imported warning
Viewing Copper in SOLIDWORKS
ECAD to MCAD transfer redraws board
Silkscreen not displaying in SOLIDWORKS
Altium Academy videos for ECAD-MCAD CoDesigner
Importing a logo into a PCB document
Placing a logo into a PCB document
How to import Allegro files to Altium
You must have Microsoft(R) Excel installed on your machine
Alternative Parts with Active BOM
PCB Select and Dimming
Startup issue - Failure to Launch (or install)
Student License
PCB Panel Selection and Highlight Controls
How to install Software Extensions in an offline environment
Connection lines & move component
Connection lines disappear when moving component
Can Only Move Parts So Close To Each Other
Can you set Electrical Clearance in the Design Rules for the Route Tool Path
Can't add bending line/Split line cannot be moved after placing/Board region cannot be selected
Can't connect to Altium Infrastructure Server (AIS) after installation
Cannot delete Layer from Layerstack
Cannot select an Object that somehow is very far from PCB boundary
Clearance Constrain between polyregion on multilayer and pad on top layer
Combine OrCAD Schematic Import and PADS Allegro PCB import into single Project
Command line installation parameters
Compile Error: Duplicate Net Names(Multi-Channel, Bus)
Component not created in Vault after running the batch file
Component placement for ODB++ files
Components Panel Filter not Correctly Filtering on Database 'value' Parameter
Configure and Animate the bending of a PCB that is entirely Flex
Convert a Fill or Region into a Polygon
Convert Plated via Backdrills to Non_Plated in ODB++ output
Copying Circuit Selection From One Project to Another
Copying from Footprint (unlocked primitive) to PCB does not work
Copying Multiline text to a string
Delete a line from BOM
Design Item IDs are reset and lost on update or placement from Schematic Library
Draftsman Drill Table Plated Column is in Russian
DRC doesnt catch unconnected nets
Error - Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library
Error code 68
Failed to create Key
Feature request
General Slowness
Generating IPC-D-356A document and compare to extracted netlist
Hide old expired licenses
How can I change the grid from mil to mm or set my designator to Visible in a Schematic Library
How can I copy everything to a new PCB
How do I reset the Altium Designer configuration to the installation defaults?
How do I reset Unique IDs in version 21 and newer?
How to access the Content Vault in the Explorer panel?
How to control the Designator location in Schematic Library
How to determine with which version a file was authored
How to edit board shape
How to import CircuitMaker files into Altium
How to perform a thorough uninstall
How to roam (Check Out) a license for offline use
How to select multiple Designators
How to short two different Nets - create a Net Tie
How to update Variant Parts with library?
How to use a license
I am getting a Validation Error on my Project Schematics what does this mean
Import or Export Design Rules
Importing a Mechanical Outline to PCB
Board Cutout not in Gerber output
Background Turns Dark when Placing Track
Avoid adjacent layer parallel track routing
Altium.PCB.DataModel.dll Crash on PCBDoc
Altium does not start per click (nview)
Altium Designer is not informing me of updates or allowing me to install them
Altium Designer is crashing when trying to Open any project
Installing multiple instances of AD versions
Is 3D view of a Cavity in PCB possible?
Layer Stack PDF Export Missing Bottom Surface Finish
Manufacturer Part Search (MPS) panel issues
Method to remove Managed Servers from Altium
My Update button is greyed out - Trying to update Altium Designer
Nothing happens when trying to use a license
Numbering Sheets in Multi-channel
Off Sheet Schematic Component Removal
Active Bar how to disable or customize
Offline installer
Options for getting an AltiumLive password reset
PDF output - An error exists on this page
Plane Clearance
Provider Cannot Be Found Error when Translating .IntLib to .DBLib
Reverse Engineering from Gerber to PCB
Rollback entire SVN Repository
Scroll bars are missing from PCB and Schematic editor windows
Search Paths tab missing in Project Options
Size Limits of PCB workspace
Slowness in specific areas
Status Bar is missing at bottom edge
Subscription Expired on License
SVN Error Commit failed, or Working Copy locked, or is already locked
Thermal Relief Connections for Custom Pads
Unable to move component even with Online clearance rule disabled
Unable to open *.DRL file in Altium
Unable to select and Delete Text
Unable to select objects
Uninstall Windows Updates
Unknown Server - Can't make project available online
Update gives error: This application requires Windows hotfix KB3140245
User's email address already exists in another organization
Using Local File Based Excel BOM templates
Variant - Schematic - Project level parameters
Warning: License Renewal Failed
What determines whether Altium will update to the next version rather than separate install?
What Does the White Arrow on Some Documents Mean?
When things don't display or print properly
Why am I seeing different designators in my schematic?
Why are PCB 3D Models not Displaying in the 3D View?
Why is my text upside down?
Why is there a [1] in front of my schematic sheet name?
