General Tab
The General tab has options to configure your printer and page settings.
Print & Presets Settings
- Printer – this field reflects the current printer to which the printed output will be sent. Use the drop-down to choose another printer from all those currently installed for your computer. Click the
button to access the following options:
- Printer Settings – use to open the Microsoft Print to PDF Document Properties dialog, where you may configure printer files based on your printer or Operating System.
- Set as Default – use to set the selected printer as default.
- Add Printer – use to add a printer from your Windows system.
- Printer to file – use to create an Out folder within your project file. You may produce (
*.ini) files regarding all pages and export all pages to (*.emf) format.
- Copies – use this field to specify the number of copies of the page (or page set) to be printed.
- Print Range – use the controls in this region to specify which pages are to be printed when the prospective print job includes multiple pages. Choose one of the following options:
- All Pages – enable this option to print all pages in relation to the print-based output being generated.
- From – enable this option to print a range of pages. Use the fields to specify the start and end pages (inclusive) in the required range.
Page Settings
- Color Set – use this option to choose which color set you want to use for the printed output. Available color sets are: Gray, Mono, and Color.
- Page Size – select a paper size from the drop-down.
- Orientation – use these options to choose between printing in Portrait or Landscape orientation.
Scale & Position Settings
- Scale Mode – use the drop-down to select the mode of scaling desired. Choose from
Fit Document On Page or Actual Size.
- Scale – this field is available when Scale Mode is set to
Actual Size. Use it to define how much the document is scaled. Entering a value greater than 1 will essentially enlarge the print (a zoomed-in effect), while entering a value less than 1 will shrink it (a zoomed-out effect).
- Horizontal Offset – use to manually adjust the position of the printed content on the page in the horizontal plane. Enter a positive value to shift the printed content to the right on the page or a negative value to shift it left. If the field is set to zero, the minimum horizontal left-hand margin required by the printer is used. Enable the Center option to automatically position the printed content so that it is centered horizontally on the page.
- Vertical Offset – use to manually adjust the position of the printed content on the page in the vertical plane. Enter a positive value to shift the printed content upward on the page or a negative value to shift it downward. If the field is set to zero, the minimum vertical bottom margin required by the printer is used. Enable the Center option to automatically position the printed content so that it is centered vertically on the page.
Area to Print
- Type – use the controls in this region to determine the area of the board to be printed. Choose from:
- Entire Sheet – print the whole board.
- Specific Area – only print the defined area. With this option enabled, the following controls become available:
- Lower Left Corner X/Y – use these fields to define the X and Y coordinates for the bottom-left corner of the required print area.
- Upper Right Corner X/Y – use these fields to define the X and Y coordinates for the top-right corner of the required print area.
Preview Right-Click Menu
Right-click within the Preview area to access the following menu:
- Zoom In – use this command to incrementally zoom in.
- Zoom Out – use this command to incrementally zoom out.
- Show Print Region – use this command to show the region that will print.
- Show Grid – use this command to show grid lines in the preview area. Note the grid lines will not be displayed on your printout.
- Export to *.EMF – use this command to export the current preview as a Windows Enhanced Metafile (
*.EMF).
Pages Tab
The Pages tab includes display options, options to manage layer settings, and allows you to add a new printout.
- Grid – the grid contains all layers that will be printed. The number on the right of each printout states how many layers and classes are available within each printout.
-
– use these arrows to move the select layer upward or downward in the list, which changes the print rendering order.
- Edit Layers – use this option to edit the layer in the following ways:
- Layers – lists the currently defined printouts and their constituent layers. You may move, delete, and change the color of the printouts and their layers here.
- Manage Page Layers – in this area, you may view all layers and enable the layers intended to be printed using the checkbox or by using the Select All Layers and Select All Classes links. You may choose the layer you want to manage from the Print Layer Type drop-down, which is detailed below.
- Print Layer Type – use this option to choose/change the required layer. The drop-down presents all layers defined for the board.
