PCB Release View. Contents

Transcription

1 PCB Release View Contents

2 View Breakdown Open Projects Project Configurations Process Flow File Generation Using the View in Design Mode Getting Access to Release Mode Validation and Output Generation Using the View in Release Mode Process Flow and Design Release Process Facilitating a Solid Audit Trail

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4 Parent article: Vault-Driven Electronics Design An example of the PCB Release view. The PCB Release view ( View»PCB Release View) is the graphical interface to Altium Designer's PCB Process Manager used to perform the board design release process and presents a high-level 'Dashboard' that operates in two modes: Design Mode and Release Mode.

5 View Breakdown Before exploring the use of the PCB Release view in either Design Mode or Release Mode, it is a good idea, at this point, to take a closer look at the elements that constitute the view a summarizing breakdown if you will. Open Projects The topmost region of the view presents a distinct tab for each PCB design project you currently have open as reflected in the Projects panel. Each tab displays the following information: The PCB project name The number of configurations currently defined for the project Version control status information. For a PCB project under version control, the entries will reflect the state between your local sandbox copy and the fileset stored in the repository (Design Repository). This includes states such as Up To Date, Unsaved Changes, Local Changes and Files Missing From VCS. For a PCB project that is not part of version control, this entry will remain static and read Not In VCS. An example of two projects open and presented in the PCB Release view. Click on a text entry in a project's tab, or on the project icon, to quickly access the Configuration Manager di alog for that project. Project Configurations Main article: PCB Project Configurations Clicking on a project-level tab in the view will present all configurations currently defined for that project, as a set of sub-tabs. Each tab displays the following information, as defined in the Configuration Manager dialog ( Project»Conf iguration Manager): The name of the configuration The ID of the Item in the Altium Vault targeted by the project to which the configuration is currently

6 mapped. The current revision of that Item (and its lifecycle state). An example showing the presentation of two configurations defined for the chosen project PB02.PrjPcb. If a configuration is not mapped to a valid Item in the target vault, the Item ID and Revision ID information will not be displayed. Instead, the tab will display the text Not Mapped to Item. Click on the configuration name, or on the configuration icon, to quickly access the Configuration Manager di alog for that project. Click on the Item ID or Revision ID to access the detailed Item view for that Item. Process Flow Each configuration has an associated Process Flow. In its entirety, this flow represents the board design release process getting the design from the Design Repository, processing the chosen configuration of it, and committing generated release data into the referenced Item (and revision) in the nominated Altium Vault. On the left side, a region for the Design Source is presented, giving status information for the active design project in the view. On the right side, a region for the Target Vault is presented, giving status information pertaining to the targeted Item that the chosen configuration maps to. Between the two are controls for switching between Design and Release modes. Directly below is the graphical representation of the actual Process Flow the board design release process itself. An example of the process flow (in Design Mode) for a chosen configuration. The overall flow consists of four distinct stages as follows: Checkout Snapshot in this initial stage, a snapshot of the data, including dependencies, is checked out from the Design Repository. Validate Design all defined validation output generators, defined in an Output Job file assigned to the configuration being released, are run in this stage. This includes running any of: Differences Report (using the comparator to determine if the source and PCB design documents are correctly in-sync); Electrical Rules Check (checking the electrical/drafting validity of the captured source design); Design Rules Check (checking the validity of the PCB document in relation to specified board-level design constraints); Footprint

