Web Viewer Functionality on the Altium 365 Platform

 

Parent page: Altium 365 Viewers

The Altium 365 Web Viewer interface provides universal access to PCB project documents through a standard web browser. Much more than just a web-based viewer, its advanced browser technology allows users to navigate through the project structure, interact with design documents, extract information about elements in the design, and highlight areas or objects for commenting notes.

When viewing documents the visual quality of schematics and PCBs is not compromised by its web format, which also provides full pan and zoom capabilities and the ability to search, cross-probe, select and inspect components and nets throughout the design.

Altium 365's Web Viewer interface provides an immersive and interactive experience for reviewing, for example, the source schematic and PCB documents in your design project. Shown here is a schematic – hover over the image to see the PCB (in 3D).Altium 365's Web Viewer interface provides an immersive and interactive experience for reviewing, for example, the source schematic and PCB documents in your design project. Shown here is a schematic – hover over the image to see the PCB (in 3D).

As an independent browser-based viewing platform, the Web Viewer interface offers interactive read-only access to design documents without the need to open the project in the design editing environment. Others that are working on the design, such as the engineer who 'owns' it, will not be affected by actions in the Web Viewer space – except for any related comment notifications, where applicable.

To ensure a smooth experience with the Web Viewer, ensure you have the latest version of a supported Web Browser installed, that WebGL is enabled for it, and that the video drivers for your computer are up to date. For more information, see Altium 365 Viewers – Troubleshooting Guide.

Web Viewer Access

The Web Viewer interface is utilized in the following instances:

The following collapsible sections detail how each of these instances is accessed, and how the Web Viewer interface presents in each case.

Web Viewer Features

The Web Viewer interface offers a range of integrated capabilities that allow detailed access to design data. Other features such as the Comments system – when used from the Design view of the detailed management page for a project – communicate directly, and in real-time, with Altium Designer. The following sections take a look at the various functions and features available.

Note that the available features will depend on the type of data being viewed.

Data Views

The Web Viewer interface presents information across distinct data views. The views presented will depend on the type of data being viewed:

  • When viewing the design source, four data views are used to present the source schematic(s), board in 2D, board in 3D and Bill of Materials respectively. You also have access to the Layer Stack view.
  • When viewing data in a manufacturing package, three data views are presented. On the Fabrication page, the Fabrication data view is available, which is a Gerber Viewer. The Assembly page provides PCB and 3D data views of the board.
  • When viewing a shared snapshot of Gerber data, a single data view is presented – Gerber. The Gerber view is the same as that presented through the Fabrication data view on the Fabrication page when viewing a manufacturing package.

SCH

This view presents the source schematic sheet(s) for the design.

The SCH data view presents the currently selected schematic source document.The SCH data view presents the currently selected schematic source document.

PCB

This view presents the PCB in 2D.

The PCB data view presents a 2D view of the PCB.The PCB data view presents a 2D view of the PCB.

3D

This view presents the PCB in 3D.

The 3D data view presents a 3D view of the PCB.The 3D data view presents a 3D view of the PCB.

Draftsman

This view presents the Draftsman documents available in the design. A Draftsman document also can be opened for viewing by selecting a Draftsman document (*.PCBDwf) from the Navigation tree on the left, and as with other design views, the Draftsman view supports document Commenting.

The Draftsman data view presents all pages of the currently selected Draftsman source document.The Draftsman data view presents all pages of the currently selected Draftsman source document.

BOM

This view presents the Bill of Materials for the design. This is built on-the-fly from the source schematic documents, or from an ActiveBOM document (*.BomDoc) if one is included in the project. The view is both interactive and configurable, and incorporates current component data derived from Altium's supply chain resources.

The BOM data view presents the Bill of Materials for the design. Select an entry row to see its details in the Information pane.The BOM data view presents the Bill of Materials for the design. Select an entry row to see its details in the Information pane.

The BOM reflects all components required to assemble a single board and also actively checks the validity of the current data, which is indicated through status icons – for example;  clear/OK,  duplicated component value, obsolete part or insufficient stock. Pricing information is sourced through Altium parts provider services, which also provide web links to component part and supplier data.

The following points relate to working with the view:

  • Click on a component Manufacturer Part Number entry to access a web link to the corresponding real-world manufacturer part.
  • Click on a component Supplier Part Number entry to access a direct web link to the supplier's part information.
  • Click on a designator to cross-probe to that component in the other data views.
  • You can sort the entries by a column by toggling its header between ascending () and descending () order.
  • Drag the junction between headers to resize the column width.
  • Use the columns settings menu () to specify which columns are displayed in the view – the options are derived from all parameters present in the BOM components.
  • A Comment added to a line entry in the BOM data view is marked by an icon at the beginning of the line, which when selected, will open the related Comment in the commenting window. Note that BOM comments are not available in Altium Designer.

  • Use the Search field above the listing () to quickly find a component of interest.
  • You can perform BOM data comparisons from a project's Releases or History views. See BOM Comparison for more information.

