Constraint Manager Improvements
Added Ability to Import/Export Advanced Rules
When the Constraint Manager is accessed from the PCB, it is now possible to import and export advanced rules from the All Rules view.
To export, select multiple rules in the list by using Ctrl+Click
, Shift+Click
, or Click, Hold&Drag
, then right-click and select the Export Selected Rules (x) command (x represents the number of selected rules). You can also export all rules of a particular type, category, or all advanced rules using commands available from the right-click context menu for the corresponding entry in the Rule Class tree. After choosing an Export command, the Constraints to Export dialog opens in which you can select which rules to export into a *.CstrDot
file that can be later imported into another project. After clicking the Export x Items button (x represents the number of items selected in the dialog), the standard File Explorer dialog opens in which you can define the name and location of the file.
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Javascript ID: CM_ImportExport_AllRules
Right-click one or multiple selected rules to export them.
Right-click a rule type entry in the Rule Class tree to export rules of this type.
Right-click a rule category entry in the Rule Class tree to export rules in this category.
Right-click the Rule Class heading to export all rules.
To import, right-click in the list region or the Rule Class tree of the All Rules view and select the Import Rules command. The standard File Explorer window opens in which you select the desired *.CstrDot
file; then click Open . The Constraints to Import dialog opens in which you can select the rules to import into the current design. When imported, associated custom scopes are applied automatically.
For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.
Ability to Create Diff Pairs from xNets
The ability to create diff pairs from xNets has been added in this release. When in the Physical view or the Diff Pairs tab of the Electrical view of the Constraint Manager (when accessed from either a schematic or PCB), right-click in the grid area and select the Differential Pairs » Create Differential Pairs From Nets command from the context menu to open the Create Differential Pairs From Nets dialog. Use the drop-down at the top of the dialog to select All xNets or a specific xNet class. When other options in the dialog are configured as required, click the button to create xNet differential pairs accordingly.
The notion of an xNet diff pair exists only within the Constraint Manager. When saved to the PCB, it is 'unpacked' as regular diff pairs (for all net pairs contained within the xNets and with all rules replicated between them). On accessing the Constraint Manager again, the constituent (regular) diff pairs are re-combined, if possible, into the xNet diff pair. Note also that xNet diff pairs are unpacked and re-combined during import from schematic directives and document sync operations. In terms of the latter, a new ECO object – Constraint Manager Data – is used to carry xNet diff pair definitions and thereby facilitate the re-combination of diff pairs into xNet diff pairs.
For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.
Added Unsynchronized Class Scopes Warning to ECO Dialog
For the situation where scopes (lists of members) of some classes have changed but are unsynchronized between the source schematics and the Constraint Manager, a warning has been added to the Engineering Change Order dialog when attempting to update the PCB from schematics.
For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.
Display Relevant Net Classes in 'Applicable Binary Rules' Dialog
The Constraint Manager’s basic clearance rule allows you to set class to class clearances. The Applicable Binary Rules dialog now displays relevant net classes for which clearance rules have been defined in the Constraint Manager in order to make applicable rules more evident.
For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.
New Icons to Distinguish between PCB and Schematic
New tab icons have been introduced to distinguish the Constraint Manager when accessed from the schematic and PCB.
For more information, refer to the Defining Design Requirements Using the Constraint Manager page.
Harness Design Improvements
Ability to Define 'Strip Length' and 'Pull Off Length' for 'No Connect' Objects
Introduced the ability to define Strip Length and Pull Off Length for 'no connect' objects. The new parameters can be defined in the Properties panel and will appear in the wiring list and connection table in the respective parameter columns.
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Javascript ID: NoConnect_StripLength
For more information, refer to the Defining the Wiring Diagram page.
Define Start/End Offsets for Harness Coverings
The start and end values for harness covering offsets are now available in the Properties panel. You can input the values directly in the panel or change the length in the design space, which will automatically update the panel and design space respectively. When you use the offset values in conjunction with the Harness Bundle Length (segment enclosed), the Covering Length is automatically calculated in the design space and the BOM. When an existing layout drawing is opened, the Offset (Start/End) and Covering Length values are calculated automatically based on the harness covering's graphical placement in the existing layout drawing.
For more information, refer to the Creating the Harness Layout Drawing page.
Import of Layout Drawing Document Parameters to Manufacturing Drawing Document
Layout drawing document parameters are now imported into the associated harness manufacturing drawing document (*.HarDwf
). Calculated parameter values such as =ItemRevision
and =ItemRevisionLevel1
are also included and interpreted in release-generated outputs.
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Javascript ID: Harness_LDParams_AD25_5
The layout drawing includes some document parameters.
These parameters are imported into the manufacturing drawing where they are listed on the Parameters tab of the Properties panel for the document (visibility of layout parameters in the list can be toggled using the checkbox next to the icon in the panel) and can be used in special strings.
Calculated parameter values (=ItemRevision
in this example) are correctly interpreted in outputs generated during the release of the project.
For more information, refer to the Creating a Manufacturing Drawing page.
Data Management Improvements
Ability to Preview Compressed ODB++ Data
You now have the ability to preview compressed ODB++ data, generated as part of release preparation using the Project Releaser . When the project includes an Output Job file with an ODB++ output that has the Keep uncompressed files option disabled, you can click the View control for this output when in the Review Data stage of the project release process. The ODB++ data will open in the CAM editor for preview.
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Javascript ID: CompressedODBPreview_AD25_5
The project's Output Job file is configured to generate a compressed ODB++ output.
When on the Review Data stage of the Project Releaser , click View for the prepared ODB++ output.
The output will open for preview in the CAM editor.
For more information, refer to the Design Project Release page.
Detected Conflict Notification Improvement
When a specific document in a Workspace project has conflicts, the Conflict Detected notification banner now shows the author and timestamp of the user who last modified that document, rather than the user who last saved the project to the connected Workspace.
When a conflict is detected, the notification banner shows the author and timestamp of the user who actually last modified that specific document.
For more information, refer to the Managing Project Documents page.
Pushing Documents to Workspace in 'Ahead of Server' State
When attempting to save a design to a connected Workspace and the design includes documents in the Ahead of server state only, these documents are now pushed to the Workspace (instead of committed and pushed), ensuring no 'empty commits' (commits with no real changes).
The project includes documents in the Ahead of server (and No modification ) state only, and saving the project to the Workspace will push all these documents.
For more information, refer to the Saving Projects and Documents page.
Import/Export Improvement
Support for Importing Thermal Reliefs from Allegro Constraint Manager
Added support for importing essential thermal reliefs defined in the Allegro Constraint Manager when importing an Allegro design. This allows for better connection assignment.
When thermal relief of the orthogonal, diagonal, or full contact type is set in the Properties panel for a pad in the Allegro Constraint Manager, these pads are imported into Altium Designer with custom thermal reliefs configured accordingly.
Note that if the thermal relief width or gap is not set for a pad in the Allegro Constraint Manager, values for the Conductor Width and Air Gap Width in Altium Designer will be taken from the rules for the minimum line width and pin spacing rule defined in the Allegro design, respectively.
For more information, refer to the Importing a Design from Allegro page.
Features Made Fully Public in Altium Designer 25.5
The following features are now officially Public with this release: