That's why you use Device Sheets for this particular use case (having sort of a template for a schematic block). As for hierarchichal design - people are just not used to it, when you think about it as analogy to object-oriented programming and creating objects it becomes much, much more intuitive. And ultimately, for me it's mostly a productivity tool, which used along compiler and proper erc saved my bacon plenty of times. It always struck me as strange that people for the life of theirs cannot figure out where a line goes, but they seem to follow code that I cannot wrap my head around, and it uses no particularly difficult constructs, just some moderately advanced C++. Go figure :)
I came to hardware design from software engineering. Hierarchical design is wayyyyy easier to follow IF you're used to that kind of thing (like anyone who is reasonably decent at programming). But I can see how it could definitely go too far to where it's just pointless.
@@wcvp I'm in the same boat as you. I see the argument being presented but I feel like hierarchical design is so much easier on my brain to follow. I'm used to tabs and laying out things in functions. Someone else commented about making them more as block diagrams which I kind of do think would be better. It would solve the problem Robert is mentioning
@Robert Feranec, Hi, I am new to hierarchical design and I have some doubts. 1. If you are using same blocks with different places, The reference designator will be same, right. so If you are using 3 blocks, then three components with the same reference designator will there right. which will cause problem in PCB design??
The reference designation will NOT be same! Each instans of the block will have its own modified ref. descriptor. e.g. R11 will be R11A and R11B... or R11-1 and R11-2. Many ways make it.
Totally agree, the way Altium does hierarchial deisgn it makes it hard to read and follow. I really would like for Altium to change the hierarchial design to allow it to look like a block diagram. Right now it's based on single schematic pages, it needs to be more felxiable. This would be a major feature if Altium would do it, but they don't really listen to current users much. It's fine for "simple" designs where you have repeated layout sections. But for complaiacted deigns (like ARM sbcs, Thunderbolt storage, etc..) it completely breaks down.
Hi, i am new using altium and i must use flat design to have many pages. I am confused about how use ports to connect pages, how setup my project, how use auto designator to numerate my components and things like that. Do you have some tutorial or reference to start with this?
@@delereorbem Thank you. Have a look here th-cam.com/play/PLXvLToQzgzdfKKQn2wmpuSXz6sROQmO6R.html and here th-cam.com/video/3mpfB3EG5wo/w-d-xo.html Maybe that could help.
I usually use a synoptic view of SCH block page, that give you a view of signal going from one block to an another. I put the main SCH block page (generally it's the cpu) in the middle, and then all the other block around it. Altium also offer a tool that allow you to add signal ports automatically with the name and direction in/out/io. I put this synoptic in the first page of the project to present quickly the structure of your schematic. Robert I propose you to add a video about it. Feel free to contact me if you need some help, I will be glad to help a master like you! Cheers
Hi Robert, I would like Congratulation about all videos, thay so helpful. I have a question, sorry if is offtopic. I want to change the designator size, e.g.: U1, R1, C1, they are so big and take so mach space, on SCH and PCB. But I would like to this on the library. Thank you.
DXP->Preferences->PCB Editor->Defaults->Component->Edit Values->Designator (Change Height As You Like, Width doesn't effect anything.) After that when you create new PCB, your designators will be as you like. If you want to change already created PCB, you need to right click on any designator in PCB, then click on Find Similar Objects, then change Any to Same next to Designator, then click OK. All the designators in PCB will be selected and PCB Inspector is going to open. From there you can change all selected designators' height at the same time by changing "Text Height". P.S.: This is kind of a basic of Altium Designer. I suggest you to watch Robert's videos from his website and his youtube channel.
I have used Hierarchy few times and it worked fine. The biggest advantage is that you can make pcb components placement and routing identical for identical Chanel without any extra effort.
The port number thing is fixed in 16/17. You have to all the pages "open", remove ports, complie, and then add.
That's why you use Device Sheets for this particular use case (having sort of a template for a schematic block).