When an ActiveBOM document is included in the project the BOM view will adopt its settings, such as custom columns, column aliases, defined validation checks, line numbers, etc.

See BOM Management with ActiveBOM for more information on creating and configuring an ActiveBOM document.

The settings of an included ActiveBOM document will apply to the web BOM view. The settings of an included ActiveBOM document will apply to the web BOM view.

If your company has a SiliconExpert account, and the Altium 365 SiliconExpert Integration feature is enabled, then parametric parts data sourced from SiliconExpert will become available to your Workspace BOM document view and also within the BOM Portal. The advanced manufacturer parts risk assessment data from SiliconExpert is pulled into your BOM document on demand as parameters that estimate a part's potential obsolescence, standards compliance, sourcing risk, and more.

The SiliconExpert parametric BOM data is included in specific parameter columns indicated by an associated icon, which are also included as markers in the Column Settings drop-down menu.

The Workspace BOM view with all SiliconExpert data enabled. Note that only the Lifecycle, YTEOL and RoHS parameters are enabled by default.The Workspace BOM view with all SiliconExpert data enabled. Note that only the Lifecycle, YTEOL and RoHS parameters are enabled by default.

The full benefit of this enhanced procurement data is gained by assessing the significance of the parameter values based on your requirements – see Parameters Available from SiliconExpert for detailed information. Note that SiliconExpert integration is also available in Altium Designer – see Pulling Part Data from SiliconExpert in Altium Designer.

  • Altium SiliconExpert Integration is a purchased and licensed feature – see the SiliconExpert Integration page.
  • When access to the feature is enabled, the SiliconExpert credentials provided to you must be entered in the Admin – Apps page of your Altium 365 Workspace – see Setup SiliconExpert credentials.
  • The overall availability of SiliconExpert parameters for your Workspace is determined by the Data Visibility Settings accessible to administrators through the Admin – Apps page.

Multi-board Design View

This view presents Schematic and 3D views configured for Multi-board project documents. The high-level Multi-board Schematic (MBS) and Assembly (MBA) documents provide data that represent the electrical and physical connectivity information between Multi-board 'child' projects – the sub-projects that collectively make up a Multi-board project.

The Multi-board Design data view is invoked when a Multi-board project is opened from the Workspace's main Projects view. It includes tabbed view options for schematic (MBS), board assembly (MBA) and collated BOM views, which present the design from the Multi-board perspective of interconnected child projects. Select the Child Projects option from the navigation tree to view and access the Multi-board project's constituent (sub) projects.

Javascript ID: L
The Web Viewer's Multi-board design view offers detailed graphical and data access to Multi-board Schematic, Assembly and BOM views.
  • The Multi-board Projects view includes individual project designs that are incorporated within the Multi-board project (its sub-modules). Each of the included sub-projects can be opened individually as normal. See Viewing Multi-board Projects.
  • The Multi-board Tasks and Releases views apply the Multi-board's sub-projects, whereas the History view presents Commit events that apply to the Multi-board project itself.
  • Multi-board projects may be shared with other Workspace members. See Sharing a Multi-board Project.

Harness Design View

This view presents the fundamental wiring and layout views for Harness Design project documents. The specialized Harness Wiring Diagram (*.WirDoc) and Harness Layout Drawing (*.LdrDoc) documents provide data that represent the wires/cables between connectors, and the physical construction of that harness. Harness projects also can include Draftsman documents for additional information, and an ActiveBOM document that details the required harness parts. Note that a Harness project can be integrated with a Multi-board project to represent its existing harness-type connections.

► See Harness Design in Altium Designer for detailed information on creating Harness Designs.

Note that Harness Design functionality is not supported with Altium Designer Standard Subscription.

A Harness Design project is opened from the Workspace Projects page. The view includes selectable tabs for each included document type (Wiring, Layout, Draftsman, and BOM), and details of a selected object in the main wiring/layout views are presented in the Information pane on the right – see collapsible section below.

Javascript ID: M

Fabrication View

This view presents a Gerber Viewer for inspecting both Gerber and Fabrication data:

Note that the Fabrication view also provides access to the Draftsman and Layer Stackup views.

The Gerber and Fabrication data views (which are identical in their functionality) present a Gerber Viewer. Here, the Gerber data view is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see the Fabrication data view.The Gerber and Fabrication data views (which are identical in their functionality) present a Gerber Viewer. Here, the Gerber data view is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see the Fabrication data view.

Layer Stack View

A graphical representation of the current design's PCB Layer Stack – the board's physical stack of layers – is available for viewing from a number of locations in the Web Viewer. The Layer Stackup View presents the board's internal structure along with associated data such as layer types, materials and dimensions.

► See Defining the Layer Stack for information on working with the Board Layer Stack in Altium Designer.

The Layer Stack view provides immediate viewer access to key manufacturing information for related stakeholders, while avoiding the need to create and release a Draftsman Layer Stack document or derive the information from released Gerber Output files. The view is accessible where design source files are presented, such as through the Project Design view, a Design Release Snapshot, or a sent Manufacturing package.

Open the Layer Stack view by selecting the Stackup View command from the Board Information pane in the Project Design viewer, or from the Layers menu when a PCB is being viewed. The Layer Stack view is accessed in the same way when viewing the Design Snapshot of a project Release.

The information pane is populated with data for the currently selected stack element (Layer, Overlay, Via, etc), or overview data for the board stack when an element is not selected.

The Layer Stack view is available from the Stackup View command in the WIP project design view or when viewing a Release package. Hover over the image to see the latter.The Layer Stack view is available from the Stackup View command in the WIP project design view or when viewing a Release package. Hover over the image to see the latter.

The Layer Stack view also is available in Release packages that have been sent to a Manufacturer, which are included in the Releases view. Access the Layer Stack view from the Stackup tab available in the Fabrication view of an opened Sent package.
Click to expand.See example image.

In a similar way to the other views available in the Web Viewer, Comments can be placed on the Layer Stack view. In this case Comments can be applied to any Layer Stack element by selecting its graphical object, and then entering your comment with any user mentions and assignments in the contextual commenting window. Note that Freehand Drawing and Area selection are not available in Layer Stack Commenting.

► See the Comments section below for more detailed information on placing Comments.

Other Documents

Other types of document files that have been stored in the source Altium Designer project are collectively made available in the Workspace Design view’s Other Documents location. These ‘non-CAD’ files (typically design specifications, reference material, status logs, and so on) are hosted under version control along with the core design files. A selected file is available for download from its associated icon or from the main view area – the exception is PDF files, which are opened automatically in the Workspace PDF viewer.

The web viewer includes 'non-CAD' files under the Other Documents header. Re-commit the project from Altium Designer if they cannot be seen.The web viewer includes 'non-CAD' files under the Other Documents header. Re-commit the project from Altium Designer if they cannot be seen.

DRC and ERC Reports

The Web Viewer includes both Design and Electrical Rule check (DRC and ERC) reports for the current project, which are generated from the source design data in compliance with the settings specified by Altium Designer – as stored in the project documents. This provides convenient access to rule errors or violations for review purposes without the need to access the design in Altium Designer.

These are available as expandable lists within the Project navigation pane's Design section. The reports are dynamically generated as required, such as when the project has been updated and resaved to the server from Altium Designer. Note that a DRC or ERC report is included only when related errors have been detected.

Both Design and Electrical rule checks are generated by the server for review purposes, when applicable.Both Design and Electrical rule checks are generated by the server for review purposes, when applicable.

For more information on Design and Electrical rules and their settings, see:
Defining, Scoping & Managing PCB Design Rules in Altium Designer
Verifying Your Design Project in Altium Designer

Expand a DRC or ERC report to expose its included category types, each of which will open a sub-list of the specific violations or Error/Warning/etc that have been detected. A DRC violation that has been waived in Altium Designer is indicated by a icon associated with its entry.

When selected, a specific entry will open the related document and zoom/pan to the relevant area. The Report information pane on the right will include full details of the selected entry, including the rule information, class and type, and also the specific objects that are affected.

When selected, the rule violation/error entries will present their detailed information and cross-probe to the related document and location.When selected, the rule violation/error entries will present their detailed information and cross-probe to the related document and location.

Note that, initially, you may need to re-save the project from Altium Design to the Altium 365 Workspace (Save to Server) to invoke the DRC/ERC generation process.

Common Interface Elements

The following controls (all located in the top-right control cluster) are common to various data views:

  • – use this control to access the Search facility, allowing you to search for components and/or nets. This facility is available for the SCH, PCB and 3D data views (but not the BOM data view, which has its own search, or Gerber/Fabrication data views). For more information on using the search facility, see Searching.

  • – use this control to access the Info pane.

The pane is further divided into two sub-views:

  • Controls – gives a helpful listing of controls when browsing the SCH, PCB, 3D and Gerber/Fabrication data views (some controls are view-specific).
  • Board Info – gives useful summary information about the uploaded design in terms of: Board Size (X and Y dimensions of the board); Layers (total Signal + Plane as well as counts for each); Components (total, including all types of component, with a breakdown of those components on Top and Bottom of the board); Nets (total). This sub-view of the pane is not present for the Gerber/Fabrication data view.
At the bottom of the pane, use the available controls to switch Units between metric (mm) and imperial (mil). Measurement units will initially be those used for the design itself (or when the Gerber data was generated).
  • – use this control to download data. For more information on what is, or can be downloaded, depending on the type of data you are currently viewing, see Downloading.
  • – use this control to switch to Full Screen mode.
  • – when in Full Screen mode, use this control to exit Full Screen mode (or press Esc).

Variant Support

When viewing the design source, if the project includes defined variants you will be able to switch between these when viewing the design across the various data views. The left-hand navigation pane presents a listing of the available variants. By default, this will be set to [No Variations] – presenting the base design.

