Great tip. Here's another: In the PCB list window, right click, 'Choose Columns' then move the ''Rotation' column beside the 'Layer', 'X1' and 'Y1' columns then they can be copy'n'pasted together.

This technique can saves days on a large complex design. It's a simple way to duplicate exactly any placement or routing.

@@BlessingAll No, it is not a simple way, it is a useful but lousy way. The right way would be to define groups of components, e.g. by hierarchy or a blanket, and then tell the layout tool: make group B like group A, pick them up under the mouse cursor so thay you can rotate/move/place this whole group.

I'm having some trouble trying to create a room. Classes are not been created properly and every time that I try to "copy room formats", nothing appears in the list. I can only do it like he did. Already spent half day looking for Altium guide and KZfaq tutorials.....

That is fantastic :) Thank you for leaving your feedback Frederik

I absolutely agree. I can say, that the main point of the video is not necessary placement ... but highlighting PCB List. How people use it, it is then up to them.

Selamlar abi :D

Thank you Sergej

I am facing the same problem. Did you find how to fix it?

You have to copy the top/bottom column in the PCB list menu if your parts are to end up on the same layers as the original placement.

If the schematics have been copied and constructed with single purpose per sheet then when they are automatically annotated the order of the naming will match from page to page. Also works if one block is higher up on the page the subsequent blocks.

same here. I do not know why filters and rectangular selection doesn't work on reference designators. I will try the lock.

@Yongfang Zhang THANK YOU!!! I could not figure that out. I hope I will not forget next time to use CTRL+SHIFT :)

If you right click on the Union in the PCB panel, click "Select All In Union". Then in your PCB List panel, you can check mark the components and the text. So it would say at the top, "Edit selected objects include only Components, Texts". Then I think you can fix the component and designators at the same time, instead of having two different tables copied in Excel. And you don't have to click and select all the designators by hand.

I am using AD 19.0.15

Yaghiyah Brenner use more test points, apply logo, serial #s, or artwork. extra space is a good thing

Someone once told me, that you may need to double check terms and conditions of these cheap PCB manufacturers - if you add more "boards" into your design, they may charge you for additional PCB

You can simply copy and paste standard objects. When you need to keep net names, use Edit -> Paste Special

Thank you. I am not sure if it is in AD14. For sign up, you can use following discount coupon codes: - if you would like to sign up for the "Online" option, use "HKM3AC" discount coupon code to save $30 USD - if you would like to sign up for the "Online and Download" option, use "KFR7D2" discount coupon code to save $50 USD

PCB List works the same in version 14

There is no one answer for this. In most of my CPU boards I use one common GND plane and if there are some analogue areas, I am careful about component placement and layout (e.g. analogue components are placed in quite corner where other currents are not going to flow, all the analogue components are place only on TOP or only on BOTTOM side of the PCB, layout is done only on specific layers, etc ...). However if you are designing for example very sensitive circuits, your approach may be different .. maybe isolate the analogue areas as much as possible from the digital areas ... or have a look at reference designs or similar boards.

@@RobertFeranec Thank you for your time Robert. I will keep your advices in my mind. Have a nice day.

you can simply copy and paste tracks and vias directly (just select them, ctrl+c and ctrl+v), possibly use Edit -> Paste Special and select what you need (e.g. Paste on current layer, Keep net name, ...)

I can't found union window, can you show help me? Many thanks.

If you are stuck without the option to reannotate this method is not ideal.

it should be possible to use spreadsheet (e.g. excel or goodle spreadsheet) to recaluculate positions with specific offset.

@@RobertFeranec Thanks

My method would be to use the move by X Y then move the first union by say y=100mm then move each one in a preplanned x - y distance to get your placement right, then move the first one back down by y = -100mm

You can copy & paste traces just by selecting them CTRL+C - > Click on Pick point and CTRL+V -> Click on past point. Nothing special about them. (In some cases you may need to use Edit -> Paste Special and "Paste on current layer" or "Keep net name")

I am using AD 20.0.12 and could not create union when I right clicked on the selected items. I went back to AD 18.1.9 and it worked.

