This means that designators on one of the PCBs won’t start from R1, C1, e.t.c.Ĭreate a different folder for each project - With all the files Altium creates for a project, directories can get really, really messy. Designators have to be unique across the two PCBs.If you don’t have unique names, Altium will want you to join the two PCBs together with copper, thinking you have an unrouted net. This becomes a problem for commonly used names such as 5V and GND. All the nets have to be unique between the two PCBs.To add multiple PCBs, you have to add a joining link of board between the two actual PCBs, which looks ugly in both 2D and 3D modes. Altium only supports a board outline which outlines a single continuous region.A single PCB is defined as one continuous board region. And it was designed so that there is only one. One PCB Per PcbDoc And PcbPrj FileĪltium was designed so that there is only one PCB per. An overload of these can mask any true mistake where a component is not connected to the intended net. If you don’t get the snap right, it is really hard to connect pins up on the schematic, and Altium will produce “Component off grid” warnings when compiling. This only applies when placing the pins, you can choose whatever you want for the rest of the symbol! I regularly use 1mill snap for designing graphics for the symbol. I recommend you use a snap that is a multiple of 5mill. This is because most schematic symbol libraries use this setting, and if you don’t, using other peoples symbols don’t connect properly. Rule: Keep schematic snap when designing symbols to DXP defaults. It pays to have some basic standards/protocols when working with Altium, otherwise things can get ugly real quick. This page is intended to help you fast-track that! After using Altium for many years, you begin to pick up on little tricks to make your PCB design life easier.