Browsing Items in a Workspace Connected to Altium Designer

You can navigate the content in a Workspace in several ways:

  • Click on a folder whose contents you want to peruse in the Server Folders region of the Explorer panel.
  • Use the Address Bar at the top of the panel. The Address Bar reflects the current folder being browsed along with the hierarchical path to that folder.
  • Use a Workspace's search feature. Enter a keyword-based on a comment or description then press Enter or click the magnifying glass icon. The entire Workspace will be scanned and the results of the search listed in terms of matching Items.

    When performing a search in the panel, the results default to showing the latest version only.
You also will come across various places that offer the ability to access the Explorer panel directly for a given Item through an associated Show in Explorer or Show in Server command. For example, right-click over a Workspace library component placed in a schematic or PCB document and choose the Part Actions » Show <ItemID-RevisionID> [<ItemName>] in Server or Component Actions » Show <ItemID-RevisionID> [<ItemName>] in Server command, respectively, from the context menu, to open the Explorer panel with the specific revision of the corresponding Component Item selected/presented.
The entire folder structure can be expanded or collapsed using corresponding commands (Expand All and Collapse All) available on the panel's right-click menu. To expand fully a particular folder and all its descendant sub-folders, right-click on that folder and use the Expand Subtree command.

The content of the selected folder will be shown in the Items region of the panel.

For each Item revision in a Workspace, the Explorer panel allows you to browse different aspects of that revision, where applicable. This is done using one or more views for that revision by using the tabs at the bottom of the panel.

The default-level view is the Preview. Click additional tabs to view more information (the available tabs will depend upon the type of Item that is currently selected):

  • Preview – view a composite depiction of the selected Item that includes graphic representations of documents and models, parameter data, associated sub-items, etc. The view is automatically set for different types of Items and whether the Classic or interpreted view modes (see above) are selected for Components and Projects.
  • Lifecycle – explore the Item's revisions levels and Lifecycle state change. The Lifecycle may be progressed through the states that are assigned to the item type – for example, the Component Lifecycles states (Draft, Prototype, etc) for a component.
  • Children – view sub-elements of an Item, such as the generated fabrication documents (Gerber, NC Drill, etc) in the Fabrication package (FAB-<project name>) of a released project or the schematic document and components used in a Managed Schematic Sheet.
  • Part Choices – view or add to the Part Choices (manufacturer part entries with associated supplier data) that are assigned to a component.

    To be able to manage part choices, a user must have Part Choice Management permission. Refer to the Setting Global Operation Permissions for a Workspace page to learn more.
    If you have the Part Choice Revision Control feature enabled for your Workspace, the Part Choices aspect view can be used only to view the part choices. To modify part choices for a component, it must be opened for editing and saved to the next revision.
  • Where-used – view where the selected Item revision is used by another Workspace item, for example, a project that uses the currently selected component.
  • Origin – view from where the Item originated, such as a Component that has been acquired from Altium's cloud resources. Full details of the source item are shown, where possible.
  • Data Sheet – view or add file-based datasheets stored with the selected component.
Double-clicking on the entry for a child Item in the Preview aspect view tab, or on an Item entry in the Children or Where-used aspect view tabs, will take you to that Item within the applicable Workspace in which it resides.

Browse different aspects of an Item revision using its associated views.
Browse different aspects of an Item revision using its associated views.

Clickable URLs

Further improving the usability of Workspaces, the Explorer panel supports clickable URLs. This functionality can be found in a variety of relevant areas, including:

  • Clicking on a component parameter whose value is a URL, opening the target page in an external web browser.
  • Clicking on a URL in the supply chain data for a component, opening the target page in an external web browser.
  • Clicking on a document in the Released Documents region – from the Preview aspect view tab for a revision of a PCB Fabrication Data Item, PCB Assembly Data Item, or PCB Project Design Item – to open that document.
For component parameters and Released Documents of a Project-related Item, this functionality is also available when viewing the full details for an Item, directly in Altium Designer. To access this view, right-click on the Item's entry in the Explorer panel, and choose History from the context menu.

Viewing Revisions

You can configure the revisions that are displayed in the panel by clicking the icon to access a drop-down of revision choices.

  • Load all pages – select to load all revisions.
  • Show Hidden Revisions – select to show any hidden revisions.
  • Show only latest – select to only show the latest revisions.
  • View – select whether you'd like to view the items in Classic View or interpreted view (Components View/Project View).

Folder Content Loading

When you click on any folder within the Server Folders structure region of the Explorer panel, only a portion of that folder content will be initially loaded, where applicable to do so. This greatly decreases the folder's initial load time. As you scroll to the end of the initial content, an additional portion of the folder content will be loaded.

To have all content for the folder loaded, click the button at the top of the panel, and use the Load all pages option on the associated menu to switch from portion loading of folder content (option disabled) to full loading of folder content (option enabled).

Showing Hidden Revisions

Related page: Defining Lifecycle Definitions for a Workspace – Controlling Item Revision Visibility and Applicability

For an Item Revision entering a lifecycle state that has its Visible in Vault panels attribute disabled, that revision will, by default, not be displayed in the Explorer panel. And if it is the latest revision of the Item, then the entire entry for that Item will effectively be hidden from view. This visibility state – defined at the state level – can be overridden globally for all Items.