Working with 32-bit and 64-bit software compatibility
Panels get rearranged i.e. stacked
How to group panels in tabbed mode when they are in fractal mode?
Connection Lines on PCB - Rats nest display

Our Knowledge Base is developed from our users questions. Find answers and step-by-step instructions. Chances are we’ve seen your question before.

Title	Views	Votes
Remove Solder Mask and Paste Mask from PCB Pads How to remove the Solder Mask / Paste Mask from a Pad Read More 11 5 83 views	83	-6
Viewer If you have engineers that sometimes need only to view a project and therefore don't need a full license, they can leave the full licenses available in your organization's pool by using a viewer license. This article reviews some options based on your circumstance. Read More 6 0 26 views	26	-6
New to Altium Designer or resume work with AD after break or major update For all those who are new to Altium, starting to use it now more frequently or have updated from a really old version. This article covers how to contact Support, finding Learning Materials, Tutorials, and other useful information for getting (re) started. Read More 0 0 108 views	108	0
How to add line number to a BOM template How to format BOM template column to include line # (line number). Unable to add Line # using the Column=Line Number Format in a BOM Template Read More 14 0 83 views	83	-14
Version not supported with private license server - Refresh PLS & AIS This article covers what to do when you get "Version Not Supported" error when using a private license server. It also has a comparison of the legacy Private License Server (PLS) and our current license server, Altium Infrastructure Server (AIS.) Read More 0 1 275 views	275	1
Version not supported despite valid subscription - Refresh PLS license We updated Altium Designer to a newer version, but now the client says our licenses do not support it. Our subscription for our private server license is current and the future date is displayed on the license management page subscription status column. Read More 1 0 104 views	104	-1
How to activate the Mixed Simulation tool in Altium Designer How to activate the Mixed Simulation tool in Altium Designer with links to more information about simulation Read More 0 4 44 views	44	4
Port and URL information for when firewall or VPN is blocking access I can't get the system running while connected to VPN. As soon as I disconnect form VPN, Altium starts running. Read More 0 2 195 views	195	2
Ports and IP Addresses for Altium Designer We have strict firewall rules, is there any documentation available which states what IP addresses, ports are required to use this feature? Read More 1 0 204 views	204	-1
Importer for KiCAD We see that Altium supports importing of files from Kicad to Altium but we do not see how to add that importer. Do we need a later version of Altium to see this? Read More 22 4 38 views	38	-18
Unions When I move or drag a component other components move with it. Also covers an error about a name already exists, and "This object is part of a locked union. Continue?" Read More 0 0 3 views	3	0
Power Port reduced to Local level warning I get a warning when I compile my project schematics: "Global Power-Object ... has been reduced to local level by presence of port at ..." It is a Warning in the Message panel after validating the project. Read More 27 2 31 views	31	-25
Signing into a managed content server from within Altium Designer Signing into and Connecting to a managed content server (such as Altium 365 workspace) from within Altium Designer Read More 0 0 159 views	159	0
Updating schematic component footprints from the PCB Document. For designs where the footprints in the PCB do not match the footprint configured in the schematic component, this will show you how to get them in sync. Read More 31 3 216 views	216	-28
MCAD CoDesigner panel is not visible in Creo There are different resolutions based on whether the add-in is loaded, failed to initialize, or is hidden in the User Interface. Read More 0 0 15 views	15	0
On-Demand License Showing Incorrect Subscription Date A renewed license shows the incorrect old subscription date Read More 0 0 10 views	10	0
Error from Portal365.altium.com I am receiving an error message when I try to log in to Altium designer. The error message is "Error from portal365.altium.com: The server name could not be resolved" Read More 0 3 48 views	48	3
Add and Managing Groups How to add and manage Groups for your company account Read More 0 0 9 views	9	0
Add and Managing Users As an administrator, how to add and manage the users in your company Read More 0 0 9 views	9	0
Activating Student On-Demand License How to activate a recently acquired Student On-Demand License Read More 0 0 9 views	9	0
On-Demand License Not Showing Up Unable to see the newly activated license associated with the account. Read More 0 0 7 views	7	0
Requesting to be made an Administrator I want to be added to the Administrator Group Read More 0 0 13 views	13	0
Release an On-Demand License How to forcefully release a user from a license Read More 0 0 15 views	15	0
Change Password How to change the password for a user's account Read More 0 0 17 views	17	0
Sign In button is not active & Error From When I start Altium, I first get an error "Error from :" which I can get past by clicking OK, but then the Sign in dialog box which follows, will not let me click the Sign in button after I enter my Username (Email) and Password. The Sign in button stays grayed out. Read More 0 0 24 views	24	0