Accessing the available defined variants for the project.Accessing the available defined variants for the project.

Choose a defined variant from the list of all variants defined for the project – the current data view will update to reflect that variant, including the visual options enabled for not fitted components (SCH and PCB data views). In the 3D and BOM data views, the component will be present/listed or not, depending on whether it is fitted or not.

The interface caters for variants. By default, the base design ([No Variations]) will be presented (shown here in the SCH data view). Use the controls in the left-hand navigation pane to switch to a different variant (hover over the image to see an example).The interface caters for variants. By default, the base design ([No Variations]) will be presented (shown here in the SCH data view). Use the controls in the left-hand navigation pane to switch to a different variant (hover over the image to see an example).

Selection

When viewing the design source, the selection of an object within the design can be performed from the SCH, PCB and 3D data views as follows:

  • From the SCH data view (component and net selection) – hover the cursor over a component or wire and click to select. Highlighting and masking is applied to leave only that component or net at full visibility. Information for the selected component/net will appear in the right-hand pane.
Potential objects for selection – components and wires – are highlighted as you move the cursor.

A selected net also will be selected across all schematic documents on which it appears, as listed under Connectivity in the Information pane. Select an entry in the list to open that schematic document. The pane's Layers Used list includes all board layers used by that net.

Note that the currently selected component or net is also selected in the 2D/3D PCB views.

The SCH data view supports selection of components and nets. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected net.The SCH data view supports selection of components and nets. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected net.

  • From the PCB data view (component, pad, via, track segment and net selection) – hover the cursor over a supported object type and click to select. Masking is applied to leave only that object fully visible. Information for the selected object will appear in the right-hand pane.

Only components are highlighted as you move the cursor. Only an individual component, pad, via, track segment, or net can be selected (no cumulative selection). For a selected pad, via, or track segment, associated net information is presented.

To select an entire net, click on a selected track a second time (effectively a double-click), or click on the Net Name entry in the right-hand pane ( Click to expand.see example). Net selection in the PCB data view also can be achieved by either selecting the net in the SCH data view and switching to the PCB data view, or by searching for the net using the Search facility.

For collocated (overlaying) objects, clicking repeatedly will cycle through those objects.

The PCB data view supports selection of components, pads, vias, track segments and nets. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected track segment.The PCB data view supports selection of components, pads, vias, track segments and nets. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected track segment.

Repeatedly click on an object to cycle through the nets and objects under the cursor, or double-click to immediately select the net associated with that object.

  • From the 3D data view (component, pad, via selection) – hover the cursor over a component, pad, or via and click to select. Masking is applied to leave only that object fully visible. Information for the selected object will appear in the right-hand pane.
Objects are not highlighted as you move the cursor.

The 3D data view supports the selection of components, pads and vias. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected via.The 3D data view supports the selection of components, pads and vias. Here, a selected component is shown. Hover the mouse over the image to see a selected via.

Controls at the top of the right-hand pane enable you to quickly view a selection within another data view, where supported. For example, selecting a component in one data view can be seen in any of the other data views. Selecting a net in the SCH data view will allow that net to be inspected in the PCB and 3D data views also. And for a selected pad, via, or track segment within the PCB data view, you'll be able to quickly view that object within the 3D data view. For more information on this cross-probing support, see the next section.

Nets Selection

Expand the Nets section in the Projects pane to access a list of nets available in the project design. Select an entry in the list to locate and highlight that net in the Schematic, PCB and 3D views, and also present its details in the right-hand information pane. The latter includes a list of Layers the net occupies, and a selectable list of Schematic documents that include that net.

Select a net entry in the Nets list to visually highlight it in the main design views and also expose its details in the right-hand pane.Select a net entry in the Nets list to visually highlight it in the main design views and also expose its details in the right-hand pane.

Note that selection of net entries is effectively bidirectional, so when a net is directly selected in either the Schematic or PCB view it also will be selected in the Project pane's Nets list.

To inspect a selected net in all compatible views, choose the SCH, PCB, or 3D options from the upper tabs or from the view tab options available in the Net information pane on the right.

Javascript

Cross-probing

When viewing the design source, when you select a supported object within the active data view, that object is selected (where applicable) on one or more other data views as well – enabling you to quickly cross-probe to that same selection. Cross-probing support is conveniently delivered through controls located at the top of the right-hand pane – displayed when an object is currently selected in the main viewing window.

You can also click on the tab for a data view directly to see the result of cross-probing.

Cross-probing controls (for a selected component).Cross-probing controls (for a selected component).

The following collapsible sections present a few examples of supported cross-probing scenarios:

Searching

When viewing design sources, the Web Viewer interface incorporates a search facility that provides a quick and convenient way to locate components and nets throughout your design. The search feature can be accessed from the SCH, PCB and 3D data views by clicking the button, at the top-right of the view. A Search pane will be presented in which to conduct the search.

