All I want is a resistor....

To add insult to injury farnell still supply eagle parts libraries that can't be opened in CS, is farnell sure it wanted to sell eagle off ? they seem desperate to get all those customers back now at my expense.

I feel your pain, I'm just coming into CS from Eagle and was surprised at the lack of basic components built-in and how painful the vault is to use (In my case that's partly down to my own lack of understanding).

I suspect that Farnell will favour putting their libraries directly into the vault rather that publishing them separately as the have been with Eagle

The latest CS 1.4 can however import Eagle libraries under file>import

I feel your pain, I'm just coming into CS from Eagle and was surprised at the lack of basic components built-in and how painful the vault is to use (In my case that's partly down to my own lack of understanding).

I suspect that Farnell will favour putting their libraries directly into the vault rather that publishing them separately as the have been with Eagle

The latest CS 1.4 can however import Eagle libraries under file>import

Hi John. Not sure if you are aware but in addition to the online Vault a vast collection of component libraries are available from the Altium website. Although not as convenient to access as the online Vault components these other libraries can be downloaded and components extracted and modified locally. This is not well documented for new users so please follow the instructions below.

1. Visit https://designcontent.live.altium.com/#UnifiedComponents.
2. Login with your Altium Live account
3. If you need to register go ahead, ideally allow cookies in your browser so that you don't need to register each visit.
4. Browse the available libraries and download to your local drive.
5. Unzip the library into a suitable folder on your computer.
6. Drag the *.IntLib file onto CircuitStudio and choose Extract Sources
7. The Projects panel will show a LibPkg project containing a SchLib and PcbLib file (these files will also be created on your local drive).

These library components are local to your computer and can be used in your designs, copied into your own custom libraries and modified as needed.

That's good to know, thanks

Creating my own libraries in CS seems a lot easier than Eagle too

Correction, the documentation of CS is non existent. What there is amounts to listing the options available without really explaining what they do. Most dialog boxes are self explanatory. This forum is also very poor in terms of functionality and I am finding it easier to ask questions on other forums that run on sensible systems like SMF instead of a poorly implemented forum system written by a short sighted distributor who is the only authority on documenting and providing support for the software. I am just coming off using a software that cost £200 less than CS but I could phone them any time or email them and get prompt and accurate support. The support for CS a more expensive program is non existent, this so called forum does not count as support. Replies are slow and from other equally baffled users.

I've just spent an age trying to modify a design by a chap who recently left the company.

All I want to do is move a new step model up and away from the PCB (in the z-axis). Can I do it? Nope. There are numerous parameters like 'Standoff Height', 'Overall Height', none of which do a thing. The documentation says you can adjust an extruded part, but no mention of step models.

I've used Ultimate, PADs and Expedition and despite all their failings, none are as annoying as this package. To make matters worse, a lot of the help directs you to Altium Designer which I suspect is deliberate to ween you off this poorer software.

Is it possible to raise or lower a component or must we shift the coordinates in the 3D software and then reimport?

"Standoff height" under the axis rotation options should do it. I assume it will just move the model relative to the vertical direction of the PCB, I model most of my own models so they already use "z" as the vertical axis, presumably you are in "generic 3D model" as each different 3D option has it's own set of options.

I have tried entering values for everything I can find related to depth position to no avail. z this, z that, standoff, height, everything. I've tried this in both the library editor and for the numerous component options/properties and in Manage 3D Bodies. Nothing moves the part. All I want is to shift the z axis origin for the model, but it would be too easy to have a simple box for that.

To lift a component off the board surface at the PCB level you change the standoff height in the 3D Body parameters window.  Make sure the part is not locked in place also.  Another way to do this is to select the step model and use the PCB Inspector panel.  Then change the Model Z property.  This works for me anyway.

If you have imported a step model and are trying to change it then I think you may be doing something wrong based on the options you describe for manipulating the position of the model. If you have a step model you should get the following dialog options, options you mention like overall height are not part of the properties for step files (they are for extruded though).

Turn on the 3D Top layer and you should see shaded areas where the step model sits. In 2D mode double click the model and it will bring up the dialog to adjust the body.

e14softwareuk  wrote:

 

Hi John. Not sure if you are aware but in addition to the online Vault a vast collection of component libraries are available from the Altium website. Although not as convenient to access as the online Vault components these other libraries can be downloaded and components extracted and modified locally. This is not well documented for new users so please follow the instructions below.

 

1. Visit https://designcontent.live.altium.com/#UnifiedComponents.
2. ...

But can you find me a simple resistor from there? No!

This is unbeleavable, the license costs many thousands of euros and I have to start making my own basic libraries, people here are even talking about importing from Eagle, I quess thats what i have to do.. pathetic.