Import Test points

[luky315]

Is there a simple way to import test points from another Altum project (IPC-D-356A, Text or CSV format) to design a PCB based test fixture?

[Fortran]

I'm no expert, but export / import .DXF?
Or simply draw lines between center snaps in an empty mechanical layer and copy / paste that, then snap your (assuming) pogo pins to that?

[ajb]

I'm not an expert either, but if you're using dedicated single-position test pad footprints, you should be able to save a copy of the PCB and schematics into a new project, filter out and delete everything but the test pads, and then replace the test point footprints with test probe footprints.  If you're using unmasked vias, then you'd need to preserve those on the PCB and drop a new footprint on each one for the test probes.  If you have the test point property set for any test point vias then you should be able to use that in PCB Filter.

[T3sl4co1l]

I don't think so. IPC-356 netlist can be imported in CAMTastic but that's not much help.

Better will be,

- Filter: TestpointAssyBottom
(or top or both, as the case may be)
- List: view non-masked or selected; include Pads, Vias
- Sort by Net column
- Select columns Net, X1, Y1; copy to clipboard.

Now you have a list of locations and nets.  Paste into a spreadsheet for reference.

Meanwhile, your test fixture should have all pins (i.e., one for each test point) and all nets in the design.

On your test fixture,

Select the pads of all test pins.  Presuming you are using a single pin component with suitable footprint and all that:
- Filter: (Name Like 'TP*-1')
(Or whatever the designators are patterned as)
- List: Sort by Net column
- Select Name and Net columns, copy to clipboard

Now you have a cross-reference.  Hopefully, they are the same length, with all refs equal, and sorted in the same order.

Now select the Components.  Go to Inspector and click the Component hyperlink.  Now you have the TP* components selected.

Back to list. Sort by Name (and sort your spreadsheet by name as well), and copy-paste the X1,Y1 fields from the spreadsheet to the List (needs to be in Edit mode).

Now lock all the test points you need, and delete the ones you don't need.  Keep multiples of important nets (like GND or VCC), especially those near groups of signals (good signal quality!).

This can probably be done without the spreadsheet step, if you have both PCBs open at once, and manage the Lists correctly.  Beware that pasting to a sorted list seems to unsort it, and items may not paste in order.  Try it a few ways and see.  Starting with the original and deleting extra objects (traces, vias, components, etc.) is also an option, but doesn't account for testpoints that are within components; you'll have to fix those manually, which may be more of a pain than the other way.  Or, if it's been designed with this in mind (using only test point components, or only free vias/pads), it may be easier!

Tim