Paste

Created: July 27, 2015 | Updated: June 20, 2017 | Applies to versions: 15.1, 16.0, 16.1, 17.0 and 17.1

The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to place the last content cut/copied to the clipboard, into any open PCB Editor or PCB Library Editor document.

Access

With one or more objects already available on the clipboard, this command can be accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor by:

Choosing the Edit » Paste command from the main menus.
Clicking the button on the PCB Standard toolbar (PCB Editor), or PCB Lib Standard toolbar (PCB Library Editor).
Using the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut.
Right-clicking within the design workspace and choosing the Paste command from the context menu.

Use

The following additional operations can be performed while the content is still floating on the cursor:

Press the Spacebar to rotate the content anti-clockwise, or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in accordance with the value for the Rotation Step, defined on the PCB Editor – General page of the Preferences dialog.
Press the X or Y keys to flip the content along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.

Tips

Objects are pasted onto the same layer that the source objects were copied from, regardless of which layer is currently set as the active layer in the editor.
Content can also be pasted directly from the Clipboard panel. The panel can store a number of objects that can be added (pasted) to various document types within Altium Designer at any stage, allowing for multiple copy/paste operations.
The Clipboard panel supports a variety of data formats, depending on the origin and object type. It can be set to display either only objects copied or cut from within the Altium Designer environment, or the entire Windows clipboard - controlled by the Monitor clipboard content within this application only option, on the System - General page of the Preferences dialog. Be aware that not all data types are supported by each design editor (PCB Editor, Schematic Editor, etc), and that objects that are not supported will not be pasted.
Clipboard panel content is not persistent across design sessions. All content will be cleared when the software is closed and restarted.

Paste Text

Applied Parameters: Mode=NORMAL

Summary

This command is used to place the text that has been copied from a supported OLE application into any open PCB Editor or PCB Library Editor document. The text is converted to, and pasted as, PCB string objects, rather than a single OLE object. The supported file types include universal formats such as CSV and XLS format spreadsheets, and DOC and RTF word documents.

For detailed information about the OLE object type, see OLE Object.

Access

With text already copied to the clipboard from a supported OLE application, this command can be accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor by choosing the Edit » Paste Text command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the copied content from the OLE application will appear floating on the cursor. Position the content at the required position within the design workspace and click, or press Enter, to paste. Then right-click, or press Esc to complete the process and exit paste mode.

The following additional operations can be performed while the content is still floating on the cursor:

Press the Spacebar to rotate the content anti-clockwise, or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in accordance with the value for the Rotation Step, defined on the PCB Editor – General page of the Preferences dialog.
Press the X or Y keys to flip the content along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.

Paste Special

Applied Parameters: Mode=Special

Summary

This command is used to access the Paste Special dialog, which enables you to control what happens to certain object attributes when they are pasted back into the workspace.

Access

With one or more objects already available on the clipboard, this command is accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor, by choosing the Edit » Paste Special command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the Paste Special dialog will appear. Depending on the specific content being pasted, the following attributes can be controlled:

The objects can be pasted onto the current layer, rather than the default paste behavior of pasting to the same layer that the source objects were copied from.
Ability to keep any assigned net naming.
Ability to duplicate the designator (for a pasted component).
Ability to add a pasted component to the same Component Class as the original source component.

Setup the options as required and click the Paste button to start the paste operation. The content will appear floating on the cursor. The cursor position relative to the content is determined by the reference point designated when Cut or Copy was used to add the selection to the clipboard. Position the content at the required position within the design workspace and click, or press Enter, to paste.

The following additional operations can be performed while the content is still floating on the cursor:

Press the Spacebar to rotate the content anti-clockwise, or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in accordance with the value for the Rotation Step, defined on the PCB Editor – General page of the Preferences dialog.
Press the X or Y keys to flip the content along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.

Tips

Clicking the Paste Array button in the Paste Special dialog will open the Setup Paste Array dialog, which allows you to paste multiple copies of the clipboard objects into the current document.
You can also paste content onto the current layer, directly in the workspace, using the Alt+Insert keyboard shortcut.
Content can also be pasted directly from the Clipboard panel. The panel can store a number of objects that can be added (pasted) to various document types within Altium Designer at any stage, allowing for multiple copy/paste operations.
The Clipboard panel supports a variety of data formats, depending on the origin and object type. It can be set to display either only objects copied or cut from within the Altium Designer environment, or the entire Windows clipboard - controlled by the Monitor clipboard content within this application only option, on the System - General page of the Preferences dialog. Be aware that not all data types are supported by each design editor (PCB Editor, Schematic Editor, etc), and that objects that are not supported will not be pasted.
Clipboard panel content is not persistent across design sessions. All content will be cleared when the software is closed and restarted.

Paste on Current Layer

Applied Parameters: Mode=Special|OnCurrentLayer=True

Summary

This command is used to paste objects onto the current layer, regardless of their original layer assignments.

Access

With one or more objects already available on the clipboard, this command is accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor, by using the Alt+Insert keyboard shortcut.

