Question about designator

[Wilksey]

Hi,

Hoping someone can answer a question for me,
I know I can change the default text size of the silk screen for the designator and comment section of a component in Altium, is there a way to override this per component?  I've tried adding a text string of ".designator" to the top overlay, which works, but it also draws the default silk designator, I was hoping it would override it, but it doesn't.

Is there any way to override this parameter on a component level?

TIA!

[T3sl4co1l]

Well, if you want to go full custom, you can set the Designator object to default hidden (or the Component object default, Hide Designator, whichever one does it).

If you're okay with editing it on the PCB, then you can select Components by query, and change Designators on the Inspector panel.

Tim

[Wilksey]

Hi Tim,

Many thanks for your reply.

I couldn't find the option to hide the designator and comment on the component itself, could you point me in the direction of where this is to? (AD 17.1), I have currently been using the PCB filter and inspector to do this, just wondered if I could put it in the library part.

I think the bit I am missing and can't see for the life of me is how to hide the designator and comment fields within the pcb lib editor.

Thanks again.

[ajb]

I don't think you can define behavior of the comment/designator in the lib to override behavior in the PCB editor, short of doing something with filters and the inspector in the PCB editor as it sounds like you're already doing.

You could add parameters to your library that are then used in the filter, or perhaps use a script to grab those parameters and format the comment and designator appropriately?

[Wilksey]

Yeah, I guess if I have to use the filter to hide stuff I may as well use it to change sizes rather than faff around.

I've been introducing a few work colleagues to Altium and I've always just used the filter and inspector, but trying to figure out if there is actually a way to do some of these things a "better" or perhaps more intuitive way, as they don't seem to be able to get on as well with it.

Another annoyance seems to be in the schematic editor, when moving a part already wired, if it crosses another part or another wire it latches on to those other wires and forms joins, it is annoying now I know it happens, but apparently standard Altium behaviour.

[T3sl4co1l]

Yeah, moving things around can be annoying.  I often cut wires, move a block (wire ends included) and reconnect. Silly.

In general, consider spending a good bit of time on each layer of the PCB file.  Copper layers are obvious and necessary, but the other layers are properly graphical layers, too.  There can be issues relating to soldermask that are worth manual inspection.  Silkscreen is all about how you want it to look; if you aren't putting in the effort, it isn't going to look nice, or be helpful!

I normally ignore silkscreen except for very early in the layout, and nearly at the end, as a finishing step.

I set all designators to a default size and position I like -- Center-Above, and 30/6 mil text for most SMTs, 60/10 for larger parts and THT, maybe 90/10 for large or important connectors, labels and notes.  At the end, I shove labels around wherever they can fit, maybe moving some components to make room if it's not a problem.

Tim

[Wilksey]

Thanks Tim,

It's more for people moving across from other packages that I am trying to show some Atlium "basics" a few questions came up, took a while to get them to understand the power of the filter and inspector, but there were a few questions that seemed the response was "no" that I felt I could be just missing it, turns out, it's just another Altium quirk!

What is it they say about old dogs and new tricks...

Thanks!