Applied Parameters: None
Summary
This command is used to place a Board Section View object into the active Draftsman document (*.PCBDwf). This is one of Draftsman's automated drawing views, and provides a profile slice, or sectional drawing, taken from a nominated 'cut' point through a placed Board Assembly View. The section view generator takes the available 3D data from the current PCB to create a standalone section drawing that is aligned to the nominated cut point. Any number of Board Section Views can be created from an Assembly View.
For a high-level look at how the Altium Draftsman Drawing System provides an interactive approach to the creation of production documentation for your PCBs, see
Draftsman. For detailed information about this object type, see
Board Section View.
Access
This command can be accessed from the PcbDrawing Editor by:
- Choosing the Place » Additional Views » Board Section View command from the main menus.
- Locating and using the Board Section View command (
) on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
- Clicking the button on the Drawing Views toolbar.
- Right-clicking in the workspace and choosing the Place » Additional Views » Board Section View command from the context menu.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair, and you will enter section creation mode. Creation of a section view is made by performing the following sequence of actions:
- Position the cursor over the Board Assembly View that you wish to create a Board Section View from.
Note that section views can only be created from Board Assembly View whose View property is set to Top or Bottom.
- As you move the cursor, a vertical cut line (initially
A-A) will follow. This indicates where the cut for the section through the board will be made. Use the Spacebar to toggle between vertical and horizontal sectioning.
- Click to set the position of the cut line.
- Move the cursor on either side of the cut line to set the view direction. This is the direction that you are looking from, and is indicated by arrows on the cut line. Once this direction is chosen, click to confirm.
- Move the cursor - an outline box for the new Board Section View will appear floating on the cursor. Position the cursor at the desired location within the current sheet (or a different sheet) and click to effect placement.
Tips
- A Board Section View can be graphically modified after placement. Click and drag the view to move it to a different location within the current sheet. Click on it to select it - an editing handle will appear at its top-right corner. Click and drag this handle to resize the view.
- Most aspects of a placed Board Section View are available for editing through the Properties panel. If the panel is already open, simply select a placed Board Section View to populate the panel with its associated properties. If the panel is not open, double-click on the Board Section View to access it.
- The content of the section view can also be modified by graphically changing its associated cut line. Either select the view itself, to select its cut line, or click on the cut line directly. Two editing handles appear on the cut line - use these to change the extents of the cut through the board. Click and drag away from the editing handles to move the position of the cut. Use the Spacebar while dragging to change the Positioning Mode (Horizontal or Vertical). The graphics for the Board Section View will update dynamically and accordingly.
- If you create multiple Board Section Views from the same Board Assembly View, it is a good idea to give them each a unique Label.
- For even greater detail, consider creating a Board Detail View from your Board Section View.
- Defaults for this primitive type can be defined on the Draftsman - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog.