SplitLibrary

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to access the Library Splitter wizard. The wizard enables you to quickly split schematic (*.SchLib) and PCB (*.PcbLib) libraries, into individual component libraries. This is essential, for example, when creating an SVN Database Library, whereby each symbol and model must be stored in its own library file. In a regular library - which can hold any number of symbols/models - changing a single entry would result in all being marked by the version control system as having been modified. Having one symbol/model per library file plays to the nature of version control, while allowing you to keep track of exactly what has been modified and what has not.

Access

This command is accessed from the Schematic Library Editor, the PCB Library Editor, and the SVN Database Library Editor, by choosing the Tools » Library Splitter Wizard command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the Library Splitter wizard will appear. Follow the wizard's set of progressive (and intuitive) pages to specify:

• The source libraries that you want to split (these need not reside in the same folder).
• The output folder, for each source library added, into which to generate the individual, split libraries.
• Additional options, including for schematic libraries, whether to strip parameter and/or model information from each constituent component.

Once the source libraries and options have been specified, the wizard will perform an analysis, the result of which is the set of single symbol/model libraries that will be created, listed for you to review. The name of each split library to be generated is shown, as well as the actual name of the schematic component/footprint model within that library. The original source library is also listed. The name used for a generated library will be the same as that used for the constituent component/model.

Review the list of libraries to be created and then click Next to proceed with the splitting process and ultimately obtain the libraries to be added to your source VCS repository.

Tips

1. If the \ or / characters have been used in a component/model name, they will be replaced by an underscore when creating the individual library name.
2. Care should be taken if the original source libraries are stored in the same source directory folder. If the output directories are not specified and are left at their defaults - pointing to the same source directory folder - you can end up with a very large mixture of single symbol and model libraries. Sifting through these when creating a repository structure for addition to your VCS may prove very time consuming.