Compare

Compare is a Librarian only Tool in the Parts Frontend Application.

Click on image to view

If after selecting Compare if differences are found Update Field or Update Records can be used to update the Destination table.

Update Field can be used to modify a selected field if matching Primary Keys (ID) in the tables.

Update Records will append new records and modify all fields in the destination table.

That's It !

BOM - With Supplier Links Enabled

I'm currently working on a fairly large project with 20 schematic pages, 225 line items, 1034 parts (Ref/Des).

Generating the Bill of Material is taking several minutes.

After a little troubleshooting I found that if I disabled the Suppliers in DXP Preferrences the BOM would generate in a few seconds, vice several minutes.

As shown below enabling the Suppliers Links will display real time Supplier Information in the Libraries Panel. 

This is a nice feature when you are placing parts, but it comes at price when you want to configure or generate your BOM..

The reason for the performance hit is Altium searches the supplier websites looking for inventory and pricing for the 225 line items in the BOM, this takes a considerable amount of time.

If are using an Outjob to generate your BOM and you select Configure the configuration dialog will also take a few minutes to open if the Supplier Links are enabled.  

Altium Bug Crunch  #1508

Altium will freeze, but eventually thaw out and come back to life.



Work around 1:

To speed up the BOM un-check the Supplier Links in DXP Preferences before generating or configuring a BOM in the Outjob.

Interesting point:

In my Outjob BOM Configuration I have not selected stock or pricing information.

Supplier 1 and Supplier Part Number 1 are already in my design's database.

Why is Altium searching the Internet for Supplier Data?


Work Around 2:

Open the Parts Backend and rename Supplier 1 to Supplier and Supplier Part Number 1 to Supplier Part Number.

This will stop the long searches for supplier data on the web.  However the Supplier details will not be visible in the Libraries panel.

You can quickly open Supplier Part Details or datasheets using right clicks in the library panel or schematic.

Related link: Supplier Data


That's It !

Supplier Information - Review

Suppliers enabled in DXP > Preferences > Data Management > Suppliers


Results of Supplier Information displayed in Altium's Libraries Panel for 5 major suppliers listed alphabetically for the same part number.

To display Supplier data in the libraries panel the Supplier name in the parameters must match the names listed in DXP Preferrences for the supplier.

Note the parameters in the design must include Supplier 1 and Supplier Part Number 1 to display the Supplier data.

The Parts database has options to use to use Supplier and Supplier Part Number vice Supplier 1 and Supplier Part Number 1. This option is controlled by the field names used in the Parts backend.

Please note the results shown below are not associated with the Parts application. The supplier information is handled completely by Altium's supplier plugins.


Allied (no image for the connector)

Arrow (nothing displayed)

Digi-key (nice)



Mouser (nice)

Newark (nice)

Altium Version: AD14.3.16

Score 3.5 out of 5.

Related link: BOM with Supplier Data


That's It !