Applied Parameters: None
Summary
This command is used to place a Drill Table object into the active Draftsman document (*.PCBDwf). This provides a simple, visual way to convey crucial information for the PCB fabrication process.
For a high-level look at how the Altium Draftsman Drawing System provides an interactive approach to the creation of production documentation for your PCBs, see
Draftsman. For detailed information about this object type, see
Drill Table.
Access
This command can be accessed from the PcbDrawing Editor by:
- Choosing the Place » Drill Table command from the main menus.
- Locating and using the Drill Table command (
) on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
- Clicking the entry on the Tables drop-down (
) of the Drawing Annotations toolbar.
- Right-clicking in the workspace and choosing the Place » Drill Table command from the context menu.
Use
If your PCB design project has more than one PCB, ensure that the board from which you wish to generate the drill table is selected in the PCB Document field, in the Source section of the Properties panel (set to present the Document Options, when no objects are selected in the workspace).
After launching the command, data will be acquired from the source PCB document, and a Drill Table will appear floating on the cursor. Position the table as desired and click to effect placement. If your Draftsman document has multiple sheets, you can simply zoom out and move the table to the intended sheet, while it is still floating on the cursor.
Tips
- A Drill Table can be graphically modified after placement. Click and drag the table to move it to a different location within the current sheet.
- Most aspects of a placed Drill Table are available for editing through the Properties panel. If the panel is already open, simply select a placed Drill Table to populate the panel with its associated properties. If the panel is not open, double-click on the Drill Table to access it.
- Assigned drill symbol graphics for the various drill holes can be changed in the Drill Symbol Configurations dialog. Access to this dialog is made by clicking the Drill Symbols button, at the bottom of the Properties section of the Properties panel, when browsing/modifying the properties of the selected Drill Table. The dialog presents a tabular view of PCB hole data, with hole styles grouped on a selectable parameter (column data) basis and assigned standard symbols. Note that only those columns activated (made visible) for the Drill Table (through the Properties panel) will be shown.
- If changes have been made to the PCB document, using the Tools » Update Board command will ensure that a placed Drill Table is kept in-sync.
- Defaults for this primitive type can be defined on the Draftsman - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog.
