Author Topic: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?  (Read 3109 times)

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Offline sebmadgwickTopic starter

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How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« on: March 04, 2017, 03:32:35 pm »
The "Generate output" feature generates the BOM, Gerber files, schematic pdf, etc.  It understandably requires quite a bit of setup and has allot of options.  The setup is saved to the *.OutJob file so that the user does not need to repeat the process each time they generate outputs.  However, the *.OutJob file is not portable between projects.  This is a problem.

Many users will want to use an identical setup for every project, and when a different setup is required, it would be far more convenient to create this by modifying a existing setup rather than starting from scratch.

Is it possible to import/export the "Generate output" setup to/from a project?  Does anyone else find the absence of such feature problematic?
 

Offline Harvs

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Re: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2017, 09:02:05 pm »
Yes absolutely, you just need a text editor.

Copy it out somewhere as a master, then open in a text editor and search replace the relevant bits.  I don't have it in front of me what they are, but it's quite obvious if you scroll through.  I have it setup with a script.

There's also lots of options in the outjob that you can change in a text editor that they haven't added dialogs yet in CS.  E.g. you'll most likely want colour schematic prints, so change the PrintKind field in the print options to =0.  Or if you need to print a mono instead of gray scale, change it to 2.

There's quite a few of these sort of things buried in that file.  I also switch off the useless BOM page and use the csv output.
 

Offline T3sl4co1l

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Re: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2017, 10:35:11 pm »
Preface: I don't know how stripped-down it is from AD.

I like to use an OutJob where all the output filenames are set up thusly:
The output names themselves are basic, i.e., "Schematics", "PCB Prints", "Gerber", etc.  The Output Containers have the setting: use custom filename,
=ProjectName + ' ' + OutputName + ' Rev ' + Revision
And the outputs all auto-generate e.g.
Sprong Flanger Schematics Rev 2.pdf
Sprong Flanger BOM Rev 2.xlsx
Sprong Flanger Gerbers Rev 2.gbl
etc.

The variables are pulled from Project Options/Parameters.

Tim
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electronic design, from concept to prototype.
Bringing a project to life?  Send me a message!
 

Offline sebmadgwickTopic starter

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Re: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2017, 11:17:30 pm »
I briefly tried modifying the *.OutJob file content before my original post but I was unable to successfully reuse a file in a different project.

It is good to hear that Harvs has been successful in this approach.  I will try again.
 

Offline Harvs

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Re: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2017, 08:55:37 pm »
I'm interstate on a job, if you don't have any luck when I get home in a week l can post my scripts for it.
 

Offline trevwhite

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Re: How can I reuse "Generate output" options?
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2017, 10:05:31 am »
I edited the printkind parameter and it made no difference. I changed every instance of it I found in the the output file and it still printed greyscale.

Maybe they disabled some of these features better than we thought. I can live with black and white but its a shame. Sure there is probably another workaround somewhere.

Bit frustrated that I can't change the location for all the settings file. I can save and load from somewhere else but for example the template file for a schematic, I can not change its location to a dropbox folder so that I can sync between computers. When I create a new schematic it will only allow me to set the template from the Altium folder location. I have to create a new schematic and then change the template to the one in dropbox. Again it is not the end of the world and the schematic template is a really nice feature. I suppose it's just being organised.

UPDATE: My mistake on this. I tried it again on a new project and it worked. Strange.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2017, 08:40:54 am by trevwhite »
 


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