SOLIDWORKS CoDesigner panel error: There is no document opened… I get this message in the SOLIDWORKS CoDesigner panel, "There is no document opened or the active document is not linked with PCB design." (for PCBs pushed from Altium using MCAD CoDesigner to SOLIDWORKS) after creating a "SpeedPak" configuration in SOLIDWORKS, which prevents most parts from loading to improve performance. Read More 0 0 10 views	10	0
"The Internal ID Does Not Match" issue with SOLIDWORKS MCAD This happens when several boards with the same set of components are used in a device assembly AND IF there is no common component folder set up in CoDesigner’s settings. Read More 1 0 25 views	25	-1
How can other Mechanical Engineers see my MCAD CoDesigner changes? CoDesigner is not a storage system for synchronizing changes among Mechanical Engineers (MEs) Read More 0 0 9 views	9	0
Can I increase the quality of the decals in SOLIDWORKS MCAD? This article has some options that can affect the quality of decals. Read More 0 0 5 views	5	0
SOLIDWORKS MCAD is used with SW PDM (Product Data Management) This article has some guidance for when SOLIDWORKS is used with SOLIDWORKS Product Data Management Read More 0 0 5 views	5	0
MCAD Autodesk Vault is used with Autodesk Inventor This article describes a short procedure to better enable this functionality Read More 0 0 7 views	7	0
MCAD SOLIDWORKS: Low performance with building a board Move the toolbox to a local drive. Read More 0 0 7 views	7	0
MCAD Fusion 360 Personal: Components are not shown This version of Fusion 360 is for non-commercial use. Read More 0 0 5 views	5	0
MCAD Fusion 360: Bad performance with the boards with 500+ components This is a known issue with Fusion (reported for all big assemblies, not only with the ones built by CoDesigner.) Read More 0 0 8 views	8	0
MCAD Fusion 360: The visibility of Copper and Soldermask They are hidden by default. Read More 0 0 3 views	3	0
Changing the board origin in MCAD We can't rely on the relative ECAD origin because it can be easily changed in ECAD, and it's not realistic to synchronize the changes with MCAD in that case. Read More 0 1 4 views	4	1
How to change the Port Cross Reference Display? I'd like to add port references to my schematic, but I don't want to include the zone or grid references in order to save space. Read More 2 2 35 views	35	0
Release not available "Release not available: Project is not registerd [sic] in PLM" may show up when using Project Releaser, if you have a PLM extension installed. Read More 0 0 2 views	2	0
Can't export DXF or DWG files - Class not registered error When I try to export a PCB as a DXF or DWG, I get an error with the following details: Class not registered at ###... SaveDxf.dll, Base Address: ###... Read More 2 7 30 views	30	5
Yellow line thru entire PCB window If you have a yellow line through your PCB, it is probably a guide line (Snap Guide.) The color can be changed. Read More 1 2 10 views	10	1
How do I use PerfView to collect additional data? This article details the steps and settings to collect additional data for your support issue using Microsoft's PerfView tool. Read More 0 4 32 views	32	4
Which subscription plan do I have currently? This article describes how you can determine your current subscription plan level Read More 2 1 23 views	23	-1
PCB Why do I see Designator overlaid on my extra designators? Special Strings Display - You toggle the display of the Special Strings overlay within the View Configuration panel, go to the View Options Tab and toggle the visibility of Special Strings. Read More 0 1 94 views	94	1
3D Model Placement in Footprint Library How to place a 3D Model precisely in your footprint in a PCB library Read More 0 7 133 views	133	7
Variant Printing in Schematic from Output Job Variants Not showing on the schematic prints when generated through output job. Read More 17 6 49 views	49	-11
Sending an enclosure from MCAD to ECAD This article has links to learn how to send an enclosure from MCAD to ECAD Read More 0 0 12 views	12	0
Slowness at startup Here are some things that can cause a slow startup. Read More 1 0 20 views	20	-1
Map MCAD Models to ECAD Components This article covers how to make models placed on the MCAD side be recognizable on the ECAD side when using a Pro subscription plan. Read More 0 0 28 views	28	0
MCAD CoDesigner Keepout transfer Is it possible to transfer keepout areas using MCAD CoDesigner? CoDesigner 2.1.0 and newer has an updated MCAD CoDesigner panel that now has a PCB Definition tab which displays Board Area definitions that exist on the board. Read More 1 1 33 views	33	0
ECAD-MCAD model not properly imported warning Transfering to MCAD domain, a message indicating there is a problem with 3D model and it will be substitute with simple geometry. Read More 0 0 38 views	38	0
Viewing Copper in SOLIDWORKS I can only see the bare board and components. How can I see the copper traces in SOLIDWORKS MCAD? Read More 0 1 37 views	37	1
ECAD to MCAD transfer redraws board This article describes why a transfer from ECAD to MCAD redraws board shape and loses board constraints. Read More 0 0 38 views	38	0
Silkscreen not displaying in SOLIDWORKS ECAD / MCAD CoDesigner transfer is not showing silkscreen in SOLIDWORKS. Sometimes the decals that represent copper and silkscreen and solder mask are not shown in SW 2019+ because of problems with the rendering on some video cards. The solution can be to change this flag in SOLIDWORKS preferences. Read More 9 0 24 views	24	-9
Altium Academy videos for ECAD-MCAD CoDesigner Here is a link to a collection of videos from Altium Academy that may improve your experience with ECAD-MCAD CoDesigner Read More 0 0 35 views	35	0
Importing a logo into a PCB document This article describes how to import your company logo or other bitmap file (*.bmp) into your PCB document. Read More 5 0 25 views	25	-5
Placing a logo into a PCB document How to place your company logo or any Graphic object ( a non-electrical primitive that can be placed on a PCB and PCB Library document and populated with a standard image file (.png, .jpg, .bmp, .svg.).) into your PCB document. Read More 15 10 144 views	144	-5
How to import Allegro files to Altium This document describes different approaches for getting Allegro files into Altium Designer. Read More 3 14 250 views	250	11
You must have Microsoft(R) Excel installed on your machine I can no longer generate any outputs that require MS-Excel since there seems to be an issue with Altium's ability to open the program. MS-Excel is working just fine for me and no other applications I use have issue with it, but I get this error, "You must have Microsoft® Excel installed on your machine to be able to generate a Board Stack Report." Read More 22 1 94 views	94	-21
Alternative Parts with Active BOM I am trying to add an alternative part to an item on the active BoM for a non managed component, but when I right click on my item I do not get the option to add an alternative as expected according to documentation. Read More 13 1 92 views	92	-12
PCB Select and Dimming This article discusses the ways you can affect Dimming, Masking, Zooming, and whether objects get selected in the document workspace when they are selected in the PCB panel lists. Read More 6 1 21 views	21	-5
Startup issue - Failure to Launch (or install) This article has a long list of things to try when Altium won't start. Some of these also apply if Altium won't install. Read More 6 4 72 views	72	-2
Student License This article has information that will be helpful for students that want to start using Altium Designer. Read More 1 10 13 views	13	9
PCB Panel Selection and Highlight Controls When objects are selected in the Primitives list in the PCB panel, the behavior in the editor may not be as expected. This article reviews settings that can change behavior such as Dim / Normal / Mask, Clear Existing, and Zoom etc. and whether objects get selected in the document design editor workspace window when they are selected in the PCB panel lists. Read More 2 0 31 views	31	-2
How to install Software Extensions in an offline environment I run Altium on an offline computer. It is not possible to attach to the Internet or any other network. How do I install Software Extensions & modify the Core Feature Set in this environment. Read More 0 0 42 views	42	0
Connection lines & move component Why do the connection lines not move the same when I use the Edit ► Move ► Component as they do if I would use dragging of the component in PCB Editor Read More 4 2 18 views	18	-2
Connection lines disappear when moving component On a component with n-number pads the connections disappear when moving the component Read More 11 4 176 views	176	-7
Can Only Move Parts So Close To Each Other How to change the mode of moving Components on a PCB Read More 2 4 20 views	20	2
Can you set Electrical Clearance in the Design Rules for the Route Tool Path Route Tool Path is defined on Mechanical layer, how can I define clearance to this path? Read More 1 0 128 views	128	-1
Can't add bending line/Split line cannot be moved after placing/Board region cannot be selected How do I add and modify a bending line to my Rigid Flex design? Read More 16 2 36 views	36	-14
Can't connect to Altium Infrastructure Server (AIS) after installation If you just installed the Altium Infrastructure Server (AIS), the most common reason connection fails is because the licenses that came with the installation package were not installed. Read More 2 0 98 views	98	-2
Cannot delete Layer from Layerstack This article describes a couple of scenarios in a Pcb document that can prevent layer deletion in the Layer Stack Manager. Read More 12 1 152 views	152	-11
Cannot select an Object that somehow is very far from PCB boundary There appears to be objects outside of my workspace area, I am not able to find nor select them. How can I select them to delete. No matter what I do, it will not be selected. Read More 20 2 23 views	23	-18
Clearance Constrain between polyregion on multilayer and pad on top layer I have an error stating "Clearance Constrain between polyregion on multilayer and pad on top layer" on my PCB layout. Every pad is having this error, as well as a through hole component. When I click to "jump to" the violation... It goes to the corner of the board and just says there is a clearance violation. Read More 42 12 39 views	39	-30
Combine OrCAD Schematic Import and PADS Allegro PCB import into single Project Create a single project linking imported OrCAD Schematic Project and imported PADS/Allegro PCB Project Read More 0 3 95 views	95	3
Command line installation parameters This article covers the command line installation parameters that are available for Altium Designer. Read More 1 5 73 views	73	4
Compile Error: Duplicate Net Names(Multi-Channel, Bus) [Error] TopSheet.SchDoc Compiler Duplicate Net Names Bus Slice - I am receiving this error on the buses from my multi-channel sheet, and my buses do not look like they are properly connecting in the netlist. The buses look to be properly formed. How do I fix this Duplicate Net Name on Multichannel design error? Read More 73 3 180 views	180	-70
Component not created in Vault after running the batch file We are tying to add components in Altium Vault/Concord Pro through .csv files. This method is working for some categories, but not for all. Read More 0 0 50 views	50	0