Polar: I just added new polar grid (when you click into empty space in PCB, in properties, find grid and add new). Unions in AD20: I am not very surprised, there are many bugs in AD20 ... unless it is a new feature :)

Hi WR3, I have this problem regularly, unfortunately copy room format has not worked for me even when I create new rooms. I find Franec’s too complicated. Can you kindly explain with some detail how you use your swap component approach? It’s a shame that Altium has not implemented similar functionality like the copy room format. Thanks . Thanks to Franec for the video too

Ok first I do the same thing as Robert has at 3min (schematic with all 4 blocks and a PCB with all components, and only one placed as we want. What I do next is copy block 1 in the PCB and place it where I want the block 2 to be. Then you have multiple options depending which one you prefer: a) Select block 2 in the SCH so it select the right components in the big mess of others in PCB and bring them near the copy of block 1. Then select swap components function, click one component in block 2 and then click the correct component in the copy of block 1. Components will automatically change places and rotations and then you can continue changing them while function is running. When you are finished just delete all the copies. This option work nicely for simple circuits where you can judge from the connections where it should be placed. b) A bit slower option but work better for complex circuits is to make a shortcut for this function. Same as before, make a copy of block 1 in PCB. Select a component in the block 1 in schematic so you can see which one should be in block 2 on PCB and remember the position. Select the right component from the block 2 in schematic, move to PCB and while holding shift select the component that you have remembered before. Now you have both components selected (the correct component and the copy with correct position), hit the shortcut and components will change places. Now repeat for all others. c) This option is totally different but it is the fastest and sometimes the easiest. Make only one block in SCH and update the PCB. Place the components as you like and make a copy where you want block 2 to be in PCB. Make a copy of block 1 in the SCH and annotate it. Update PCB from schematics and window will pop up to make component pairs (if annotations are nice, you can just click arrow a few times and you are done). Than you repeat for block 3 and 4. I use this one a lot with linear LED strips. Where I finish 1 segment and go through this procedure and then I can do the same with 2 segments.

WR3 thank you very much. Very helpful

In large complex designs you often have multiple rooms and channels and single pages so the room copy kind of breaks a bit. This is like one tool in the box, sometimes it's best sometimes it's not.

There are actually more ways how to copy placement - for example some people use rooms (this should be simple to use), other people use snippets etc. The way in video was very interesting for me as it shows PCB List table which can be very useful also in other cases, it is quite simple to use and doesn't require any special settings or features.

@@RobertFeranec That's true, but the room method require special schematic setup and even then, coppers are not replicated from one block to the other. Don't get me wrong, I'm just saying it could easily be improved :)

@@dreamofmirrors I agree

@@dreamofmirrors I agree that room method is hard but everything inside a block can be replicated from one block to the other. It doesn't matter it is a track or a string.

@@RobertFeranec Be careful. In Altium 19.1 (I did not try in 19.0) is a bug, and through PCB list, you can not change the layer. It can be a quite big problem when you have a large circuit which combines the top and bottom placement. According to tech support, they know about this. This problem is caused by introducing unlimited numbers of mech layers. Unfortunately, at this moment, fix is not planned... Altium does not stop to surprise me... This is perfect trick Robert, and I found it as a very useful. Unfortunately, I can not use it in Altium 19.1

Maybe something with local units settings (?). Some software has problems if local settings are using different format e.g. if your local PC settings use "," (comma) instead of "." (dot). In that case, what usually helps is to change the local settings in Windows.

@@RobertFeranec Hi Robert thanks for the reply, I was running off an earlier AD19 build so I updated the the latest build and the problem went away. Thanks for all the help and videos

@@nathangates4032 awesome. thank you for letting us know

Perfect

Try to search for rooms and channels ... possibly also snippets. That could help.

@@RobertFeranec thanks a lot for your suggestion

My Cadence license expired and I do not really have many projects in Cadence what I could use in the videos :(

@@RobertFeranec ok sir i will remember all your tips. Thanks

I do occasionally use rooms for special rules, however I do not normally use them as I do not normally need them.