Track Coordinates X1,Y1 and X2,Y2

In Altium Track Coordinates are in mils x 10,000

click on image to view

Notes:

X1 is always less than X2.

Y1 can be less than or greater than Y2, it depends on the angle of the track and the starting location of the X axis.

That's it !

Find Dead Copper

Query to select all dead copper for deletion:

Modified Query - I added And NOT (Keepout = 'True')

(((((ObjectKind = 'Track') OR (ObjectKind = 'Arc')) And OnSignal)) Or IsVia) And NOT InAnyNet And Not InAnyComponent And NOT (Keepout = 'True')

Source Dennis Saputelli
https://forum.live.altium.com/#posts/221702/645693

That's it !

New in AD17.1.5

One of my projects has 3 Violations that did not exists in prior versions. 



2 of 3 violations are related keep outs and the other violation is a soldermask web near via.

Lucky for me Altium included a new feature in AD17.1.5 that allows for selectively waiving DRC violations. Waiving DRCs is useful for backward compatibility.

Selectively Waiving DRC Violations | Online Documentation for Altium Products

New in AD17.1.5
Altium Designer 17.1 is now available (15 May 2017)

That's it !

AD17.1.5 Added support for object specific keepouts (BC:1424, BC:3483).

Legacy Workaround: 

Tracks on other layers can be copied to the Global Keepout layer using Paste Special.

See: https://forum.live.altium.com/#posts/235870/716595


The New Way:

Added support for object specific keepouts (BC:1424, BC:3483).

Related links: 

Altium Designer 17.1 is now available (15 May 2017)

Object Specific Keepouts | Online Documentation for Altium Products







"In its simplest sense, a Keepout acts as an ‘interference’ object that prevents other copper objects from intersecting its area, as specified by the global Clearance Rule."

"Important Notice: The Keepout primitive cannot be added as a regular primitive now! Only the following menu command can be used for adding the Keepout: Place > Keepout. The target layer, where this limitation applies, can be set after the placement of the keepout. Starting with this release, there is no Keepout option in the properties of regular primitives, and vice versa, there is no ability to select a net, a mask or a solder paste in Keepout properties.

Backward Compatibility: "All objects with the Keepout option turned on will be converted to Keepout primitives when the board is opened with this version of Altium Designer."

Altium forum: Keep-out layer unaccessable

My Comments: 

Polygon pours will use global clearances rules to define the copper gap (pull back) and since the nets can not be assigned in AD17.1.5 to keep outs you will need to devise some new and cleaver ways to control the copper gaps in your RF designs.

I'm looking forward to using the new keep out features. However I need to beware that my older version designs are not backward compatible with AD17.1.5. Clearances rules that were associated with keep outs that had net names will need to fixed.

In AD17.1.5 my Fiducials now Fail DRC Checks.

My Fiducials, which where good for the past 7 years, are now NO Bueno.

Looks like it's time to re-design my Fiducials or Waive DRCs !

I chose to re-design my Fiducials :)

Keep outs and adjacent primitives (like Pads) must meet the global clearance requirements. 

To fix my Fiducials I had to reduce the width of the arc and increase the radius.



That's it !

Rotated Octagons in Polygons and Planes

Here's simple and brilliant idea to improve signal integrity in Altium. This idea will allow users to push vias closer together and still have some copper poured between the vias, that's free signal integrity.

This idea was submitted by Per Magnusson on the Altium Ideas forum, check it out. 

https://bugcrunch.live.altium.com/#Idea/4314




















To create the eight sided Octagon in the polygon pours use a coarse Arc Approximation.

Example: Arc Approximation 5mil

If Altium will rotate the octagons shown above 22.5 degrees we will have larger copper webs between the vias under our BGAs which will improve signal integrity.

For hekkaidekagons 16 sided pullbacks the rotation should be 11.25 degrees. 

The simple rotated eight sided octagons should improve polygon pour performance and they compliment 45/90 degree routing strategies.

Cast your vote at: https://bugcrunch.live.altium.com/#Idea/4314

That's it !