Hyperlink Text Support in Schematic Documents

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Modified by Admin on Nov 6, 2013

 

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In today's globally-connected society, the internet has become an established part of everyday life. Where once a physical document would be used for reference (remember that bookshelf gathering dust in the back of the lab?), these days it's simply a matter of supplying the required URL to information resident in the ever-expanding 'Cloud'. And while electronic-format documents stored on a shared medium can certainly be referenced from a design project, Altium Designer also provides support for adding hyperlinks directly to your schematic sheets, through the Hyperlink design object. In addition, hyperlink support is in place for any free text string or object parameter whose text/value is a URL. With this extensive support, documentation from anywhere on the Web can be referenced offering a fast, convenient alternative when providing access to datasheets for components used in your designs. Even add a link to your own organization's website in your title blocks for good measure!

Most of the information in this article looks specifically at working with the Hyperlink design object. Hyperlink support is also provided for the Text String object, when its Text is set to be a URL. Similarly, hyperlink support is also provided for design objects to which parameters can be attached (e.g. Parts, Ports, Sheet Symbols, Device Sheet Symbols, Parameter Sets), and where such parameters have a URL for their value, and our enabled for display in the workspace. While placing and defining these various objects will of course differ, when the URL of a Hyperlink/Text String/Parameter is available, the act of following it from within the workspace is identical. Jump to Following a Link for detail on this process.

Access

Hyperlinks can be placed on schematic documents (*.SchDoc), schematic library documents (*.SchLib), and OpenBus system documents (*.OpenBus) by:

  • Choosing Place » Hyperlink [P, K] from the respective editor's main menus.
  • Clicking the  button on the Utility Tools drop-down () of the Utilities toolbar.

Placement

To place a hyperlink:

  1. Launch the command using one of the access methods listed previously.
  2. Position the cursor and click or press Enter to effect placement.
  3. Continue placing further hyperlinks, or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.

While placing a hyperlink:

  • Press the Spacebar to rotate the link text anti-clockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in steps of 90°.
  • Press the X or Y keys to mirror the string along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
  • Press the Tab key to access the Hyperlink dialog, from where properties for the hyperlink can be changed on-the-fly.

A newly placed hyperlink will initially have default link text of Link. Change the text to that required, using one of the editing techniques described later in this document.

While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to bring up Hyperlink dialog), bear in mind that these will become the default settings for further hyperlink placement unless the Permanent option on the Schematic – Default Primitives page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.

Editing

The properties of a hyperlink object can be modified before, during and after placement. Editing itself falls into two categories – graphical and non-graphical. The following sections detail the various methods of editing.

Editing via Hyperlink Dialog

This method of editing uses the following dialog to modify the properties of a hyperlink object:

Associated properties dialog for the Hyperlink object.

The Hyperlink dialog can be accessed:

  • Prior to entering placement mode, from the Schematic – Default Primitives page of the Preferences dialog. This allows you to change the default properties for the hyperlink object, which will be applied when placing subsequent hyperlinks.
  • During placement, by pressing the Tab key.
  • After placement, by:
    • Double-clicking on the hyperlink.
    • Right-clicking over the hyperlink and choosing the Properties command from the context menu.
    • Selecting the Edit » Change command, then clicking once over the hyperlink.

Use the controls available to configure the hyperlink as required. The controls will be familiar, since the hyperlink object is simply an extension of the text string object. Aside from positional and font attributes, the following two properties are key to the use of this object:

  • Text – the link text, that will be displayed on the document.
  • URL – the target web page. Simply type-in the URL directly, or copy and paste the address from your browser. To confirm correct address, simply click the  control. This will open the target URL.

You don't need to enter the full URL with http:// prefix. Entering the short-form address for a website will also work, for example www.altium.com, or live.altium.com. Also, when targeting a local document on your hard drive or a shared drive, simply use the prefix file:/// – for example file:///C:\Datasheets\ExampleDatasheet.pdf.

The target URL will open either as a tabbed document inside Altium Designer, or in an external browser, depending on the state of the option to Open internet links in external Web browser. This option can be found on the System – View page of the Preferences dialog.