7 Comparison Report (comparing footprints on the board against their source library to ensure they are up-to-date, and matched). Generate Outputs all other defined outputs in the assigned Output Job file(s) are run in this stage. These are the outputs that drive the release of the target Item, the instructions from which the physical Item will be produced to exist as a tangible product which can be bought and sold. Commit Release this stage pushes the generated outputs and validated design document snapshot into the defined new revision (planned revision) of the target Item, stored in the nominated vault. What you can actually do in the flow depends on the mode you are currently in Design Mode or Release Mode. Click on the header text in the Design Source region ( <ConfigurationName> of <ProjectName> ) to quickly access the Configuration Manager dialog for the project. Click on the header text in the Target Vault region ( Revision <Revision ID> of <Item ID> ) to quickly access the detailed Item view for that Item, with the indicated revision focused. Click on the Vault icon, or the Target Vault text above it, to quickly access the Vaults panel, presenting that vault. If the project does not reference a vault, the Data Management Vaults page of the Preferences dialog will appear, where you can connect to one. File Generation The final region in the view is a listing of all outputs defined in the one or more Output Job files assigned to the chosen configuration to be released. The storage structure reflects output paths defined for the relevant output containers in the associated Output Job file(s). In addition, a dedicated entry for the System BOM will be appended to the bottom of the list, named using the format [ItemID-RevisionID] SystemBOM.xml. Example list of outputs to be generated for a chosen configuration. For each output the following information is presented: File Name the name of the generated output, prefixed with the Item ID and Revision ID (e.g. [D A.2] Design Rules Check.PDF). For an output associated to the Generated Files output container, this field initially displays the name for the output (identical to the Output Name field). When the output is generated, this field expands to show the actual file name. Output Job the Output Job file in which the associated output generator for this output is defined. Output Medium the name of the associated output container into which the output will be generated (e.g. P

8 DFs, Files, Videos). Output Name the name specified for the associated output generator in the applicable Output Job file. Category the specific output category within the Output Job file, to which the output is associated. Source the source from which the output is generated, as defined for the associated output generator in the Output Job file, in the Data Source field. Note that if multiple output generators are associated with the generated file (e.g. for a PDF document), and they have differing data sources, this field will be blank. Status the current state of the output. The following is a list of possible states: State Description output has not yet been generated/does not exist. output has been generated, but changes have since happened on the design side making the validity of this data no longer current. the output is currently in the process of being generated. the output is validation-based and has generated a report free of any errors. For an ERC report, there are either no errors, or the level of those errors falls within the specified maximum tolerated error level for that report. the output (excluding validation-based outputs) has generated successfully. the output has not generated successfully. For a validation-based output (DRC, ERC, Differences, Footprint comparison) this means errors exist within the source design documents that are causing certain check(s) to fail. For a standard output, the output could not be generated successfully. Perhaps Fatal Errors exist when performing a pre-generation compile, or something is amiss in the configuration of the associated output generator in the Output Job file. Only File Name, Category and Status are presented for the System BOM. Generate, Open and Delete buttons below the list (and corresponding commands on the right-click menu) allow actions to be performed on selected outputs when in Design Mode. The field at the bottom of the view displays the location into which the generated files will be stored.

9 Using the View in Design Mode This mode of the PCB Release view is used for controlling and managing the Board-Level design process. Here you can run validations and generate outputs as needed, and in any order, 'testing the waters' as it were to ensure all is as it should be, prior to initiating the actual release of the intended configuration. In this mode, you are free to move between defined configurations in any of the currently open projects. The aim, in this mode, is to essentially concentrate on a particular configuration of the project you want to release, and ensure that everything is ready-to-go. When it is, you'll be able to switch the view into its Release Mode, and perform the actual release. Getting Access to Release Mode Looking at the following image, there are essentially three areas which need to be 'Green Stated' before Release Mode becomes accessible. In Design Mode, three key areas need to return a successful status before you are able to gain access to the view's Release Mode. In summary, these are: The status display on the parent project tab. The Design Source region. The Target Vault region. The first two of these are basically the same indicator and relate to use of a version-controlled Design Repository. To be in a 'green and ready' state, the local working copy of the design project (your sandbox) must be synchronized with the master fileset in the repository. If, for example, you have added new design files or modified existing ones, then the design will no longer be in-sync. You need to add new file(s) or commit changes as required to get back to a fully synchronized state. To aid in resolving any issue in this area, if the state is "Files Missing From VCS", "Out Of Date", or "Local Changes", the state and summary text entries in the Design Source region will become hyperlinks providing access to a dialog listing the offending files and enabling you to commit or update as required to obtain a fully synchronized state.

