PIN ASSIGNMENTS FOR MATING HEADERS

Male and Female Header - Pin 1 Locations

Interesting Links: Applying IPC Through-Hole Standards In PCB Design

That's it !

Check Symbols for Footprints - Optional Feature

Parts includes an option to check component Symbols for footprints.

When using Database Libraries or Managed Components all footprints should be removed from Symbols to ensure that correct footprints will be placed in the project schematics.

To use this option:  

Select Parts > Configuration > Check Symbols for Footprints > Apply

That's it !

Altium Reserved System Parameter Names

The Parts Frontend has a user option to check for Altium Reserved System Parameters.

In the Config Table set the CheckParameters VariableValue to Yes or No. 

Or set the CheckParameters to Yes or No in the User.ini file.

When creating User Defined Fields it is highly recommended that you avoid using . . .

Reserved Altium System Parameter Names . . . like

Designator
Library Name

Database Table Name

Select Configuration > UnBound Fields to delete un-used (UnBound) fields.

Select Configuration > Save to update the current Parts Configuration file.

Select Configuration > Apply to apply Configuration changes.

That's it !

Access Compact Fails - McAfee Live-Scan

I work with Windows 11, Office 365 Personal and use McAfee Total Protection.

Access Compact and Repair fails when McAfee Live-Scan is activated.

Solution: Create a Live-Scan exception for Access (MSACCESS.EXE)

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE 

Related Link: Cannot Compact And Repair Access Database – File Already In Use

That's it !

Resistors - Values Sorted by ID

Warning:  

Updating a design from a library with changed Primary Keys (ID) will ruin your day.

Part IDs of any parts that have been placed into your designs should NOT renumbered.

Using this tip is only recommended when new libraries are being created

Steps for Creating Resistor Values Sorted by ID:

Components Panel > Display All Columns

Sorted in Components Panel

Copy and Paste to Excel, Renumber ID

Parts > Import Excel

Warning:  

Updating a design from a library with changed Primary Keys (ID) will ruin your day.

You should not renumber Parts IDs of any parts that have been placed into your designs. 

This trick is only recommended when creating new libraries.

Done !

Altium Database Library Basics

Components are created from Parametric Data, Symbols and Footprints.

DBLib Example: 

Capacitor with one Symbol and three Footprints for an 0402 (1005 Metric)

DBLib and SVNDBLib libraries use database structures like Access or MySQL to store parametric data and library file paths (file pointers).

For portability reasons and simplicity relative file paths to Symbols and Footprints may be used when the *.DBLib file is stored in the same parent folder.

Example:

click on image to view

For collaboration and version control each Symbol and Footprint should be stored in a single library file. 

Single part files are also required for version controlled libraries, i.e. SchLib and PcbLib files. 

Database Libraries use file paths Footprint Ref, Footprint Ref 2, Footprint Ref 3.

The current (default) footprint is the Footprint Ref specified in the database.

Remove all Linked Footprints from all *.SchLib files.

All footprints (models) need to be deleted from *.SchLib files to avoid missing footprints.

When parts have matched Library Ref and *.SchLib names and all *.SchLib are stored in the same Symbols folder you can be confident that no duplicate Lib Refs exist in your library.

When parts have matched Footprint Ref and *.PCBLib file names and all *.PCBLib are stored in the same Footprints folder you can be confident that no duplicate Footprints exist in your library.

Recommendation . . .

Select Parts > Configuration > Enforce Matching Filenames and Library References.

Invalid Characters in File Names (Windows)

  < (less than)
  > (greater than)
  : (colon - sometimes works, but is actually NTFS Alternate Data Streams)
  " (double quote)
  / (forward slash)
  \ (backslash)
  | (vertical bar or pipe)
  ? (question mark)
  * (asterisk)

Reserved File Names (Windows)

CON, PRN, AUX, NUL 
COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9
LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, LPT9

Value Parameter:

A user parameter named Value can be used to simplify displaying the value of a Resistor, Capacitor, Inductor or a component's part number.

Primary Key:

Using a simple incremented number for the Design ID will simplify updating libraries and projects with part number choices.

Duplicate Parts:

Good library management tools include checks for duplicate part numbers.

Summary:

Good libraries have consistent symbols and footprints (same graphic symbols) are used for common Resistors, Capacitors and Inductors.

Before migrating libraries to Altium's Managed Component Libraries, it's highly recommended that the library be scrubbed (cleaned).

Parts is a Library Management Tool that can be used to create clean Database Libraries.

That's it !