Altium Designer Documentation

ReleaseDocument

Created: June 9, 2017 | Updated: June 9, 2017
Applies to Altium Designer version: 17.1

Parent page: Schematic Commands

The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:


Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to release schematic symbols from the active Schematic Library, into corresponding Schematic Symbol Items within the linked folder of the target Altium Vault. The release process is simply the act of generating a new revision of each targeted Item. The release process is performed from within the Release Manager dialog.

Access

This command is accessed from the Schematic Library Editor by choosing the File » Release to <TargetVaultName> command, from the main menus.

The command only becomes available provided the Schematic Library has already been linked to the target Altium Vault, using the Link Library to Vault command. In addition, the command is only available for a Schematic Library that has not been accessed through the vault's direct editing feature. That is, a SchLib file accessed from outside of an Altium Vault, and not through use of the Edit command associated with a Symbol Item in the Vaults panel.

Use

After launching the command, the Release Manager dialog will appear. This is a modified version of the full Release Manager dialog, the difference being that in this context it is used to release the single, active library document, rather than batch-release multiple libraries in a nominated source folder.

Analysis and file preparation are automatically performed. The release process simply becomes a 3-step affair:

  1. Exclude any symbols you do not want to be released, by unchecking their associated Enable option.
All symbols that are not yet released, or have been released, but have been modified in some way, are automatically included in the release (Enable option checked). If a symbol has not been modified in any way since its last release, it will be excluded from the next release (Enable option unchecked).
  1. Enter any Notes as required (a Comment and/or Description) for each symbol being released. By default, these are automatically populated with the values for the system parameters (Comment and Description).
  2. Click the Release Items button.

The Confirm Release dialog will appear, allowing you to review the release actions either at a summary level, or at a more detailed level. If the release actions are correct, proceed to release by pressing OK.

Back in the Release Manager dialog, the Action-Status field will display Release Running..., changing to Release Succeeded on completion of the process – provided the release was successful.

Where a symbol is being released for the first time, a new Schematic Symbol Item will be created in the target folder within the vault, with the specified ID, and linked back to that symbol.

Once released, you can browse the symbol(s) directly in the vault using the Vaults panel. Jump directly to a Schematic Symbol Item in the vault from the Schematic Library, by clicking on the Show in Explorer button, when exploring the properties of the component in the Schematic Symbol Properties dialog (Tools » Component Properties).

Tips

  1. When releasing a library document containing multiple symbols, the release process will essentially split the library as part of the release. For each released symbol, the released data stored in the vault consists of the symbol definition, saved in its own Schematic Library file, named using the Symbol Reference. So for a symbol named D_Schottky stored on the design-side in a library of symbols called Diodes.SchLib, the resulting released data will be a single library file named D_Schottky.SchLib, containing only that particular symbol (D_Schottky). If you have already split your library document on the design side, and are therefore releasing a library containing a single symbol only, the release data will simply be a snapshot of that library document.


Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to release the active schematic sheet into the next planned revision of the linked Schematic Sheet Item, within the target Altium Vault. With the formal release of a schematic sheet (or tree of sheets), along with any associated Harness Definition files, into a target Schematic Sheet Item (and revision thereof) in an Altium Vault, the sheet becomes known as a Managed Sheet - managed in an Altium Vault and available for reuse in future designs. Like vault components, managed sheets are placed from the vault into the current design. Like vault components, they can be revised if needed, with full control over the revision process. And like vault components, their lifecycle can also be managed (ready for prototype, for production, and so on), reflecting their real 'usability' state.

Managed Sheets differ from Device Sheets in that they are stored in an Altium Vault, where Device Sheets are stored in a folder on a hard drive. As such, they enjoy the benefits attributed to managed vault content, including revision and lifecycle management, and of course secured integrity.

Access

This command is accessed from the Schematic Editor by choosing the File » Release to <TargetVaultName> command, from the main menus.

The command only becomes available provided the schematic sheet has already been linked to the target Altium Vault, using the Link Sheet to Vault command. In addition, the command is only available for a schematic sheet that has not been accessed through the vault's direct editing feature. That is, a SchDoc file accessed from outside of an Altium Vault, and not through use of the Edit command associated with a Managed Schematic Sheet Item in the Vaults panel.

Use

After launching the command, the data will be prepared to be added to the vault, and the Release confirmation dialog will appear. This dialog also includes a field to add any pertinent release notes. Click Yes to commit the sheet to the vault.

After its release, the Revision State is updated in the Document Options dialog, which will now show Released (when using basic lifecycle management), or New From Design (when using another default management scheme). Be sure to save the document. Click the Show in Explorer button to browse the released sheet directly in the vault using the Vaults panel.

Tips

  1. The released data stored in the vault consists of the .SchDoc file.

 

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