The Web Viewer interface's Search pane.The Web Viewer interface's Search pane.

To perform a search, start typing your search string. Search is case-insensitive. The pane lists the matching results dynamically as you type. The number of matching results is highlighted at the top of the pane.

Each time the Search pane is freshly opened, the initial search will contain a subset of the full results (if too many). This is highlighted by the text and x more press Enter at the bottom of the list. To fully expand the results list, either click the button, or press Enter (with the cursor in the search field).

Example search conducted from the SCH data view.Example search conducted from the SCH data view.

Results are local to the active data view. When the active data view is SCH, the search is across all source schematic documents.

Click the button to access filter options, to show all components and nets matching the search string, or just components, or just nets.

Filter controls.Filter controls.

The five most recent searches are listed in the Recent Search region of the pane. An entry to the list is only registered once a search result is clicked upon.

With search results listed, click an entry to navigate to that entity – component or net – within the active data view. The component/net will be selected and zoomed within the view where possible, and masking applied to leave only the selected component/net fully visible.

Example of the search facility in action. Shown here is the result of searching for a component within the active PCB data view. Hover the mouse over the image to see the result of searching for a net within the active SCH data view.Example of the search facility in action. Shown here is the result of searching for a component within the active PCB data view. Hover the mouse over the image to see the result of searching for a net within the active SCH data view.

The search facility is great for finding and selecting a net on the 3D view of the board – something that cannot be done by simple selection alone, since you can only click to select components, pads and vias in the 3D data view.

Example result of searching for a net within the active 3D data view – the only way, aside from cross-probing, to select a net within this view.Example result of searching for a net within the active 3D data view – the only way, aside from cross-probing, to select a net within this view.

To return to the listing of search results, click the control at the top-left of the right-hand pane.
Since the searched component/net is selected, cross-probing naturally becomes available since that component/net is selected across all relevant data views. For more information, refer back to the section on Cross-probing.

Downloading

The Web Viewer supports downloading of data from any of the data views. Download is performed by clicking the control (located in the top-right control cluster). What happens depends on what you are currently viewing:

  • Design Project Source or Shared Live Design – accesses the Download pane.

Support is provided for downloading a Zip archive containing a snapshot of the WIP design project (base design), as well as the ability to generate and download the following derived outputs, taking setup information directly from the applicable Output Job file (where one exists):

  • A Zip archive containing Gerber and NC Drill files (generated for the base design only).
If an Output Job file does not exist, a default set of Gerbers (Gerber X2) will be generated for the used layers only (no mechanical layers). For NC Drill, only the *.txt format file will be generated.
  • Either a PDF of the full Draftsman-sourced documentation, which requires the Draftsman document to be present in the project (generated for the base design only – not for variants), or a PDF of just the Assembly drawings (generated for the active variant).
  • A PDF of the schematic documents (generated for the active variant).
  • A 3D STEP file (*.step) of the board assembly (generated for the active variant).
  • A CSV-format BOM (generated for the active variant).
When generating the BOM, the setup in any Output Job file will be taken and a CSV-format BOM is generated only, as this format is supported by most operating systems without having to worry about configuration and templates. Where an Output Job file does not exist, default fields for the CSV are used as follows: line number (if a BomDoc is available), name, description, designator, quantity, manufacturer and part number.
For generated output based on the active variant (as indicated in the listing above), choose the required variant from the Design – Variants region within the left-hand navigation pane.

Hover over an entry on the pane and click the associated control to download. Data will be generated first, where applicable, and then downloaded. For output that needs to be generated first, you can either wait or close the Download pane – you'll be able to access the download through an email, which will be sent to you once the data is ready.

The Releases region of the pane is only presented when viewing the Design Project Source (not a Shared Live Design). All release packages that have been generated from the project will be listed – click an entry to open it for inspection, on a separate browser tab.

  • Shared Data Snapshot – downloads a single Zip archive containing the source documents from which the snapshot was created.
  • Fabrication & Assembly Data in a Manufacturing Package – downloads a single Zip archive containing a folder for each data set included in the package.
Download is to your Web browser's default downloads folder.

Comments

The Web Viewer interface supports commenting of your design documents. A comment is a user-added note that is assigned to a specific point, object, or area (as applicable) on a supported data view, and may be replied to by other users. Comments promote collaboration between users without altering the shared data itself, because comments are stored by the Workspace independently of that data. Comments are posted, replied to, and managed directly within the main viewing area using a contextual commenting window. Comments are also presented on the Comments and Tasks pane, which is presented on the right-hand side and provides more of an overview/navigational instrument, rather than the operational interface.

Use the control to toggle the display of the Comments and Tasks pane.

Example comments overlayed on a child schematic sheet of a managed project. The Comments and Tasks pane reflects all comments, while the accessible window in the main viewing area brings contextual commenting, right at the place you need it.Example comments overlayed on a child schematic sheet of a managed project. The Comments and Tasks pane reflects all comments, while the accessible window in the main viewing area brings contextual commenting, right at the place you need it.

