Data Management - Parts Providers

Now reading version 1.1. For the latest, read: Data Management - Parts Providers for version 4

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This documentation page references Altium NEXUS/NEXUS Client (part of the deployed NEXUS solution), which has been discontinued. All your PCB design, data management and collaboration needs can now be delivered by Altium Designer and a connected Altium 365 Workspace. Check out the FAQs page for more information.

Parent page: Data Management Preferences

 The Data Management - Parts Providers page of the Preferences dialog when signed into a server (left image) and when signed out of a server (right image)     The Data Management - Parts Providers page of the Preferences dialog when signed into a server (left image) and when signed out of a server (right image)

Summary

The Data Management – Parts Providers page of the Preferences dialog provides controls to configure parts providers including currency, suppliers and supplier links.

When signed into a managed content server, a green icon () appears next to the name of the page in the folder region to denote that the page is under the server's control.
Access

The Data Management – Parts Providers page is part of the main Preferences dialog that is accessed by clicking the  control in the upper-right corner of the workspace then selecting the Parts Providers entry under the Data Management folder.

Options/Controls

Altium Parts Options

When signed into a server, this region is read-only.
  • Location - check the Enabled box(es) of the locations for which you want to search for your parts.
  • Currency - check the Enabled box(es) of your preferred currency for your parts.
  • Supplier - check the Enabled option for each desired Supplier to be able to search that Supplier's database from within Altium NEXUS and link Altium NEXUS components to matching supplier items. You can choose to enable any combination of these Suppliers, for use with the Live Links to Supplier Data feature. By including more Suppliers for use with the feature, you are able to compare and shop for the best deals on the components required by your design. A Supplier with a  in the Verified column denotes that Altium receives data directly from that supplier. Use the scroll controls to the right of the field to scroll through the list of suppliers.

The Supplier listing is provided by the Altium Parts Provider extension that is installed by default when installing Altium NEXUS. If desired, the Altium Parts Provider extension can be uninstalled. To uninstall, go to the Installed tab under the Extensions & Updates tab and find the Altium Parts Provider icon (shown below), then hover the cursor over the icon and click  to uninstall.

To reinstall the Altium Parts Provider extension, go to the Purchased tab under the Extensions & Updates tab and find the Altium Parts Provider icon then click the  to install.

Suggested Keywords

To make searching for parts in Suppliers' databases more efficient, the software fills a suggested keyword into the Keywords field at the top of the Add Supplier Links dialog based on the parameters from the source Altium NEXUS design component. The following fields/parameters are used by default: Comment, Description, and Name. Parameter Name is listed in order of Priority.

  • Add - click to create additional parameters.
  • Edit - click to edit a Parameter Name. Alternatively, you can double-click on the Parameter Name itself to enable editing.
  • Remove - click to remove a selected parameter(s).
  • Move Up - move a selected parameter up in the priority order.
  • Move Down - move a selected parameter down in the priority order.
By default, the Comment will be used as the search criteria first. If the source component has no comment, then the next attempt uses its Description. If this is also blank, the component's Name will be used.
Further refine the initial Keywords entry, as required, in the Add Supplier Links dialog to better target the desired Supplier Item(s).

Parameter Import Options

Add any parameter name(s) that you would like renamed on import or made visible by enabling the Visible option. Parameters imported along with supplier links or for new components also can be excluded (enable Exclude) or suffixed (enable Suffix). To edit a Supplier Parameter Name or an Imported Parameter Name, click in the text box. Note that only black text is editable; any parameter names displayed in gray are not editable. 

  • Add - click to add a parameter.
  • Remove - click to remove the selected parameter.
For more information on Parameter Import Options, see Linking to Supplier Data.
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