10 Click the state or summary text to access the relevant dialog used to facilitate synchronization between the Design Repository and local copy. If you are not using a version-controlled Design Repository, these first two areas are not an issue. The states will simply indicate that the project is not in VCS. With the target vault, you need to ensure that you firstly have a vault connected, and that Items have been created within. You must then ensure that the configuration of the project you wish to release actually points to a defined Item within that vault referencing its unique ID. If the configuration is not mapped to a valid Item in the vault, the Target Vault region will reflect this. The state and summary text entries will become hyperlinks providing access to the Configuration Manager dialog, from where you can specify which Item in the vault the configuration is to map to.

11 An example showing the Target Vault region indicating that the configuration is not mapped to a valid Item in the vault referenced by the design project. Clicking the state or summary text provides access to the Configuration Manager dialog. Depending on the lifecycle definition employed for an Item a revision of that Item can, post-release, be set to various lifecycle stages New From Design, In Prototype, In Production, to name a few. However, to access Release Mode and subsequently release a project configuration, the Item revision MUST be in the Planned state. If this is not the case, the Vault region will flag this. In this case, click the state or summary text to access the associated Item view for the Item. From here, you can create a new planned revision of the Item as required.

12 An example showing the Target Vault region indicating that the configuration is not mapped to a planned revision of the target Item in the vault. Clicking the state or summary text provides access to the Item view. Once a new planned revision of the Item is created, you will need to go back to the Configuration Manager di alog and point to that revision. And as updating the configuration modifies the project file, don't forget to save and commit to the Design Repository, otherwise the Design Source region will not be in a synchronized state! Validation and Output Generation Related article: Defining Validation Reports in an Output Job File In Design Mode, the Process Flow appears as shown in the following image. Example appearance of the Process Flow in Design Mode when all is set up and configured correctly. Notice that only stages 2 and 3 of the flow are active and enabled in this mode Validate Design and Generate Outputs. These two stages are the 'meat' of the flow and their successful running is crucial to the board design release process. If either of these stages fails, the release fails simple as that. So within Design Mode, access to

13 these stages gives you arguably the most valuable pre-release checking aid possible. The Validate Design stage is optional in the release process it is included only if you have defined validation outputs as part of an Output Job file assigned to the configuration being released. To run all outputs associated to a particular stage, simply click the button for that stage, or the the button: icon at the right of Validate Design to run all validation-based outputs defined in Output Job file(s) assigned to the chosen configuration. Generate Outputs to run all other outputs defined in assigned Output Job file(s), in addition to the System BOM. If the Validate Design stage's state is currently Missing (Red) or Out Of Date (Yellow), clicking the Gen erate Outputs button will run the Validate Design stage first as well. To run only the Generate Outputs sta ge in this case, simply click the icon at the right of the button. As you run a stage, the text on the button will change to reflect which output is currently being generated, and how many outputs have been generated so far out of the total to be run. The current state of output generation for a stage is also reflected in the button for that stage. The state in each output's Status field will reflect when that output is running and then the result once generation is complete. If all outputs are generated successfully validations all Passed and other outputs are Up To Date then success is guaranteed with respect to these stages when running the flow in Release Mode. Success in Design Mode - an example design validates fine and all outputs execute successfully. There should be no failure from these stages once we go to Release Mode! Offering further flexibility, Design Mode enables you to generate output on an individual basis. Simply select the particular output you wish to generate (a validation report, a standard output, or the System BOM) and click the Gen

14 erate button at the bottom left of the file listing. Once generated, you have the ability to view that document (click Op en or double-click the entry) and subsequently delete it (click Delete) as required. Generate and view output at the individual document level. All output generated while in Design Mode will be stored under the project folder in your local sandbox, under a sub-folder named using the name of the configuration. How the outputs are stored within this folder depends on locations specified as part of output paths, defined for the relevant output containers in the associated Output Job file. Using the View in Release Mode Related article: Managing the Item's Revision and Lifecycle State - the Item View