Component placement for ODB++ files I am importing ODB++ files into a fabrication house software MacroFab. Every time the component placement file comes in, it's position is offset from the actual board origin in the Gerber files. How do I make the component placement files match the PCB 0,0 origin when importing into MacroFab software. Read More 0 0 12 views	12	0
Components Panel Filter not Correctly Filtering on Database 'value' Parameter Using a Database Library with Microsoft Excel, formatting in the Excel file can cause the filter to not work correctly when read by Altium Designer. For example, setting the filter to "greater than or equal to #" does not filter correctly. We will look at how to format the column in the Excel database so it can be processed correctly. Read More 0 0 64 views	64	0
Configure and Animate the bending of a PCB that is entirely Flex Configuring and Animating the bending of a PCB that is entirely Flex Read More 0 2 89 views	89	2
Convert a Fill or Region into a Polygon When I try to create a polygon from the outline of overlapping shapes using Fills and Regions it does not work. When I try to run the command it tells me it cannot find an enclosed shape (Tracks, Arcs, Full Circle) and when I click YES nothing happens. How can I get this to work? Read More 17 4 102 views	102	-13
Convert Plated via Backdrills to Non_Plated in ODB++ output Exporting ODB++, as of AD20.1.7, the exported backdrills are incorrectly set as VIAs which are plated. This shows how to modify the output to set the vias as NON_PLATED Read More 0 1 46 views	46	1
Copying Circuit Selection From One Project to Another What is the best method if I want to transfer a section of a schematic circuit and the associated layout from an existing project to another project? Read More 2 8 40 views	40	6
Copying from Footprint (unlocked primitive) to PCB does not work I can't select primitives of mechanical layers on a footprint and copy them to a mechanical layer on the PCB. I can only bring over the primitives to the PCB by changing the layer assignment in the properties panel. However, the primitives are still tide to the component footprint. How do I copy primitives from the footprint to the PCB? Read More 1 2 17 views	17	1
Copying Multiline text to a string When copying multiple lines of text from a PDF document to paste into a single string, only the first line will paste. Read More 1 0 17 views	17	-1
Delete a line from BOM Is there a way to delete a line in the draftsman Bill Of Materials table? I have a test point that showed up there, and I am looking for a way to remove it. Read More 1 2 10 views	10	1
Design Item IDs are reset and lost on update or placement from Schematic Library Every time I update the schematic symbols, the Design Item IDs of some schematic symbols are reset. The same happens when I place these components from the components panel for components of Schematic (.SchLib) and Integrated Libraries (.IntLib). Read More 2 2 93 views	93	0
Draftsman Drill Table Plated Column is in Russian It appears that the Plating column data in Draftsman Drill Table objects only displays in Russian - I cannot find a language setting somewhere to modify the language of the information in this column. Read More 0 1 38 views	38	1
DRC doesnt catch unconnected nets I have a PCB design in which the DRC doesn't catch unconnected nets, although the check is enabled in the design rules. Read More 14 4 43 views	43	-10
Error - Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library Altium crashes with the error: Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library. Read More 9 0 31 views	31	-9
Error code 68 I'm getting one of these errors when starting Altium Designer: Exception loading Wpf UI Error initializing licensing service Error code 68 Read More 0 1 40 views	40	1
Failed to create Key Reported Error message "Failed to create Key" while trying to install Altium Designer even as an offline installation. Read More 0 1 54 views	54	1
Feature request Something is not working the way I expect or want it to work. I would like to see an enhancement. Read More 0 0 49 views	49	0
General Slowness Here is a long list of things that may help you track down an underlying cause. Read More 19 0 104 views	104	-19
Generating IPC-D-356A document and compare to extracted netlist I am trying to export an IPC-356 file from the Altium CAM editor. I am receiving the following error Cannot Open File for Netlist Output! Read More 6 1 77 views	77	-5
Hide old expired licenses Our organization has a bunch of expired licenses. Is there some way to remove them from the list in the Altium Designer license management page so it will look less cluttered and be less confusing to our users trying to pick a valid license that is under subscription? Read More 1 1 23 views	23	0
How can I change the grid from mil to mm or set my designator to Visible in a Schematic Library How can I change the grid from mil to mm or set my designator to visible in a Schematic Library Read More 55 10 30 views	30	-45
How can I copy everything to a new PCB I suspect some sort of corruption with my PCB. I want to try copying as much as I can from my current PCB to a new "clean" one. I read that this might resolve my issue with "undo not working" in one particular PCB. Read More 6 1 25 views	25	-5
How do I reset the Altium Designer configuration to the installation defaults? Reset the configuration of Altium Designer. Read More 10 8 683 views	683	-2
