JOB NO : PCB-DACM-03
JOB Name: Using PCB LIbrary
Creating a New PCB Library
To create a new PCB library, select the File » New » Library command
from the main menus and select the PCB Library option from the File
region of the New Library dialog.
After clicking Create, a new PCB library document named PcbLib1.PcbLib
is created and shown in the Projects panel, and an empty component
sheet called PCBComponent_1 displays.
The content of the library is shown in the PCB Library panel.
You are now ready to add, remove, or edit the footprint components in
the new PCB library using the PCB footprint editor commands.
Creating a PCB Library from a PCB Document
If you have a PCB design with all the footprints already placed, you could
use the Design » Make PCB Library command in the PCB editor to
generate a PCB library that includes only those footprints. This is very
useful if you want to create an exact working library, or archive, of your
finished design.
After launching the command, a library document
(<PCBDocumentName>.PcbLib) will be automatically created (and
stored in the same location as the PCB document from which it was
created) and added to the project. The created file will appear in the
Projects panel as part of the project, under the Libraries\PCB Library
Documents sub-folder. The document will open as the active document
in the PCB footprint editor. Each unique PCB component detected on
the PCB will then be added to the library.
Library List
To generate a report listing all PCB footprints in the current PCB Library
document, choose the Reports » Library List command from the main
menus. After launching the command, the report will be generated
(<PCBLibraryDocumentName>.REP) in the same folder as the source PCB
Library document and will automatically be opened as the active
document in the main design window. The report summarizes the total
number of component models in the library and lists all of the
component models by name.
The report will be added to the Projects panel as a free document under
the Documentation\Text Documents sub-folder.
Library Report
You can generate a report from the active library document, containing
information about the components stored within that library. The report
can be configured to include component previews (drawn in color or left
black and white). The report can be generated as a Microsoft Word
document (*.doc), or as a standard HTML document (*.html).
Select the Reports » Library Report command from the main menus to
open the Library Report Settings dialog. Use this dialog to configure the
content and style of the report, and also where (and by what name) the
report is to be generated. By default, the report will be named after the
PCB library, and stored in the same location.
The Library Report Settings dialog
Options and Controls of the Library Report Settings DialogClick to
Expand
After clicking OK the report will be generated. If you have opted to have
the report opened after generation, this will happen provided you have
either Microsoft Word (if generating a Doc style report), or Microsoft
Internet Explorer (if generating a HTML style report) installed on your
computer.
If you have chosen to add the generated report to the project after
generation, it will appear in the Projects panel under the
Generated\Documents sub-folder (for a HTML style report), or the
Generated\Text Documents sub-folder (for a Doc style report).
Component Rule Checker
To validate all components in the active library, the PCB footprint editor
provides a Component Rule Checking feature. This feature offers a
number of checks, including checking for duplicate primitives, missing
pad designators, floating copper and an inappropriate component
reference. The result is a text-based report that lists any violations of
these checks. To run the Component Rule Check:
1. Save your library file.
2. Select Reports » Component Rule Check (shortcut R, R) to open
the Component Rule Check dialog.
3.
4. Check all the boxes available then click OK. A report titled
<LibraryName>.ERR is generated and opens in the Text Editor. Any
errors will be noted. Each component footprint that is found to be
in error is listed, along with the specific tests that it failed.
5. Close the report to return to the PCB footprint editor.
A Component Report can be generated for the active PCB footprint learn more.
Updating a PCB Footprint
Updating a PCB Footprint from a PCB Library can be done in two ways:
"Pushing" the PCB from the PCB Library, or by "Pulling" from the PCB
editor. Pushing a PCB Footprint update takes a selected footprint(s) from
the PCB Library and uses it to update all open PCB documents containing
that footprint. This first method is the best option when a complete
replacement is desired. The second option allows you to review all the
differences between the existing footprint and the footprint in the
library before the update is performed. You can also select which
objects are to be updated from the library. This second method is the
best option when you need to figure out exactly what has changed
between the footprint on the board and the footprint in the library.
Pushing Footprint Updates from the PCB Library
From the PCBLIB Editor, use the Tools » Update PCB with Current
Footprint (when the footprint whose changes you want to pass to the
PCB document(s) is the active footprint) or Tools » Update PCB With All
Footprints command. From the PCB Library panel, right-click in the
Components region of the PCB Library panel then select Update PCB
with [Component] or Update PCB with All. Running these commands
opens the Component(s) Update Options dialog from where you can
select the primitives/attributes to be updated. Use this dialog to
determine which aspects of the footprint are to be updated. After
clicking OK, all placed instances of this footprint on all open PCB
documents will be updated with any changes made in accordance with
specified update options.
The selected updates will be pushed to correlating footprints in all open
PCB documents (regardless to which project they belong).
Pulling Footprint Updates from the PCB Editor
From the PCB editor, use the Tools » Update From PCB Libraries
command, which, in turn, opens the Update From PCB Libraries Options. Click OK to open the Update From PCB Libraries dialog.
PCB Library Panel
The PCB Library panel enables you to browse footprints stored in the
active PCB library document and edit their properties. When a PCB
Library document is active, the panel becomes populated with
information pertaining to the constituent footprints of that library. The
panel also offers the ability to pass on any changes made to them
directly to the PCB design document.