Applied Parameters: None
Summary
This command is used to place a Text Frame object onto the active document. A text frame is a non-electrical drawing primitive. It is used to define an area on a schematic to contain textual information. The frame is a resizable rectangular area that can contain multiple lines of text and can automatically wrap and clip text to keep it within the bounds of the frame.
For detailed information about this object type, see
Text Frame.
Access
Text frames are available for placement in the Schematic Editor and Schematic Library Editor, by:
- Choosing Place » Text Frame from the main menus.
- Locating and using the Text Frame 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 button on the Utility Tools drop-down (
) of the Utilities toolbar.
- Right-clicking in the workspace and choosing Place » Text Frame from the context menu.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter text frame placement mode. Placement is made by performing the following sequence of actions:
- Position the cursor and click or press Enter to anchor the first corner of the text frame.
- Move the cursor to adjust the size of the text frame and click or press Enter to complete placement.
- Continue placing further text frames, or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.
At any time during placement, press the
Tab key to access the
Properties panel, from where properties for the text frame can be changed on-the-fly. Pressing
Tab pauses placement, allowing you to interact with the panel (or other area of the software) directly. To resume, click the pause symbol that appears over the workspace.
Additional actions that can be performed during placement - while the text frame is still floating on the cursor, and before its first corner is anchored - are:
- Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.
- Press the Spacebar to rotate the text frame counterclockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in steps of 90°.
- Press the X or Y keys to mirror the text frame along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
Tips
- While text frames can be rotated or mirrored along the X or Y axis, this has no effect on the orientation of the text within.
- For simple one line text annotations, consider using the Text String object.
- For information on how a placed text frame object can be modified graphically, directly in the workspace, see Graphical Editing.
- While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to bring up the Properties panel), bear in mind that these will become the default settings for further placement unless the Permanent option on the Schematic - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.
Altium Designer Documentation
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Command Reference
Sch Commands