Moving to Altium Designer From Orcad

Moving to Altium Designer From OrCAD
One of the powerful features of Altium Designer’s design rule system is that multiple rules of the same
type can be defined, each targeting different objects. This is called scoping, a new concept for OrCAD
users, it allows you to exactly target rules to objects in your design. To say it another way, the exact set
of objects that each rule targets is defined by that rule’s scope. The hierarchy of rules is also userdefined
– this is the priority setting that you can see in Figure 12. This combination of rule scoping and
priority gives an unprecedented level of control that allows you to precisely target the design rules for
your board.
Interactive Route
As with OrCAD, you must have a signal layer active before you can begin routing. Enable the layer that
you would like to start on by pressing the L shortcut key to display the Board Layers and Colors dialog.
Click on the Show checkbox to enable a layer. Once you have enabled your signal layer, the tab for it
will display in the main design window. Click on the Layer tab at the bottom of the workspace to make it
the current or active layer, ready to route on.
Interactive Routing in Altium Designer can be invoked through either the Place command in the main
menu, selecting the Interactive Routing command, or simply selecting the button in the Wiring
toolbar.
The following tips will assist you to get a quick start for placing traces:
• Left-click or ENTER key – Places a start or end vertex in the trace. Placed trace segments will
show in the appropriate layer color.
• SPACEBAR – Allows you to toggle between the start and end modes for the trace you are placing.
• SHIFT+SPACEBAR – Allows you to change the corner mode of your current route
• END – Allows you to redraw the screen at any time.
• Shortcut keys V, F – Redraw the screen to fit all objects (View Extent).
• PAGEUP, PAGEDOWN – Allow you to zoom in or out, centered on the cursor position. The mouse
wheel will help you to pan left and right, holding the Ctrl key down to zoom in and out with the
mouse wheel.
• BACKSPACE – Will let you unplace the last trace segment.
• Right-click or ESC – Will complete your trace.
Display the Shortcuts panel for a dynamic list of shortcut keys available for use wherever you are
currently working in Altium Designer, including context-sensitive shortcuts available while running a
command. The Shortcuts panel can be enabled by clicking the Help button in the Status line.
Situs Autorouter
The Situs topological autorouting system is fully integrated into Altium Designer. Once your active PCB
document is completed and everything positioned, you’re ready to start.
Select Auto Route » All, from the Situs Routing Strategies to select a suitable routing strategy, and
then click on Route All to start autorouting. The Messages panel displays the routing progress.
Routing a board can be a big challenge. For further points on your board setup, configuring your
design rules, and running the router, take a look at the article Situs Autorouting Essentials.
18 AP0132 (v2.1) February 21, 2006