Preferred Manufacturer Names

Parts includes an optional feature to create and use Preferred Manufacturer Names

Select the button next the the Manufacturer field to open the Manufacturers form.

Preferred Manufacturers has three purposes.

1) Create Hyperlinks to the Manufacturer's website.

2) Create or Edit Preferred Manufacturer Names.

3) Map Manufacturer Names to PCB Libraries.

Example: Preferred Name for Molex Connector Corporation













Example: Consolidate all variations of Molex




Notes:

The Parts demo Manufacturers table includes 1000+ Mfrs.  However the drop down list for Mfrs in your Parts Frontend displays only the Mfrs which you have used in the Parts database.

The latest version of Parts includes a Mfr_PCBL field which is used to optimize searches for footprints at PCB Libraries.

That's It !

SVNDBlib Cache

Updated July 9, 2021

The SVNDBlib cache contains symbols and footprints that are placed in designs if you use a SVNDBLIb library with Altium. 

The location of the SVNDBLib Cache and Working Folder can be found In Altium Preferences.

Occasionally SVNDBLib caches can get corrupted (out of sync with the repository) and the best solution is to delete the SVNDBLIB cache folder and to restart Altium.

Close Altium and Delete SVNDBLib Cache Folder at: C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Altium\

Where xxx = your user name

Restart Altium to rebuilt the cache.

Using the Parts Frontend (Optional)

Parts includes a feature that can be used to Find and Update the SVNDBLib Cache.

Select SVNDBLIB Cache on Part's main form.

or

Click on the Navigation Pane > Forms > SVNDBLIB

click on image to view

The "Update SVNDBLIB Cache Folders" button can be used to test TortoiseSVN and update the cache.

If you have installed TortoiseSVN with the command line client tools and your repository is properly setup you should see the turtle race on your windows task bar when you select Update SVNDBLib Cache Folders.

To use SVNDBLiB with the Parts Frontend you must install TortoiseSVN with the command line client tools.

Related Link:

Parts and SVNDBLIB

Technical support is available to aid users with setting up SVNDBLIB.

Please use the Contact Parts form to request support.

That's It !

Filter

click on image to view

The Filter (Search) form can be temporarily stretched by dragging the right edge.

The Part's Filter is an intelligent cascaded sorting filter, which uses up to 3 search conditions with top down sorting.

Part's Filter only applies to text type fields. The filter does not support number data types.

The SQL Query Button or MS Access queries can be used for filtering numeric data. 

The search criteria uses intuitive AND logic.

The search filter uses wildcard syntax. 

You can use wild cards (asterisks) and drop down lists or any combination of both.

Example wild card searches:

CAP* Starts with CAP 

*1K* Contains 1K
*SOT23-5 Ends with SOT23-5

*?* Show Parts that do not have empty (blank) fields

1K Exact Value example

Command Buttons: (Left to Right)

Export - Filtered records to Excel.

SQL Query - Opens the SQL Query Dialog.
Default - Resets the Fields and Values to Defaults. (The Defaults can be customized)
Save - Saves the current Filter settings.
Recall - Recalls the saved Filter settings.
Clear Filter - Displays all records in the Parts Table and initializes the user inputs.
Apply - Searches and Sorts the Parts Database.

Tip 1: Wild card ** searches include records with Empty (Blank) data..

Tip 2: To sort Capacitors, Inductors or Resistors select Part_Type first.

Contact Parts to request technical support or a Free online demonstration.

That's it.