Whenever you have a new component, simply open the relevant library project, add the component and its footprint, and recompile.As edge rates of logic devices become faster and PCB designs become more advanced and geared towards miniaturization, a number of issues and pitfalls can emerge at the layout stage if you do not have appropriate tools at your disposal to handle your requirements. This way you always have your libraries for all projects.
with Altium open and running, click on file tab (left bottom corner of work space, find "Blank Project (library Package)" and click on it."Samtec" (for all parts from Samtec you will add to the this library), "Atmel" (for all parts from Atmel you will add to the this library), "Capacitors" (for all capacitors you will add to the capacitors library), "Resistors" (for all resistors you will add to the resistors library), Within that folder create several subfolders with names like: This folder will contain all your libraries. What would be the appropriate way to manage and use the libraries in Altium for me?Ĭreate a folder and name it "Altium Libraries" (or any other name you prefer). After reading few of them, I am still confused what would be the right way. I just went through some techdocs from Altium, and there are many ways to manage libraries: database library, database link, vault based, integrated libraries, component libraries. I don't want to import whole library of amplifiers that I downloaded, just to use one amplifier. Same symbols can be used for different footprints and same footprint can be used for different symbols. And whenever I am working in a new project, I would just copy/import them to my project and create components from the symbols and footprints as required. I don't know what is the best way to manage libraries, but what I would like to have is a central location where I keep all the symbols, footprints and models.
And then I copy the symbols and footprints from other projects if available, download the libraries from manufacturers and add those libraries to project, and if not available make my own symbols and footprints. Whenever I start a project I create a schematic library (*.schlib) and a PCB library (*pcblib). I guess I have been always doing it wrong way because I don't have to use Altium so often.