Availability Schematic Library Document
(Menu) : Tools » Component Properties...
(Menu) : Help » Popups » Right Mouse Click » Component Properties...

Description The Component Properties dialog enables you to view/edit attributes associated with the currently selected component. The dialog also provides access for creating links to new models and/or editing existing ones.

Use The dialog is divided into the following four sections:

Properties

This section of the dialog contains editable fields for the component name - as it appears in the source schematic library - and description, where available. The designator of the component can be defined here, as well as an option to exclude the component from any reannotation of schematic designators (Don't Annotate Component).

The Unique Id for the component can either be changed by directly typing in the Unique Id field, or by pressing the Reset button. The latter will result in another system-assigned ID being generated.

Use the Sub-Design field if you will be linking the component to underlying circuitry (either in the form of a schematic sub-sheet or a programmable logic code description).

You can also change the part number for the selected part, when considering a multi-part component. The designator suffix and pin numbering will be changed to reflect the part number chosen.

The Type field allows you to specify what type of component you are using. The following five types are supported:

Standard - standard electrical component loaded onto board. Always synchronized, always in BOM.

Mechanical - non-electrical component, e.g. heat sink or mounting bracket. Synchronized if exists on both schematic and PCB documents, always in BOM.

Graphical - non-electrical component used for company logo, title block, etc. Never synchronized and not included in BOM.

Net Tie in BOM - for shorting two (or more) nets together in the routing. Typically used if a jumper type component needs to be fitted and also provide shorting in the same location. Always synchronized and included in BOM.

Net Tie - as above but designed so you couldn't tell a component existed at the location where the shorting is to occur. Always synchronized but not included in BOM. When placing components of this type, use the Verify Shorting Copper option in the Design Rule Checker dialog (when performing a DRC in the PCB), to verify the short (i.e. that no unconnected copper exists in the component).

Graphical

This section of the dialog provides options that allow you to control the orientation and location of the component in the workspace and to set up and implement local colors used to define its fill, lines and pins. Options are also available to allow mirroring of the component and also to show any hidden pins.

The Mode drop-down field displays the current graphical representation of the component. Every component has a Normal mode or representation. In addition, a further 255 Alternate graphical representations (modes) of the component can be created. If any Alternate modes have been defined for the current component, the drop-down field will become available and you may select which mode to use for the graphical representation of the component on the schematic document.

Parameters list

This section of the dialog enables you to define any parameter information for the component. Parameters are a way of defining and associating additional information and could include strings that identify component manufacturer, date added to the document and also a string for the component's value, where applicable (e.g. 100K for a resistor or 10PF for a capacitor).

New parameters can be defined, or existing ones edited or removed. Click the Add button to create a new parameter - the Parameter Properties dialog will appear. Use this dialog to define a name and value for the parameter and to setup graphical properties that will determine how the parameter information appears in the workspace.

Each defined parameter will appear in the Parameters List, showing its name, value and type. You can control the visibility of each parameter as required, using the corresponding option in the Visible column.

Use the Add as Rule button to specifically add a design rule directive into the schematic. This feature allows you to define constraints for the design prior to PCB layout. The Parameter Properties dialog will appear, with the Name and Type fields set to Rule and STRING respectively and uneditable.

Clicking the Edit Rule Values button will open the Choose Design Rule Type dialog. This dialog lists each of the rule categories and rule types that are available in the PCB document. Simply double-click on a rule type to open its corresponding Edit Rule Type dialog, from where you can define the constraints for the rule.

Models list

This section of the dialog is used to define links to PCB footprint models, Simulation models, Signal Integrity models, VHDL models and EDIF Macros. You can add any number of new model links or edit/remove existing ones.

Click the Add button to open the Add New Model dialog, from where you can select which particular model type to add.

For each model link that is created, the name of the model, its associated type and any description is listed.

Use the Name column to define which model of each available type is the currently linked model.

To edit an underlying model definition, select the entry for the link and click the Edit button (or double-click on the entry). The dialog that appears will depend on the type of model you are editing.

Click on the Edit Pins button at the bottom left of the dialog to open the Component Pin Editor dialog. This dialog displays logical and graphical properties for all pins in the selected component. Select a pin entry and either double-click or use the Edit button to open the Pin Properties dialog, from where you can edit these and other properties for the pin.

The region also contains columns for any models that have been linked to the component. Each column provides the pin mapping information between the component and the associated model.

Notes Use the dialog What's This Help ? to obtain detailed information about each of the individual options available.

If you change the Unique Id for the component, the unique ID entry in the corresponding component on the PCB design document will no longer match. You will need to match components again using the Edit Component Links between Flattened Project and PCB dialog (from the PCB document).

Colors defined for Fill, Lines and Pins will only be used if the Local Colors option is enabled. These colors are used to override those that are defined for the component in the source schematic library.

For a multi-part component, the relevant pins for the selected part will be highlighted with a white background in the Component Pin Editor dialog. All pins of other parts will be lowlighted with a grey background. You are, however, still able to edit the pins of these non-selected parts.

You can edit pin properties directly in the Component Pin Editor dialog, without having to edit through the corresponding Pin Properties dialog.

Each parameter has a Unique Id assigned to it. This is used for those parameters that have been added as design rule directives. When transferring the design to the PCB document, any defined rule parameters will be used to generate the relevant design rules in the PCB. These generated rules will be given the same Unique IDs, allowing you to change rule constraints in either schematic or PCB and push the change across when performing a synchronization.

Only one model of a particular model type (PCB footprint, SIM, SI, VHDL, EDIF Macro) can be enabled as the currently linked model, at any one time.

The name and description for a model can be edited directly in the Models List section of the dialog.

Any parameters defined in the Parameters List section of the dialog will be made available in the Match By Parameters region of the Annotate dialog. This is particularly useful if you wish to group specific parts of a multi-part component, using a unique parameter that you have defined and included for those parts.

Process Sch:ChangeSingleObject

Parameters RunComponentDialog=True

Links Change Single Object