How do I reset Unique IDs in version 21 and newer? For AD20 and older, I used to follow this documentation: https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/sch-dlg-resetpartsheetsymboluniqueidsreset-part-and-sheet-symbol-unique-ids-ad?version=20.2 Now the option is gone. Read More 1 4 45 views	45	3
How to access the Content Vault in the Explorer panel? In Altium Designer 20 the Content Vault is not accessible via the Explorer panel per default. This article describes how you can make the Content Vault accessible via the Explorer panel again. Read More 6 6 55 views	55	0
How to control the Designator location in Schematic Library Component designator and comment can be made visible in the documents options of a schematic library. Read More 15 37 57 views	57	22
How to determine with which version a file was authored Is there a way to determine which version of Altium Designer was used to create a project or design? Read More 4 3 25 views	25	-1
How to edit board shape How to edit the board shape. Read More 11 8 23 views	23	-3
How to import CircuitMaker files into Altium How to import CircuitMaker / CircuitStudio files into Altium Read More 9 2 67 views	67	-7
How to perform a thorough uninstall Sometimes the operating system doesn't fully uninstall a software program. This document explains what you can do. Read More 0 2 85 views	85	2
How to roam (Check Out) a license for offline use When roaming, a seat of a license is acquired for a specified time. You do not need to remain signed-in to your account to use the license in this mode. You can sign out and work offline, in essence roaming freely with your license seat. This can be done with an On-Demand or Private Server licenses (not available if you are using the legacy Private License Server (PLS) Read More 2 0 18 views	18	-2
How to select multiple Designators This article describes different methods to select multiple Designators in a PCB. Read More 2 1 12 views	12	-1
How to short two different Nets - create a Net Tie This article covers the basics for the creation of a Net Tie Read More 2 14 78 views	78	12
How to update Variant Parts with library? After updating my schematic library the part does not get updated in the project when I run the BOM tool. On close inspection I can go into the Variants and the part to be varied is not showing the correct Part Number or Manufacturer fields. Going into the select alternative part I can confirm that the part in the Library is correct but there is no way to update the Variant listing. If I deselect it as fitted and then re-choose as a variant the data is corrected. Read More 6 1 36 views	36	-5
How to use a license I have purchased a license, and I've downloaded and installed the software for Altium Designer. What do I have to do to get the software licensed so I can use it? Read More 0 0 42 views	42	0
I am getting a Validation Error on my Project Schematics what does this mean When validating schematics in a Project, various messages can be generated by the compiler. Please review the list of messages provided here for more information Read More 2 1 254 views	254	-1
Import or Export Design Rules How to import and/or export design rules? Read More 14 24 24 views	24	10
Importing a Mechanical Outline to PCB Our mechanical engineer has created a PCB board outline complete with hole sizes & dimensions, and has sent it in 3D step file format. How to create a board shape from this file and other mechanical file types. Read More 0 0 75 views	75	0
Board Cutout not in Gerber output Board cutouts are not exported in Gerber file export. This article shows how to generate outlines for the cutouts onto a mechanical layer for documentation and inclusion in the fabrication output files. Read More 6 35 45 views	45	29
Background Turns Dark when Placing Track Pressing P, T to place track. Once a net is clicked on to route, the background turns dark. This is a problem because I am now routing my board blind. Can't find the setting to fix this Read More 0 1 25 views	25	1
Avoid adjacent layer parallel track routing How to set a rule to avoid adjacent layer parallel track routing Read More 0 0 21 views	21	0
Altium.PCB.DataModel.dll Crash on PCBDoc Altium crashes with a Altium.PCB.DataModel.dll error message when I try to route or when repouring polygons on the PCBDoc. Read More 5 2 38 views	38	-3
Altium does not start per click (nview) If I try to start Altium Designer by clicking from the start menu or from the task bar it usually takes a lot of tries to do this. Read More 5 2 20 views	20	-3
Altium Designer is not informing me of updates or allowing me to install them When installing with the Offline Installer, online activity is disabled and 'greyed out'. Including the ability to check for and install updates. This is how you turn it back on. Read More 1 0 159 views	159	-1
Altium Designer is crashing when trying to Open any project Getting this error: HRESULT: [0x88990012], Module: [SharpDX.Direct2D1], ApiCode: [D2DERR_WRONG_FACTORY / WrongFactory], Message: The objects used together must be created with the same factory instance at ###... AdvSch.dll, Base Address: ###... Error when starting AD and eventually when I click on SCH sheet or a BomDoc file. Sometimes these error messages continue to pop up over and over again until I close AD from Task Manager. Read More 64 4 137 views	137	-60
Installing multiple instances of AD versions Can I install more than one version at a time? Do I have to remove older versions first? Do I have to use the same version to edit as was used to create the project? Read More 1 3 23 views	23	2
Is 3D view of a Cavity in PCB possible? I would like to display my component in 3D while it is placed within a cavity, is this possible? Read More 0 1 106 views	106	1
Layer Stack PDF Export Missing Bottom Surface Finish You may come across some issue when placing, say, Layer Stack Table, in your *.PcbDoc for your documentation purpose, as it may not support all newly added elements, such as Surface Finish layer. Altium considers the legacy method to be somewhat obsolete and instead would like to direct you to Draftsman for this purpose. Read More 0 0 33 views	33	0
Manufacturer Part Search (MPS) panel issues How to resolve most Manufacturer Part Search (MPS) panel issues Read More 36 3 125 views	125	-33
Method to remove Managed Servers from Altium How to remove previously connected managed servers from Altium? Even when signed out, the managed servers that were previously connected to would appear in the account drop down menu. Read More 0 1 59 views	59	1
My Update button is greyed out - Trying to update Altium Designer There is an update Available for Altium Designer, but my update button is greyed out. How can I update? Read More 0 2 105 views	105	2
Nothing happens when trying to use a license I can't use a license. I click on a license, then click the use control below, or right-click on the license and choose "use" but nothing happens. Read More 12 4 50 views	50	-8
Numbering Sheets in Multi-channel What are the steps and requirements to number my sheets in a multi-channel design? Read More 4 1 60 views	60	-3
Off Sheet Schematic Component Removal Somehow I got a component outside of my sheet area and I cannot select or delete it. How to remove the component or get it back onto the sheet? Read More 26 11 56 views	56	-15
Active Bar how to disable or customize Active Bar can only be disabled, not customized Read More 3 8 40 views	40	5
Offline installer This article explains how to get an offline installer package and related information. Read More 2 0 45 views	45	-2
Options for getting an AltiumLive password reset Here are some ways a password can be reset. Read More 1 0 30 views	30	-1
PDF output - An error exists on this page After creating a PDF via Output Job or Smart PDF creation, the Adobe Acrobat Reader throws the following error while opening the file: "An error exists on this page. Acrobat may not display the page correctly. Please contact the person who created the pdf to correct the problem" German version: Fehler auf dieser Seite. Die Seite wird unter Umständen nicht richtig in Acrobat angezeigt. Wenden Sie sich and den Ersteller des PDF-Dokuments, um das Problem zu beheben. Read More 7 4 77 views	77	-3
Plane Clearance Where can I find the plane to edge clearance? Read More 6 6 14 views	14	0
Provider Cannot Be Found Error when Translating .IntLib to .DBLib Trying to convert an .IntLib into a .DBLib using the menu option Tools ► Import from Integrated Libraries when the .DBLib is active in the workspace brings up this Error: "An error was encountered exporting. Provider cannot be found. It may not be properly installed. The export has been aborted." Read More 0 0 41 views	41	0
Reverse Engineering from Gerber to PCB I want to create a PCB from a Gerber file Read More 12 31 69 views	69	19
Rollback entire SVN Repository When there is an issue with the current revision of the repository, there is a method on how to rollback to a previous revision. Read More 2 0 85 views	85	-2
Scroll bars are missing from PCB and Schematic editor windows I thought there were scroll bars when zoomed in sufficiently in the PCB and Schematic editors. I don't have them anymore. How do I get them back? Read More 3 4 28 views	28	1
Search Paths tab missing in Project Options If you are used to using the Search Paths tab from previous versions, this article explains how you can bring it back. Read More 1 1 29 views	29	0
Size Limits of PCB workspace Move components left or down not working? Probably because you have reached the absolute zero coordinate. From there the workspace extends to the top and to the right, but you cannot reach any points below absolute zero. It would be best to move the whole board. Read More 10 5 49 views	49	-5
Slowness in specific areas Sometimes there are settings or things about your documents that can cause unusual slowness. Here are some things to look for. Read More 9 2 104 views	104	-7
Status Bar is missing at bottom edge I regularly rely on the XY location shown in the bottom left corner of the window frame as well as the hints and other messages that appear along the bottom of the window frame. For some reason, these are missing now. How do I get them back? Read More 4 3 14 views	14	-1
Subscription Expired on License Receiving a Subscription Expired message, but I am sure it was renewed. How do I check and fix this? Read More 9 2 101 views	101	-7
SVN Error Commit failed, or Working Copy locked, or is already locked I appear to have a lock on my SVN files. Or, when I try to commit that file I get an error - Commit failed - Previous operation has not finished; run 'cleanup' if it was interrupted. Read More 1 0 162 views	162	-1
Thermal Relief Connections for Custom Pads How to create Thermal Relief Connections between Polygons and Custom pads. Read More 6 3 87 views	87	-3
Unable to move component even with Online clearance rule disabled It is not possible to place a component on the PCB near to another components. Something seems to block the component from the placing. The reason is the different mode of moving objects. Read More 19 2 64 views	64	-17
Unable to open .DRL file in Altium .DRL generated by the CAM Editor is in ASCII Format and readable. The best practice is to always provide your Fabricator with the .TXT generated from the PCB Editor, and ignore the *.DRL generated by the PCB Editor. Read More 0 1 63 views	63	1