As for hierarchichal design - people are just not used to it, when you think about it as analogy to object-oriented programming and creating objects it becomes much, much more intuitive. And ultimately, for me it's mostly a productivity tool, which used along compiler and proper erc saved my bacon plenty of times.
It always struck me as strange that people for the life of theirs cannot figure out where a line goes, but they seem to follow code that I cannot wrap my head around, and it uses no particularly difficult constructs, just some moderately advanced C++. Go figure :)
I came to hardware design from software engineering. Hierarchical design is wayyyyy easier to follow IF you're used to that kind of thing (like anyone who is reasonably decent at programming). But I can see how it could definitely go too far to where it's just pointless.
@@wcvp I'm in the same boat as you. I see the argument being presented but I feel like hierarchical design is so much easier on my brain to follow. I'm used to tabs and laying out things in functions.
Someone else commented about making them more as block diagrams which I kind of do think would be better. It would solve the problem Robert is mentioning
Im smelling a potential improvement for Altium on this issue?
it's a bug I have also problems with text strings upside down...in AD17
@Robert Feranec,
Hi, I am new to hierarchical design and I have some doubts.
1. If you are using same blocks with different places, The reference designator will be same, right. so If you are using 3 blocks, then three components with the same reference designator will there right. which will cause problem in PCB design??
The reference designation will NOT be same! Each instans of the block will have its own modified ref. descriptor. e.g. R11 will be R11A and R11B... or R11-1 and R11-2. Many ways make it.
Totally agree, the way Altium does hierarchial deisgn it makes it hard to read and follow. I really would like for Altium to change the hierarchial design to allow it to look like a block diagram. Right now it's based on single schematic pages, it needs to be more felxiable. This would be a major feature if Altium would do it, but they don't really listen to current users much.
It's fine for "simple" designs where you have repeated layout sections. But for complaiacted deigns (like ARM sbcs, Thunderbolt storage, etc..) it completely breaks down.
Hi, i am new using altium and i must use flat design to have many pages. I am confused about how use ports to connect pages, how setup my project, how use auto designator to numerate my components and things like that. Do you have some tutorial or reference to start with this?
and your videos are very useful and easy to understand.
@@delereorbem Thank you. Have a look here th-cam.com/play/PLXvLToQzgzdfKKQn2wmpuSXz6sROQmO6R.html and here th-cam.com/video/3mpfB3EG5wo/w-d-xo.html Maybe that could help.
@@RobertFeranec I am going to start with these videos. Thanks for your reply.
I usually use a synoptic view of SCH block page, that give you a view of signal going from one block to an another. I put the main SCH block page (generally it's the cpu) in the middle, and then all the other block around it. Altium also offer a tool that allow you to add signal ports automatically with the name and direction in/out/io. I put this synoptic in the first page of the project to present quickly the structure of your schematic.
Robert I propose you to add a video about it. Feel free to contact me if you need some help, I will be glad to help a master like you!
Cheers
Hi Robert, I would like Congratulation about all videos, thay so helpful. I have a question, sorry if is offtopic. I want to change the designator size, e.g.: U1, R1, C1, they are so big and take so mach space, on SCH and PCB. But I would like to this on the library. Thank you.
DXP->Preferences->PCB Editor->Defaults->Component->Edit Values->Designator (Change Height As You Like, Width doesn't effect anything.) After that when you create new PCB, your designators will be as you like.
If you want to change already created PCB, you need to right click on any designator in PCB, then click on Find Similar Objects, then change Any to Same next to Designator, then click OK. All the designators in PCB will be selected and PCB Inspector is going to open. From there you can change all selected designators' height at the same time by changing "Text Height".
P.S.: This is kind of a basic of Altium Designer. I suggest you to watch Robert's videos from his website and his youtube channel.
I have used Hierarchy few times and it worked fine. The biggest advantage is that you can make pcb components placement and routing identical for identical Chanel without any extra effort.
Yes, this is what a hierarchy used for. No one using hierarchy just for schematic, because it is useless.
Yes,try not to use the hierarchical design,the flat is sufficient for 90% projects of 95% componies.
I agree