Placing a Comment

Comment placement mode can be entered in one of three ways:

  • By clicking the button in the top banner area of the browser tab.

  • By using the Alt+C keyboard shortcut.
  • By clicking the button at the top of the Comments and Tasks pane.
The first two methods enable you to add comments without losing the current selection in the active data view and without closing any existing right-hand pane that you might already have open (e.g. Information pane presenting properties for the currently selected object, Measurements pane presenting taken measurements, Download pane, Board Info, etc).

In each case, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter comment placement mode. Proceed as follows:

  1. Place one of the following three supported comment types as required:
    1. Comment on a point – click at any point to attach (or 'pin') a comment to that point. A line entry is selected when commenting in a BOM document.
    2. Comment on object – click on an object to attach (or 'pin') a comment to that object. For the SCH data view supported objects are components, pins, wires, busses, and ports. For the PCB data view, supported objects are components, pads, vias and track segments. For the 3D data view, supported objects are components, pads and vias. For the SCH and PCB data views, supported objects to which you can attach a comment to will be highlighted as you move the cursor around the view. This type of comment is not supported in the Draftsman view, or Gerber and Fabrication data views when viewing Gerber data.
    3. Comment on area – click and drag to define an area to attach (or 'pin') the comment to. This type of comment is not supported in the 3D data view.
  2. In each case a commenting window will be presented, with which to define the comment in context with the chosen point, object, or area (as applicable). Type your comment in the field provided. You can mention one or more people or roles in the comment. Type the @ character in the comment field to quickly access a list of members in the Workspace. A comment also can be assigned to a member. For more information on these additional features, see the section Working with the Contextual Commenting Window.
  3. With the comment entered, any mentions added, and assignment made if required, click the button beneath. The comment will be committed, appearing in both the contextual commenting window and the Comments and Tasks pane. A uniquely-numbered marker for the comment will present in the main design viewing area.
Comment markers are unique to a project and are issued sequentially as comments are placed across that project. Comments placed on the PCB data view are reflected on the 3D data view and vice versa (for point and object comment types only). The same comment marker number is therefore used between these two views.
At any point before posting you can exit comment placement mode by pressing Esc.

The following sequence image shows the addition of an example comment to a component on a schematic document (within the SCH data view), along with adding a mention of a team member and assigning a Task to them (see below for details).

Javascript

Comments placed on a PCB when viewing in 2D mode are associated with current Layer view – the visible and active layer settings when the comment is placed. The comment's Layer view settings are restored when it is subsequently selected in the Comments and Tasks pane or from its marker in the PCB view.

PCB comments are layer specific, and the comment's layer view settings -- including the Top/Bottom view selection – are recalled when the comment is selected.PCB comments are layer specific, and the comment's layer view settings -- including the Top/Bottom view selection – are recalled when the comment is selected.

Comments applied in the Web Viewer interface in the following places become available in Altium Designer and vice-versa, and all changes to comments are reflected in all three places:

  • In the Design view of the detailed management page (when managing a specific project).
  • In the integrated Viewer when inspecting a shared live design.

Comments made in the Design Snapshot view when viewing a specific release of a project (through the Manufacturing Portal) also become available in the Design view of the detailed management page for the project, the Design view of the shared live design, and in Altium Designer, but not the other way around.

Comments made within the Manufacturing Package Viewer or the integrated Viewer when inspecting a shared data snapshot are self-contained, and therefore will not appear in Altium Designer, and vice versa. They are seen only by people with shared access to a specific manufacturing package or data snapshot.

In Altium Designer, the Comments and Tasks panel is command-central for comments. For a high-level run-through of working with comments in relation to a managed project in Altium Designer, see Project Commenting. In Altium Designer 21.3 and later, you also have the ability to export comments from your design – either through an Output Job file using a configured Export Comments outputter, or directly from the Schematic/PCB document using the Reports » Project Reports » Export Comments command, with configuration made in the Comment Export Configuration dialog.

Working with the Contextual Commenting Window

The following points relate to working with comments and the interface's contextual commenting window:

  • The commenting window is accessible independently of the Comments and Tasks pane – click on a comment marker to access it.