Unable to select and Delete Text There are text on the PCB that the user is unable to select and due to this, they are unable to move / delete them. Read More 19 3 38 views	38	-16
Unable to select objects If you are unable to select objects, make sure to check your configuration in Selection Filter under Properties panel https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/interactiveproperties-pnl-propertiesproperties-ad#!pcb-support Read More 114 15 71 views	71	-99
Uninstall Windows Updates I suspect a recent Windows update is responsible for a new issue I am experiencing with Altium. How do I uninstall specific Windows Updates Read More 0 0 16 views	16	0
Unknown Server - Can't make project available online When it is opened, the project is shown in the projects panel under 'Unknown Server'. Even though I am logged into a workspace, I am not presented with the option to 'make project available online' when I right click on the project name in the projects panel. If I try to share the project, I am presented with a 'please switch to workspace to share this project' message. Read More 3 0 24 views	24	-3
Update gives error: This application requires Windows hotfix KB3140245 I can load up to 20.1.12, anything newer than that gives me the error. I ran the hotfix but I still get the error message. The error message opens up a Microsoft window that runs through the fix but after doing that it still doesn't work. When I try to install it manually, I'm getting: The update is not applicable to your computer" I am running Widows 7 professional 64bit Read More 32 2 27 views	27	-30
User's email address already exists in another organization This article discusses the issue of getting a message that the "User's email address already exists in another organization" or "Failed to create user account: Username: xxxx@yyyy.com already in use", or "Cannot add user: user with this email is already registered in other organisation" when you try to add them from your dashboard. Read More 5 1 53 views	53	-4
Using Local File Based Excel BOM templates When signed into a managed server, why am I unable to use local file based Excel BOM templates. Read More 1 0 56 views	56	-1
Variant - Schematic - Project level parameters Note of project priority when used in conjunction with special strings at various levels of your project files. How are same named parameters resolved? Read More 4 1 74 views	74	-3
Warning: License Renewal Failed This article has steps that should stop the pop-up message: Warning: License Renewal Failed The License Manager was not able to renew your license. Altium Designer will retry periodically. Read More 33 9 81 views	81	-24
What determines whether Altium will update to the next version rather than separate install? Sometimes Altium Designer lets me update the software to the next version and sometime it has to be a new install into a new folder. What's that about? Read More 0 0 16 views	16	0
What Does the White Arrow on Some Documents Mean? In the Project Panel, why do some document icons have a small arrow in a white box on them? Read More 2 0 19 views	19	-2
When things don't display or print properly Here are some things to try when a panel doesn't open after selection or doesn't display properly, or when things don't display or print properly in general Read More 14 1 46 views	46	-13
Why am I seeing different designators in my schematic? This article summarizes how to remove board annotation if it was accidentally added to your project, or if it is no longer wanted. Read More 8 2 240 views	240	-6
Why are PCB 3D Models not Displaying in the 3D View? The display of 3D body models in the PCB 3D view is controlled by a setting in the View Configuration Panel. We will take a look at how to ensure this option is enabled. Read More 39 6 106 views	106	-33
Why is my text upside down? Text on my schematic is displaying upside-down Read More 5 0 23 views	23	-5
Why is there a [1] in front of my schematic sheet name? There is a [1] in front of my schematic sheet name in the Projects panel. How do I get the normal filename back? Read More 0 18 28 views	28	18
Working with 32-bit and 64-bit software compatibility This article covers how to use Database Libraries with 32-bit and 64-bit Altium Designer Software on the same computer and how to use a 64-bit version of Altium Designer when you are using a 32-bit version of Office. This article should help you out if you get the message: "The operating system is not presently configured to run this application." as described in this forum post: https://forum.live.altium.com/#posts/238667/731116. Or if you get this message: "An error occurred while establishing a connection to the database. Altium Designer requires that the 64-bit Microsoft Access Database Engine be installed. For more information and application solutions, click here." Read More 2 0 96 views	96	-2
Panels get rearranged i.e. stacked Sometimes, the panels in Altium Designer get stacked on top of each other. This article describes the process on how to prevent them from showing in fractal mode in future. Read More 0 3 34 views	34	3
How to group panels in tabbed mode when they are in fractal mode? I want a panel to be tabbed with other panels that appear just above it. No amount of dragging will group it in tabbed mode. Why doesn't it stay where I put it? Read More 1 4 52 views	52	3
Connection Lines on PCB - Rats nest display How do I control the display of Rats nest on my PCB, I want to show or hide them Read More 16 13 181 views	181	-3