Working with a Sheet Symbol File Name Object on a Schematic Sheet in Altium NEXUS

Created: November 30, 2017 | Updated: October 9, 2018

Contents

Summary
Availability and Placement
Graphical Editing
Non-Graphical Editing
- Via the Properties Panel
  - Editing Multiple Objects
- Via a List Panel

Sheet Symbol File Name

Summary

The Sheet Symbol File Name is a non-electrical child object of an electrical design primitive. It provides the link between the sheet symbol and the schematic sub-sheet that the symbol represents.

Availability and Placement

The Sheet Symbol File Name is automatically placed when the parent sheet symbol object is placed.

While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to access the Properties panel), keep in mind that these will become the default settings for further placement unless the Permanent option on the Schematic – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.

Graphical Editing

This method of editing allows you to select a sheet symbol file Name object directly in the workspace and change its location graphically. Sheet symbol file Names can only be adjusted with respect to their size by changing the size of the Font in the Properties panel. As such, editing handles are not available when the sheet symbol file name object is selected.

Click anywhere inside the dashed box and drag to reposition the sheet symbol filename object as required. The object can be rotated or flipped while dragging.

Press the Spacebar to rotate the file name. Rotation is counterclockwise in increments of 90°.

If the Enable In-Place Editing option is enabled on the Schematic - General page of the Preferences dialog, you will be able to edit the name for the sheet symbol file name directly in the workspace. Select the designator then click once to invoke the feature. Type the new name as required then click away from the sheet symbol file name or press Enter to effect the change.

If attempting to graphically modify an object that has its Locked property enabled, a dialog will appear asking for confirmation to proceed with the edit. If the Protect Locked Objects option is enabled on the Schematic – Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog, and the Locked option for that design object is enabled as well, then that object cannot be selected or graphically edited. Click the locked object to select it then disable the Locked property in the List panel or disable the Protect Locked Objects option to graphically edit the object.

Non-Graphical Editing

The following methods of non-graphical editing are available:

Via the Properties Panel

Panel page: Sheet Symbol File Name Properties

This method of editing uses the associated Properties panel mode to modify the properties of a sheet symbol file name object.

The Parameter mode of the Properties panel

The Parameter mode of the Properties panel can be accessed in one of the following ways:

Double-click on the placed sheet symbol file name object.
Place the cursor over the sheet symbol file name object then right-click then choose Properties from the context menu.
If the Properties panel is already active, select the sheet symbol file name object.

The sheet symbol file name properties can be accessed prior to entering placement mode from the Schematic – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog. This allows the default properties for the sheet symbol file name object to be changed, which will be applied when placing subsequent sheet symbol file names.

Editing Multiple Objects

The Properties panel supports multiple object editing, where the property settings that are identical in all currently selected objects may be modified. When multiples of the same object type are selected manually, via the Find Similar Objects dialog or through a Filter or List panel, a Properties panel field entry that is not shown as an asterisk (*) may be edited for all selected objects.

Via a List Panel

Panel pages: SCH List, SCHLIB List, SCH Filter, SCHLIB Filter

A List panel allows you to display design objects from one or more documents in tabular format, enabling quick inspection and modification of object attributes. Used in conjunction with appropriate filtering - by using the applicable Filter panel, or the Find Similar Objects dialog - it enables the display of just those objects falling under the scope of the active filter – allowing you to target and edit multiple design objects with greater accuracy and efficiency.