TASKINGPinSwap

Created: September 29, 2017 | Updated: September 29, 2017 | Applies to versions: 16.0, 16.1 and 17.0

The following pre-packaged resource, derived from this base command, is available:

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to interactively perform a single pin swap for the component pin (pad) currently under the cursor within the Altium Designer PCB design workspace, and dynamically synchronize that swap with your TASKING Pin Mapper tool. A component pin is swappable with another pin in that component when both pins have the same Pin Group. The swapping feature supports more than just pins, it also supports swapping a partially routed net. This is ideal if you are working on a dense board and escape routing from the components at both ends of a connection. When you perform a pin swap any connected routing is also swapped to the target net.

For a high-level overview of swapping functionality in Altium Designer, see Pin, Pair and Part Swapping.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by right-clicking over the required pad of a component and choosing the TASKING PinSwap command from the context menu.

The command will only be available provided the TASKING Pin Mapper Provider software extension has been installed as part of your Altium Designer installation. This extension can be found on the Purchased page of the Extensions & Updates view.

Use

After launching the command, everything in the PCB workspace is masked (faded), except those pins that are swappable. Click on the target pin to complete the swap action.

As you make the pin swap within the PCB document, that change is passed dynamically to your TASKING Pin Mapper tool, courtesy of the bi-directional communication support provided through the TASKING Pin Mapper Provider software extension. This ensures that your TASKING embedded source code is kept in-sync, without the need to export and import change files.

Tips

The pin group is an attribute of each pin in the component and its value can be any alphanumeric string. The pin groups for the entire component are set up in the Configure Pin Swapping dialog.
Pin swap information will also appear in the Messages panel.
Design changes that are a result of you performing a pin swap in the PCB editor are propagated back to the schematic using the standard Design Update process (run the Design » Update Schematics command from the PCB Editor).