Use

After launching the command, the latest clipboard content will appear floating on the cursor. The cursor position relative to the content is determined by the reference point designated when Cut or Copy was used to add the selection to the clipboard. Position the content at the required position within the design workspace and click, or press Enter, to paste. The object(s) will be pasted onto the currently active layer for the design, irrespective of the layer(s) of origin. This can be verified in the properties dialog for the object(s), and, more readily, through the colouring of the pasted object(s) - which will be the color of the current layer.

The following additional operations can be performed while the content is still floating on the cursor:

Press the Spacebar to rotate the content anti-clockwise, or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in accordance with the value for the Rotation Step, defined on the PCB Editor – General page of the Preferences dialog.
Press the X or Y keys to flip the content along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.

Tips

Content can also be pasted directly from the Clipboard panel. The panel can store a number of objects that can be added (pasted) to various document types within Altium Designer at any stage, allowing for multiple copy/paste operations.
The Clipboard panel supports a variety of data formats, depending on the origin and object type. It can be set to display either only objects copied or cut from within the Altium Designer environment, or the entire Windows clipboard - controlled by the Monitor clipboard content within this application only option, on the System - General page of the Preferences dialog. Be aware that not all data types are supported by each design editor (PCB Editor, Schematic Editor, etc), and that objects that are not supported will not be pasted.
Clipboard panel content is not persistent across design sessions. All content will be cleared when the software is closed and restarted.

Paste Array

Applied Parameters: Array=True

Summary

This command is used to run the Paste Array feature, which allows you to paste multiple copies of the last content cut/copied to the clipboard, into the current document. Both linear and circular array placements are supported.

Access

With one or more objects already available on the clipboard, this command can be accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor, by clicking the button - on the Utility Tools drop-down () of the Utilities toolbar (PCB Editor), or PCB Lib Standard toolbar (PCB Library Editor).

The Paste Array feature can also be accessed from the Paste Special dialog, by clicking the Paste Array button.

Use

After launching the command, the Setup Paste Array dialog will appear. Enter the appropriate values in this dialog and click OK to place the array.

If placing a linear array, you will be prompted to select the starting point for the array. Simply position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to place the array.
If placing a circular array, you will be prompted to select the center point for the array, followed by the starting point for the array. Simply position the cursor in each case, and click, or press Enter, to place the array. The objects will be placed in anti-clockwise fashion around the nominated center point.

The starting point for the array will be where the reference point - designated when Cut or Copy was used to add the selection to the clipboard - will be located. It is therefore advisable to ensure the reference point is properly designated at the time of cut/copy, otherwise unexpected results may occur when pasting the array.

Tips

Content can also be pasted directly from the Clipboard panel. The panel can store a number of objects that can be added (pasted) to various document types within Altium Designer at any stage, allowing for multiple copy/paste operations.
The Clipboard panel supports a variety of data formats, depending on the origin and object type. It can be set to display either only objects copied or cut from within the Altium Designer environment, or the entire Windows clipboard - controlled by the Monitor clipboard content within this application only option, on the System - General page of the Preferences dialog. Be aware that not all data types are supported by each design editor (PCB Editor, Schematic Editor, etc), and that objects that are not supported will not be pasted.
Clipboard panel content is not persistent across design sessions. All content will be cleared when the software is closed and restarted.

Rubber Stamp

Applied Parameters: Action=RubberStamp

Summary

This command is used to copy one or more selected objects and then paste multiple instances of the selection wherever required in the current document.

Access

With one or more objects currently selected in the main design workspace, this command can be accessed from the PCB Editor, and the PCB Library Editor by:

Choosing the Edit » Rubber Stamp command from the main menus.
Clicking the button on the PCB Standard toolbar (PCB Editor), or PCB Lib Standard toolbar (PCB Library Editor).
Using the Ctrl+R keyboard shortcut.

Use

First, ensure that the objects that you want to include in the process are selected in the main design workspace.

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter rubber stamping mode. The process involves the following sequence of steps:

You will first be prompted to select a reference point. This is the point by which the selection will be pasted. Simply move the cursor to the required position near to the selection and click, or press Enter. A copy of the selection will appear floating on the cursor.
Move the cursor to the desired location in the workspace and click, or press Enter to place the copy.
Another copy of the selection will appear floating on the cursor ready for placement.
Continue placing further instances of the copied selection (rather like using a rubber stamp), or right-click, or press Esc, to exit.

Tips

This command is used to copy and paste objects. As such, you cannot use the command for rubber stamping the children of group objects.
Content can also be pasted directly from the Clipboard panel. The panel can store a number of objects that can be added (pasted) to various document types within Altium Designer at any stage, allowing for multiple copy/paste operations.
The Clipboard panel supports a variety of data formats, depending on the origin and object type. It can be set to display either only objects copied or cut from within the Altium Designer environment, or the entire Windows clipboard - controlled by the Monitor clipboard content within this application only option, on the System - General page of the Preferences dialog. Be aware that not all data types are supported by each design editor (PCB Editor, Schematic Editor, etc), and that objects that are not supported will not be pasted.
Clipboard panel content is not persistent across design sessions. All content will be cleared when the software is closed and restarted.