- Drill Layers – use this region when configuring a drill layer (Drill Drawing/Drill Guide).
- First – use this field to specify the starting layer for the required drill pair. The drop-down lists all available signal and internal plane layers defined in the board's layer stack.
- Last – use this field to specify the finishing layer for the required drill pair. The drop-down lists all available signal and internal plane layers defined in the board's layer stack.
- Configure Drill Symbols – click this button to open the Drill Symbol dialog, where you may assign symbols/letters to each drill size.
- Free Primitives – this drop-down provides controls to determine how the free primitives on a layer are displayed on the printout. For the following free primitive objects, use the associated drop-down field to choose whether to display the object fully (
Full), in outline mode only (Draft), or hide the object (Hide).
- Component Primitives – this drop-down provides controls to determine how the component primitives on a layer are displayed on the printout. For the following component primitive objects, use the associated drop-down field to choose whether to display the object fully (
Full), in outline mode only (Draft), or hide the object (Hide).
- Other – this region provides controls to determine how other objects on a layer are displayed on the printout. For the following objects, use the associated drop-down field to choose whether to display the object fully (
Full), in outline mode only (Draft), or hide the object (Hide).
To return to the main Pages tab, select the Layer Name in the upper region (e.g. New PrintOut 1 > Layers).
To return to the main Pages tab, select the Layer Name in the upper region (e.g. New PrintOut 1 > Layers). To return to the Edit Layers region, select Layers in the upper region (e.g. New PrintOut 1 > Layers > Manage).
-
– use the bin icon to remove the selected printout from the list. You will not be prompted to confirm the removal.
- Add Page – use to add another layer to the printout.
- – use the ellipsis button to access various options detailed below:
- Create Final – use to quickly create a complete, predefined final artwork print-set for the source PCB document.
- Create Composite – use to quickly create a predefined multi-layer composite print for the source PCB document.
- Create Power-Plane Set – use to quickly create predefined power-plane drawings for the source PCB document.
- Create Mask Set – use to quickly create predefined solder/paste mask drawings for the source PCB document.
- Create Drill Drawings – use to quickly create a predefined set of drill drawings and guides for the source PCB document.
- Create Assembly Drawings – use to quickly create predefined assembly drawings for the source PCB document.
- Create Composite Drill Guide – use to quickly create a predefined composite drill drawing for the source PCB document.
Select Page Settings
- Page Name – when configuring a standard printout, this region is titled Printout Name. Use it to change the name for the printout as desired, giving a more meaningful name that will readily identify its nature and purpose.
The options below may be enabled to control which components are included in associated printouts (such as whether or not you choose to show surface-mounts), as well as additional controls (such as showing mirror layers).
- Pad Display Options – enable the appropriate options if you want to show pad numbers and/or pad nets on the printout.
- Pad Font Size – use this control to determine the size of the font used for pad numbers and net text.
Advanced Tab
The Advanced tab provides designator setting options as well as font and color options.
Designator Print Settings
Use the control in this region to specify the type of designator information to be included on the printouts. Choose from the drop-down to either Print Physical Designators or Print Logical Designators.
Options
Print Keepout Objects – enable this option to have keepout-designated design objects included on the printed document.
Replace Stroke fonts by TT fonts
- Enable Fonts Replacement – check this box to enable the ability to replace fonts.
- Default – check the box to use default settings. You may use the drop-down to change the font.
- Serif – check this box to use the Serif font. You may use the drop-down to change the font.
- Sans Serif – check this box to use the Sans Serif font. You may use the drop-down to change the font.
Colors Settings
- Use Net override color – enable this option to have the net color used in prints rather than the layer color.
- Retrieve Layer Colors from PCB – click this button if you want to print using the same colors configured for the PCB design in the PCB Editor.
- Save as Default – click to overwrite default color set with your local color set.
Additional Controls
Set as Default – use to set the predetermined settings on Pages and Advanced tabs of the dialog as default.
Altium Designer Documentation
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Dialog Reference
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