15 This mode of the PCB Release view is for initiating releases of PCB Project configurations. This is where the high-integrity board release process is performed, taking the specified configuration of the design project and processing it to obtain the data required to physically produce the Item referenced by it. This data is then stored as part of a revision of that Item, in the target vault. Once in this mode, everything becomes locked down. Only the chosen configuration of the selected design project remains enabled, with all other projects and configurations disabled (dimmed). You cannot select a different configuration or jump to another project in this mode. At this point, all attention is fixed on releasing the chosen configuration with the highest integrity. Once in Release Mode, only the chosen configuration is available to interact with. Process Flow and Design Release Process In Release Mode, the Process Flow appears as shown in the following image. Example appearance of the Process Flow in Release Mode when all is ready to initiate the release. Notice that all stages of the flow now become active, but only the Commit Release button is enabled. To initiate the release, simply click this button. Each stage is run in sequence a snapshot of the design source is taken, validated, and the outputs defined in Output Job files assigned to that configuration are generated. Snapshot and generated release data are stored in a temporary folder during the release process. This folder is specified on the D ata Management Vaults page of the Preferences dialog ( DXP»Preferences) and reflected below the file generation area of the PCB Release view. The default location is set to \Documents and Settings\<ProfileName>\Local Settings\Temp\Releases (on Windows XP), and \Users\<ProfileNa me>\appdata\local\temp\releases (on Windows 7, Windows Vista).

16 Default temporary folder used for generating release data. The resulting generated data, as well as the snapshot, are then committed to the target vault essentially copied from the temporary folder to the vault. If specified, the content of the temporary folder will be deleted after you exit Release Mode. Upon committal, the Release Summary dialog will appear, providing a listing of the data that has been stored in the revision of the Item in the vault.

17 Successful release of a configuration of the design project! The release data (snapshot + outputs) is committed to the target vault, stored in the revision of the targeted Item. The released documents and design snapshot are summarized in the Release Summary dialog. As the process is fully automated, the risk of errors associated with a manual release process are no longer a consideration. Full validation, full checking. The data sent to manufacturing is exactly what it needs to be, to produce the product exactly as you designed it. All stages in the process flow must run successfully, otherwise the release will fail and data will not be committed to the vault. Once released successfully, the lifecycle state of the revision of the targeted Item will change from Planned to Rel eased or New From Design (depending on the particular lifecycle definition in force) indicated in the tab for the configuration.

18 The tab for the released configuration is updated to reflect the lifecycle state of the Item revision. The example shown is for a lifecycle definition other than Basic Lifecycle. Once released, detailed information and lifecycle status controls regarding the Item (and all its revisions) are available in the Item view accessed by clicking on the header text in the Target Vault region ( Revision <Revision ID> of <Item ID>). Facilitating a Solid Audit Trail Whenever a new revision of an Item is generated, during the release process Altium Designer records the version control repository address and revision of the project and commits this information to the target vault. This method means that at any point in the future it is possible to retrieve an identical snapshot of all files in the design project from version control. To put this another way, it is possible to identify the point in time at which any given configuration of the PCB design was released, go back to this point and retrieve, modify and re-release that configuration with the correct dependencies. Two files, stored in the Design Repository, effectively 'record' the release at the time the release data is committed to the Item Revision in the target vault. Item ID-Revision ID[ProjectName].ReleaseInfo this file is release-specific. It lists all files that are generated and checked in as part of the commit stage of the board design release process, as well as the version control repository addresses (URLs) of the source design documents and dependencies (where known). _Release.log this file is project-specific. It provides a running log of all releases of that particular project, in terms of released configuration name and the revision of the Item that the data was released into. These files are checked into the Design Repository in a sub-folder of the design project, named ReleaseInfo.

19 Information about a specific release is stored in the Design Repository within an associated.releaseinfo file. All releases for a design project can be found in that project's _Release.log file. Viewing the revisions of the _Release.log file for a project through the Storage Manager panel will effectively show you a history of all releases of that project.

20 A history of releases for a project - quickly accessed through the Storage Manager panel.