If the comment marker is moved, the commenting window will move also. The window can be moved freely by itself as well.
  • Use the buttons at the top-left of the commenting window to sequentially cycle to the previous and next comments respectively. Cycling is based on the numbering of the comment markers and will simply zoom and center the point, object, or area (as applicable) of the design that the previous/next comment is associated to, and present that comment in the commenting window.
You can also use the Shift+Left Arrow and Shift+Right Arrow to cycle to the previous and next comments respectively.
  • Once an initial comment has been made the commenting window, when accessed, will be ready for entry of a reply. Type your text in the field provided, then click the button to commit. To exit without replying, click the button.
  • You can mention a person or role within a comment. Enter the @ character to access a pop-up listing of all members of the Workspace team. Alternatively, search for the role or person (the latter by their name or email) by typing '@' followed by one or more characters – a list of matching roles, team members, and people outside of the team (but within your organization) will be presented from which to choose. You can either click on an entry to add it, or use the Up/Down Arrow keys and press Enter to add.
A mentioned person who is a team member or who is a member of a mentioned role will receive a notification email of the comment.
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You also can mention a person who is outside of the Workspace team (and outside of your organization) by entering @<theirfullemail>. If that person already has shared access to the entity being viewed, they will receive a notification email that they have been mentioned. If that person does not have access, you will be presented with the Share window in which to determine access rights (and proceed to share the entity with them), or to not grant access at all. They will receive a related shared status email.
In the following information window, you also can check the option to submit a request for the person to be invited in as a member of the Workspace, and then in the next Request Invitation window, add a note and any other applicants before submitting the request for processing by a Workspace administrator – see Processing an Invitation Request for more information.
All involved users (you, the person the project is shared with, and Workspace administrators) will receive notification emails that relate to a change of sharing rights (see example) or access to the Workspace.

  • You can assign a Task to a person who has been mentioned (Workspace team members only). Enable the Assign a Task to option accordingly – this defaults to the first-mentioned person, or if no mention is included, to yourself (Me). Alternatively, use the drop-down menu to choose a different Workspace member to assign the Task to. The assigned person is shown in the Comments and Tasks pane entry as their user profile image/letter, with an associated Task reference. The Task assignment can be changed or removed when editing the comment.

Note that the functionality for creating and managing Tasks is not supported with Altium Designer Standard Subscription.

Where a Task is associated with a comment its window upper border includes:

  • an icon (image/letter) indicating the member that has been assigned to the comment's Task. Select the icon to reassign the Task to a different Workspace member from the drop-down list.
  • the Task's alphanumeric reference, composed of the project ID/Name with a Task number suffix. Click on the reference to cross-probe to that Task entry in the Workspace Tasks page for the project.
  • a Task priority icon (arrow/flame), which is Medium by default and may be changed from the Task's entry in the Workspace Tasks page.
  • the Task's current activity status (To Do, In Progress, Resolved), which can be changed from the associated drop-down menu.

Along with the Tasks page that applies to a specific project, the Workspace also offers a global Tasks page view that is populated with all tasks that are currently active in the Workspace. The former, which you cross-probe to when selecting a Task reference ID, includes Tasks arranged by project documents, whereas the latter includes Tasks arranged by Workspace projects.

► See information on the Tasks page for a specific project.

► See information on the Tasks page for all Workspace projects.

► See information on comment Task assignment in Altium Designer's Comments and Tasks panel.

  • A Task can be added to an existing comment using the Convert to Task option available from the window's menu. The new Task initially is assigned to you, and can be changed to another Workspace member by selecting their entry from the drop-down list opened from the assignee avatar (top left). Note that the marker in the document view will change from a simple comment reference number to the Task ID. Note that the Tasks feature is not supported with Altium Designer Standard Subscription.

  • When adding a new comment or editing an existing one, you have the opportunity to add a freehand drawing to the design view and associate/attach to that comment. To do so, click the button above the commenting window. You will enter freehand drawing mode and the commenting window will be temporarily replaced with a floating control bar. Note that you can switch back to the 'comment' mode at any time by clicking the button. In freehand drawing mode, place the cursor, and then click and drag to build the artwork you require. Buttons on the control bar allow you to change color and width of the drawing line (very useful for the 2D view of the PCB), and if you make a mistake just click to delete the drawing and start again. The comment can be posted (Post) or canceled (X) from the control bar using the buttons at the far right.
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  • The commenting window will also accept an image file or captured screenshot pasted from the Windows clipboard. You can paste the screenshot (or copied image file) into the comment field before or after any text notes and user mentions. The image graphics are diplayed in the body of the commenting window – click on the image to open it for viewing at full-size. The placed comment's entry in the Comment and Tasks pane will include a related Includes Images note.

  • When a new comment is posted, a screenshot of the original view is taken and attached to that comment. From within the commenting window this can be accessed by clicking the Original Snapshot control. The snapshot presents exactly what was seen in the view at the time of comment creation – so same zoom level, active layers (PCB), and also includes the freehand drawing if one was created prior to posting the comment.

Click the control at the top-right corner of the screenshot to access its full-size view. Click the X control at the upper right or click away from the view to return to the commenting window.
  • A comment can be edited or deleted, through the commenting window only, using the Edit and Delete commands respectively. These are available from the menu associated with the control. Note that these commands will only be available for a comment that you yourself have made – you cannot edit or remove a comment made by another user. If you edit an existing comment, make your changes then click the button to commit. To exit without applying any changes, click the button.
If you delete a comment, be aware that all associated replies also will be deleted.

