Multi body parts

[owiecc]

How do you handle parts that are somehow physically connected together. I mean e.g. a PICe connector, card latch and PCIe card itself.

In schematic I would prefer to have the card pins and its designators visible.
In PCB editor I need to have the correct distance between the PCIe connector and edge latch.
For production I would need two separate components because I need to buy them separately and assemble them separately.

Is there a smart way out (single component that has two parts included) or do you just have two separate components (connector and latch) and annotate the pinout in the schematic?

[ajb]

It's strictly one component, one part unfortunately.  You could use snippets to sort-of simplify placement, but that's about it.  Or maybe include some reference markers in a mechanical layer within the footprint to make alignment on the board easier.

[T3sl4co1l]

Multiple parts on the schematic, to generate multiple parts in the BOM.  If you like, you can attach a [mechanical, no pins] footprint and position it over the main component, so the 3D model looks right and the pick-and-place file agrees.

Set the Description, or a Note or something, on the mechanical parts, so the BOM says where they are to be assembled (e.g., "ATTACH TO J5").

Alternately, create a second-level BOM that lists everything that plugs into the board after soldering.  And so on, into the box build, if applicable.  Components on this level are beyond board scope, so shouldn't be managed in Altium anyway -- a separate spreadsheet or database or MCAD or whatever system would handle that.

Or make schematics for everything and generate them from Altium, what do I care?

Tim