Confirm that the entry in the URL field accesses the intended target page on the Web.

Editing via Inspector and List Panels

As with all other design objects, hyperlink objects can be inspected and their properties modified, through the respective editor's Inspector and List panels. When used in conjunction with appropriate filtering (using the respective Filter panel) they enable the designer to display just those objects falling under the scope of the active filter – allowing the targeting and editing of multiple design objects with greater accuracy and efficiency.

Example of inspecting a hyperlink object with SCH Inspector and SCH List panels in the Schematic Editor.

Filtering

In support of the hyperlink object, two additional keywords are available for use when targeting hyperlinks using logical query expressions. These are specifically for use with the hyperlink object, and complement the range of other keywords used to target a string-like object.

  • URL – the URL of the hyperlink. This keyword can be found in the SCH Functions – Fields category, when using the Query Helper.
  • IsHyperlink – is the object a hyperlink? This keyword can be found in the SCH Functions – Object Type Checks category, when using the Query Helper.

The URL can be the full URL or a partial URL, for example targeting a hyperlink based on its URL containing certain string text. The field is case insensitive.

Create logical expressions for queries to target and return hyperlinks in your design as required. Some examples of logical query expressions targeting hyperlinks are:

IsHyperlink And (StringText = 'Datasheet') – targets all hyperlink objects with link text of "Datasheet".

IsHyperlink And (URL  Like  '*altium*') – targets all hyperlink objects with URLs containing "altium" in their string.

URL  Like  '*altium*' – targets all hyperlink objects with URLs containing "altium" in their string.

Editing Graphically

This method of editing allows you to select a placed hyperlink object directly in the workspace and change its location graphically. Hyperlink objects can only be adjusted with respect to their size by changing the size of the font used (accessed through the Hyperlink dialog). As such, editing handles are not available when the hyperlink object is selected:

Example selected hyperlink object.

Click anywhere inside the dashed box and drag to reposition the hyperlink as required. The hyperlink can be rotated or flipped while dragging.

The link text for a hyperlink object can be edited in-place by single-clicking the hyperlink to select it, and then single-clicking again (or pressing the Enter key) to enter the in-place editing mode. Sufficient time between each click should be given to ensure Altium Designer does not interpret the two single-clicks as one double-click (which would open the hyperlink's properties dialog).

To finish editing in-place text, press the Enter key, or use the mouse to click away from the hyperlink.

This feature is only available provided the Enable In-Place Editing option is enabled on the Schematic - General page of the Preferences dialog.

If attempting to graphically modify an object that has its Locked property enabled, a dialog will appear asking for confirmation to proceed with the edit. If the Protect Locked Objects option is enabled on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog, and the Locked option for that design object is enabled as well, then that object cannot be selected or graphically edited. Double click on the locked object directly and disable the Locked property or disable the Protect Locked Objects option, to graphically edit the object.

Following a Link

Once a hyperlink object (or text string, or parameter) has been configured as required, it can be used from within the design workspace. To do so, simply hover the cursor over the hyperlink/text string/parameter. After a short delay, a pop-up with the URL will appear. Click this to open the URL either within Altium Designer, or in an external browser, in accordance with your defined preference.

Following an example hyperlink to its target URL. In this case a hyperlink object is used, but the principle is the
same for a text string or object parameter whose text/value is a URL.

The pop-up containing the URL is a feature of Altium Designer's Design Insight System. Specifically, it is obtained by enabling the Hyperlink Insight feature of the system. This is done on the System – Design Insight page of the Preferences dialog. As with other elements of the system, you can configure the launch style for the pop-up – Mouse Hover and/or Alt+Double Click.

Configuring Hyperlink Insight.

The delay for the appearance of the pop-up when using the Mouse Hover launch style can be controlled using the Mouse Hover Delay slider. Bear in mind that this affects the pop-ups for all features in the insight system.

Alternatively, a link can be followed by right-clicking over it and accessing the URL from the Hyperlink sub-menu. This would be the way to follow a link if Hyperlink Insight is disabled.

Access the URL for a hyperlink object from the right-click context menu.
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