creating templates with Circuitstudio

Hi,

Here is the link to an older thread.  I'm not sure if it will help.  One responder had issues with it.

How to Create PCB Templates

And another one here.

https://www.element14.com/community/message/231454/l/custom-title-block-and-drawing-templates#231454

As for me, I found the best way to do this is to make a schematic sheet and PCB sheet the way I want them and then save them as non-template type of files.  I just make them as simple schematic and PCB files and save them into a root folder of my custom libraries.  Then when I start a new blank project I make copies of the schematic sheet and/or PCB sheets and put them into my new project folder.  Then I add them to the project using the add existing file method.  Then I work from there to add in the new information.

Hi Kiyoshi7,

There are several ways I create templates, but the easiest for me is to open one of the files in the Templates folder. If you installed CS to the default directories this would be:

       \Users\Public\Public Documents\Altium\CS\Templates\

Schematic templates have the extension "SchDot". In CS you can just go to the File tab and select "Open Document..." from the drop down menu. From there go to the Templates directory and open the template that is closest to the one you want to create. Make sure you immediately save it as a New Filename to keep from overwriting the original. And if you don't see the "*.SchDot" files check that the "All files (*.*)" type is selected in the drop down list above the "Open" and "Cancel" buttons in the lower right of the "Choose Document to Open" dialog box.

Opening a "SchDot" file in CS will allow you to create, edit, or update Title Blocks and Revision Blocks, as well as add new Text Fields, etc., to a Schematic Template of your own design - just as if you were editing any typical schematic or component symbol. (It's like having a Symbol Editor just for Schematic Templates!)

Once the new SchDot file is created you can select it from the "Templates" tab of any Schematic Sheets "Document Options..." dialog box. Or make it the default Schematic Template by selecting it in the System Preferences \ Schematic \ General \ Defaults \ Template selection list.

P.S. I forgot to mention that CircuitStudio ("CS") has Schematic Templates, PCB Layout Templates, and Project Templates. Use the 'Open Document...' menu item mentioned above to open either SchDot or CSPcbDoc files in the Templates folder to get an idea of what they are.

And if you want to make a 'Project Template', just create a SchDot and CSPcbDoc file and add them to a normal Project using the 'Add Existing to Project..." pop-up menu item when you right-click on the Projects "*.PrjPcb" file in the Projects panel. Next, save the Schematic as a normal schematic document file ("*.SchDoc"). Save the PCB using the normal extension, which is the same as the PCB Template - "CSPcbDoc". Lastly, save the project. (The Schematic, PCB, and Project files should all have the same name when you save them in the the new PCB Project. )

From this new project folder you can copy out the "*.SchDoc", "*.CSPcbDoc", and "*.PrjPcb" files and place them into the "PCB Projects" sub-folder in the Templates folder mentioned above. (An EMF file is also part of the default Projects provided by Altium and represent  an "Enhanced MetaFile" - i.e. Graphics - that is displayed in the "Create New Project From Template" dialog when you create a new Project. You don't need an EMF file, but if you know about creating graphics you can try to create one and add it to the PCB Projects directory, too.) Finally, edit the "PCB Project Templates.ini" file to add your new Project Template (Just copy one of the existing PCB Projects in the file and edit it to reflect your new Project Template). The next time you create a new Project from the "New PCB Project..." menu item of the main menu File tab you should see your new Template project listed.

Good Luck!