To display all Item Revisions that are currently not visible, click the control, at the top-right of the Items region of the panel, and enable the Show Hidden Revisions option, on the associated menu.

Displaying hidden Item Revisions while browsing content in the Explorer panel. Hover over the image to see the result.
Displaying hidden Item Revisions while browsing content in the Explorer panel. Hover over the image to see the result.

Showing Only the Latest Item Revisions

Over time, the content in your Workspace may undergo changes as they evolve, with each change resulting in a new revision to accommodate the modified data. When browsing Items, it is typically only the latest revision that is required. All other previous revisions tend to become a level of noise, cluttering the designer's field of view. To alleviate this, the Explorer panel defaults to show only the latest revisions of Items.

To display all revisions of Items in the Explorer panel, click the control at the top-right of the Items region of the panel, and disable the Show only latest option from the associated menu.

This option is a global setting that applies to all Items in the Workspace, irrespective of type and the visual folder in which they reside.

By default, the Explorer panel shows only the latest revisions of Items. Hover over the image to see an example of the command disabled.
By default, the Explorer panel shows only the latest revisions of Items. Hover over the image to see an example of the command disabled.

To declutter and return to only presenting the latest revisions, click on the option again to toggle it ON.

Interpreted Views

The panel also offers two special, interpreted views that apply to Components and Projects. The view will automatically switch to this style when a Component or Project is selected unless the panel display option has been changed to the Classic View mode.

The Classic or interpreted view (Component View / Project View) options are available from the view menu when one of the special item types has been selected.

  • Classic View – select to show just Items and their Revisions.
  • Components View – select to show revisions and interpreted component data. See Component View for more information.
  • Project View – select to show a structured graphic version of the project that includes access to Project Release data and project Parameters. See Project View for more information.

Item Revision Comparison

Using the power of Altium Designer's native file format comparison technology, the Workspace supports the visual comparison of two revisions – of the same, or different Items – for a range of supported content types, directly from within the Explorer panel. Revisions of Items of the following content types can be compared:

  • Component Item
  • Symbol Item
  • Footprint Item
  • Managed Schematic Sheet Item
  • Schematic Template Item
  • PCB Fabrication Data Item
  • PCB Assembly Data Item
  • PCB Project Design Item

Within the Explorer panel, browse to the relevant folder, select the two Item-Revisions that you wish to compare, then right-click and choose Operations » Compare from the context menu.

Export of Grid Data

The Explorer panel supports the export of data from grid views, to a csv- or xls-formatted file. Examples of where this functionality is available include:

  • Component Items grid (both Classic and Component views).
  • Items grid.
  • Linked models grid on the Preview aspect view tab (for a selected Component Item).
  • Search results grid.
  • Item grid on the Where-used aspect view tab.
  • Item grid on the Children aspect view tab.

Right-click within a grid and choose the Operations » Export Grid command from the context menu. The Select columns for data export dialog will appear. Enable/disable the desired data you want to export by using the checkboxes in the column list or by clicking the Select All / Deselect All buttons. The dialog contains all possible columns for the grid, with those that are currently displayed in the panel enabled for export by default. After clicking OK, the standard Windows Save As dialog will appear. Use the dialog to define where, and with what name, the exported file is to be saved. Use the Save as type field to choose the format of the file – either Comma-Separated Values Files (*.csv) or Excel Files (*.xls).

Progress of the export is displayed in the Export Data dialog. Once successfully exported, use the Explore button to quickly explore the export folder. Alternatively, use the Open button to open the exported file directly.

An example of exporting data – the linked models for a selected Component Item revision – to an Excel-formatted file.
An example of exporting data – the linked models for a selected Component Item revision – to an Excel-formatted file.

Project View

The panel's interpreted Project View displays the selected project in a process-orientated view that provides direct access to the relevant project data and its releases.

The Project View will show a preview of the project, core descriptions, parameters, and releases.

The Releases region will display a compilation of the Project Release(s) associated with the selected project, which includes a summary of each release and its constituent packages. Click the button in this region to open the Batch state change dialog, which you may use to change the lifecycle state of multiple items related to the same release, at once in a single batch process.

Controls at the top-right of the project view include:

  • Open – use to open to the target project in Altium Designer.
  • Open in Web – use to open the project in the Workspace's browser-based interface.
  • Share – use to open the Share dialog, which supports the ability to share your design projects with others, anywhere around the world, directly from within the software.
  • – click the button to access the following commands:
    • Clone – use to open the Create Project Copy dialog, which is used to copy a project, which is then stored in the connected Workspace. By default, the original project name will be used with the suffix ' - Copy'.
    • History – use to open the History view for a project is gained from the detailed CAD-centric management page for that project.
    • Delete – use this to delete the project, its folder, and all project content. Before the deletion is complete, you'll be asked to confirm.
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Note

The features available depend on your Altium product access level. Compare features included in the various levels of Altium Designer Software Subscription and functionality delivered through applications provided by the Altium 365 platform.

If you don’t see a discussed feature in your software, contact Altium Sales to find out more.

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