  • The menu associated with the control also includes a Copy Link command. This allows the original creator of the comment thread to obtain and share a link for viewing the entity. If the user who opens the provided link does not have access to the project – it is not already shared with them – they will be able to submit a request for access. ► See Sharing by Direct Link for more information.
  • When the commenting window is accessed (by clicking on its associated marker, or by selection on the Comments and Tasks pane) only the initial and latest comments in the thread are presented. To see all comments in the thread, click on the available control between these entries. Use the scrollbar to browse through all comments.

  • Anybody viewing the shared design project can resolve a comment (or make it active again) by toggling the control at the top of the commenting window. Where the comment has an assigned Task, its current status can be changed to Resolved (or another level) from the status drop-down menu. Resolved comments are not shown in the Comments and Tasks pane by default, but can be exposed through its show/hide pins option – see the next section for more information.

  • If a person has made a comment while reviewing a specific release of a design project (in the Design Snapshot view of the Manufacturing Portal), then that comment will include the release information as a link to that release.

  • If a previously committed project (shown as a Commit event in the History view) has a VCS Tag attached, then its comments will be shown with the tag name included – this acts as a link to that specific commit snapshot.

  • You can add a URL link as part of your comment post – just copy the URL and paste it into the comment field. It will be detected and presented as a standard link that can be followed when clicked.

Working with the Comments Pane

The following points relate to working with comments and the interface's Comments and Tasks pane:

  • The Comments and Tasks pane facilitates an overview/navigational tool for comments across the project, rather than the operational interface of posting, editing and replying. That functionality is solely left to the contextual commenting window.
  • The Comments and Tasks pane does not open upon clicking a comment marker in the main viewing area. The latter accesses the contextual commenting window only.
  • Use the control at the top-left of the pane to display comment marker pins within the main viewing window (), or to hide them (). Hover over the image to see an example.

  • At the top of the Comments and Tasks pane are controls that provide access to thread filtering controls, so that you can determine what is presented in the pane. Two levels of filtering can essentially be defined. The first, or primary level allows you to control which user comments are displayed.

The pane's filter options constrain the comment entries to:

  • Tasks only – only those comments that have been assigned as user Tasks, which are in turn available in the Tasks page flow.
  • ASSIGNED TO – only comments that are assigned to the user selections listed below. When a user checkbox is selected, the pane (and displayed document) will include only those comments that have tasks assigned that that user. Note that the currently signed-in user is included at the top of the list, regardless of any comment task assignments.

The secondary level of filtering, which is applied in conjunction with the primary filtering method offers two options, allowing you to hide all resolved comment threads (Unresolved only enabled) and/or to only show comments for the active document being viewed, rather than the entire project (Current document only enabled).

  • Click the Notification Settings entry (at the bottom of the above options window) to access a window with which to configure which comments in the project you will receive email notifications for. Choose to receive notifications for all comment threads, no comment threads, or only those you are involved in (you started, replied to, or have been mentioned within).

  • In terms of ordering of comment threads in the pane, again there are two levels. Firstly, comments are ordered by the document they are on, and this follows the same ordering as the source document navigation structure in the left-hand pane. Secondly, for each document, the comments are ordered by the date of their creation – in descending order.
  • As you click on a comment thread entry in the pane, that comment will be focused in the main viewing window, and opened in the contextual commenting window. The entry for the comment in the Comments and Tasks pane is also highlighted in blue. The same comment marker number is reflected in the Comments and Tasks pane, making it easy to see which comment you are viewing. If you click on a comment that doesn't reside on the document currently being viewed, then that document of residence will be made the active document.

  • Each comment entry in the pane provides a summary of key information relating to that comment, as shown in the example below.

If a person has made a comment while reviewing a specific release of a design project (in the Design Snapshot view of the Manufacturing Portal), then that comment entry will include the release information as a link to that release.

Other Things to be Aware of

  • If a comment is associated with an object and that object gets removed from the design, then the comment will be converted to an area comment and remain at the same coordinates. The comments' original design screenshot can prove very useful in this respect.
  • If a design document is removed from the project, any comments associated to that document will be hidden.
  • If an object is moved within the design, the comment associated to it will also move.
  • For designs that made use of freehand comments in previous versions of Altium Designer, those will be converted to area comments, and the freehand drawing attached to the comment in each case.
  • Altium Designer 20.x will ignore line color and width settings used in the freehand drawings. Instead, such drawings will appear using red colored lines only and using the standard, non-adjustable line width available for comments in those earlier versions of the software.
  • A resolved comment cannot be deleted. You would need to make it unresolved and then delete.

Updating with New Data

When using the Web Viewer interface to inspect the documents of the latest source project – from the Design view of the detailed management page (when managing a specific project), or when viewing a shared live design – the data will update automatically whenever the project is committed back to the Workspace (from within Altium Designer). Notification will appear within the interface shortly after the committal. Once the new data has been generated, click the Refresh Page control to update the view with that latest data set.

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If you make changes to the design within Altium Designer (or another source) then the Web Viewer interface will automatically detect and make the new data available to you to open, once those changes have been committed to the Workspace

 

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