Vault-Based Domain Models

Parent article: Component Management

From a designer's perspective, a vault-based component gathers together all information needed to represent that component across all design domains, within a single entity. It could therefore be thought of as a container in this respect. A 'bucket' into which all domain models and parametric information is stored.

In terms of its representation in the various domains, a vault-based component doesn't contain the domain models themselves, but rather links to these models. These links are specified on the design-side, as part of the source component definition – from which the released Component Item is generated. As such, before you can delve into the process of defining and releasing vault-based components, you must first ensure that all the domain models themselves have been created and released.

Use the following links to take a look at how to create and release these requisite domain models into a target vault:

Batch Releasing Domain Models

Main article: Batch Releasing to a Vault with the Release Manager

For domain models stored across a large number of source documents, release of each individual document can be a laborious (and daunting!) task – especially since release requires the document to be open and active in Altium Designer. To facilitate the release of multiple domain models to a target vault simultaneously, Altium Designer provides a Release Manager. Unlike the streamlined version of this dialog – which is concerned with the active document only – this is the full release 'console'. Use it to batch-release symbols or models stored across multiple source documents, in a nominated source folder location.

Accessed by running the File » Release Manager command, the Release Manager enables you to release, in turn, schematic symbols, PCB 2D/3D component models, and simulation model definitions, stored within one or more source documents – facilitating the release of multiple domain models to a target vault simultaneously.

Release domain models, stored in one or more source documents, using the Release Manager.

Setting up for release couldn't be simpler:

• Point to a top-level folder containing the libraries/files you want to release. Libraries/files can be stored in sub-folders within this folder.

• Choose the target vault.

• Choose to create a top-level folder in the vault based on the nominated top-level Windows folder, or choose an existing vault folder. You can optionally create sub-folders in the nominated vault folder, for each Windows sub-folder. Additionally, you can opt to create a vault folder for each source document.

• Determine the Item naming, revision naming and lifecycle definition schemes to be applied/adhered to for newly-created Items in the target vault.

• Hit the Analyze Folders button.

Analysis of source document folders and target vault folders (and Items) based on your chosen options will be performed and the source libraries/files detected will be listed, in terms of their content symbols or models. For each entry, the target Item will be displayed, its current and/or next revision (as applicable) and the action that will be performed by the release process.

Enable the symbols or models that you want to release and then click the Prepare Items and Documents button to effectively commit the link information to the source documents involved in the release. Once saved, proceed with the release by clicking the Release Items button.