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Vault Items Very Difficult to Navigate

mflux_gamble

I am looking for a USB surface mount connector.  The vault returns this:

 

image

 

you cannot resize the columns in this view.  you have to click the categories button, and then manually uncheck about 100 parameters which are totally irrelevant,  then you can actually kind of see the results from your search.  then if you click on one - you usually find its not what you want.  then there is no back button to the previous view.  the back button at the top goes to your previous search, not the previous page of results with your 100 manually unchecked boxes.

 

this is really pretty well useless.

 

there's got to be missing search tools on this CS version - there's no way anyone can use this database viewer as is.  

 

i've had some luck with the vault only if you already know which part number you're looking for.  then about 30% of the time the vault has a component.  this just isn't good.  the vault contents must be useful, but if you cannot search them effectively they are use less.

  • in reply to mflux_gamble

    Relatively simple solution here: remember the column selection... if a column was turned off, keep it off in future searches. 

     

    It may also be good to default to a VERY limited set of columns: possibly just Manufacturer + Description.

  • in reply to alex_i

    One tip that can help. At the bottom left of the vault window you will see two tabs. Make use of the Search tab, this does not increase the number of columns shown when there are lots of parameters.

  • in reply to e14softwareuk

    That's true, however this is also basically useless because the part number column is not populated in the search results:

     

    image

  • in reply to jaza_tom

    What are you expecting in the Part Number field? The Comment field is part number. If you need supplier order codes then check out the supply chain view.

    image

  • in reply to e14softwareuk

    Don't want to be the cynic here... but what would one normally expect to see in a column named "Part Number"?  Please don't get tunnel vision because you use the product day in and day out and expect that all your users do the same.  Face it... the Vault searching system is not very intuitive (and I'm being kind with my words here).

  • in reply to jstrautman

    Absolutely agree it's not intuitive. In general it seems the comment field is used by CS for part numbers. Very true that you just get used to these things when running it up every day.

  • I will throw in my vote on this one too. I have the same gripe about the vault.

     

    I'd also like to add that it would be VERY nice if Altium added an easy way to copy a part from the vault into a local integrated library...Like "RightClick->CopyToLibrary" kind of easy. I figured out how to do it manually...but it's a PITA.

     

    I'm in the process of evaluating CS at the moment. I think the main software package is definitely worth the current promo price, and I'm planning on buying it. However, based on what I'm seeing, the maintenance is a complete waste of money...at ANY cost. If Altium were actually making the Vault easier to use and taking suggestions from this forum seriously and implementing them in a timely manner, I wouldn't have any issue paying the annual maintenance that they are asking. It seems like CS is Altium's red headed stepchild..

  • in reply to r.gibson

    Copying vault components into local libraries is not officially supported, hence the software not making it easy. However Altium have made available an workaround, see this new knowledge base article on copying vault components.